Is There a Minimum Charge for Moving Services?

Yes. For most local moves, our minimum is a two-hour labor minimum plus a one-hour travel fee. In the industry it is called a "2+1," and it is the standard for licensed, insured movers across the Chicago area. Here is exactly what it covers and why it exists, so there are no surprises on your bill.

The two hours of labor

The two-hour minimum covers the time our crew actually spends working your move. That is everything hands-on: wrapping your furniture in moving blankets, loading the truck, driving to the new place, and unloading and setting each piece where you want it.

For a small move, two hours is often plenty. A studio across the neighborhood can wrap up inside that window. The minimum simply means that even the quickest job reserves a real crew and a real truck for that block of time, so your move is never rushed or squeezed in between bigger ones.

The one hour of travel

The one-hour travel fee covers getting our crew and a fully loaded truck to your starting point, and back to our facility once the job is done. It is a single flat hour, not a meter that keeps running while we are on the road.

Rolling it into a clear one-hour fee is how we keep it honest. The alternative, which some companies use, is burying fuel and drive-time costs in vague surcharges you only spot on the final bill. We would rather just tell you the number up front.

Why there is a minimum at all

A minimum lets us hold the same standard for a one-room move that we hold for a four-bedroom house. Every job, big or small, gets a dedicated truck and a trained crew that is not overbooked, the full home protection that keeps your floors and doorways safe, and the wardrobe and TV boxes we provide for use on moving day.

Sending a professional crew and a truck out for the day has a real baseline cost whether your move takes two hours or ten. The minimum covers that baseline, so we can keep showing up prepared, careful, and on time. That is what has kept people calling us since 1982.

Same price, any day of the year

The minimum does not move around either. We do not raise it for a summer weekend or a holiday, and we do not change it based on the day of the month. A small Tuesday move and a small Saturday move are quoted the same way. No seasonal markups, no surge pricing, just a consistent baseline you can plan around.

For bigger or more complex jobs, a long-distance move across Illinois, or specialized handling for a piano or fine art, the structure can look different depending on the scope. We will always lay that out clearly before any work starts.

Have a small move?

If you have a small local move and you are wondering whether it falls under the minimum, just reach out. We are glad to walk you through it and help you get the most out of the time. Often the smartest play is to have a few extra things ready to go, so you make full use of those first two hours.

Call (773) 275-4100 or email info@wcmoving.com for a free, upfront estimate, or read more in our FAQ. We will tell you exactly what to expect before we lift a single box.