
Employee Relocation Services in Chicago, IL
When your company moves an employee to, from, or across Chicago, Melendez Moving handles the crew, the building paperwork, and the schedule so your team can keep working.
- Licensed & Insured
- Uniformed Crews
- Local & Interstate
- Equipment Included
- MC #087428 · DOT #3120049
- 5-Star, Customer-Focused
Employee Relocation in Chicago
A relocation that goes sideways isn't just a bad move day. It's a stressed new hire, an HR inbox full of questions, and a start date that slips. When a company asks an employee to pack up their life and report to a new desk in Chicago, the move becomes the company's problem the second something goes wrong.
And plenty can go wrong here. A downtown high-rise needs a Certificate of Insurance on file before anyone touches the freight elevator. The loading dock is booked solid the week your new manager is supposed to land. A greystone walk-up in Lincoln Park has a stairwell too tight for the sofa, and nobody measured. Meanwhile the employee is trying to do their actual job, the relocation budget is unclear, and HR is fielding texts about lost boxes. The cost of a sloppy relocation shows up as lost productivity and a rough first impression of the new role.
Melendez Moving handles corporate and staff relocations across Chicago and the lower 48 so none of that lands on your people. We coordinate directly with HR or with the employee, whichever you prefer, plan the building access and paperwork ahead of time, and run the move with a uniformed, trained crew. Discreet, organized, and on a schedule everyone signs off on before move day. We take care of people. Period.
Pro tip from our crew
Loop us in before your new hire signs a lease. A quick phone walkthrough of both the origin and the Chicago destination lets us flag the real cost and timing drivers up front: a third-floor walk-up in Lakeview versus a doorman building in the Loop with a freight elevator and a strict COI on file, alley access for the truck versus a permit-only street, and whether the building requires a reserved elevator window. Knowing that early means a binding estimate that holds and a move date that fits the building's rules instead of fighting them on the day.
Who This Service Is For
- Companies relocating a new hire, manager, or executive into the Chicago area
- HR and people teams coordinating a staff move on behalf of an employee
- Businesses moving several team members during an office relocation or expansion
- Employees offered a relocation package who need a licensed, insured mover
- Out-of-state firms placing talent in Chicago who need a local crew that knows the buildings
- Companies relocating staff out of Chicago to anywhere in the lower 48
What's Included
- A single point of contact who coordinates with HR, the employee, or both
- A written, binding estimate so the relocation budget is clear up front
- Help coordinating building requirements: COI for high-rises and condos, freight-elevator reservations, and loading-dock time slots
- Careful handling with furniture wrapped, electronics protected, and items inventoried
- Uniformed, trained crews who show up on time and represent your company well
- Local moves across Chicagoland and long-distance moves across the lower 48
- All standard equipment at no extra fee: dolly, hand truck, straps, hand tools, and rope or tie-downs
- Street-permit and parking planning when a building has no loading dock
When to Book Employee Relocation
Book as soon as the offer is accepted and the start date is set. For a downtown high-rise, give us two to four weeks to lock in the freight elevator and get the building's COI approved, since management offices move slowly and the popular elevator windows fill fast. If the relocation lands at month-end, when leases turn over across the city, reserve even earlier.
If timing is flexible, a mid-month, mid-week move day usually means better availability and a calmer building. We can also work backward from a hard start date and around big Chicago events like Lollapalooza, the Marathon, or Cubs home openers that snarl traffic near the move.
How Your Move Works
- 1
Intake and quote
We talk with HR or the employee, learn the origin, destination, timeline, and any building requirements, then send a written binding estimate so the relocation cost is set before anything moves.
- 2
Coordinate the buildings
We help line up the COI, freight-elevator reservation, and loading-dock slot at both ends, and arrange a street permit if there's no dock. One clear plan, shared with everyone.
- 3
Confirm the details
Before move day we make a direct call to walk through special items, access notes, walk-up stairs, and timing, so HR, the employee, and the crew are on the same page.
- 4
Pack and protect
On move day the crew wraps furniture, protects floors and electronics, disassembles what needs it, and inventories the load with careful handling throughout.
- 5
Move and deliver
We load, transport, and unload on schedule, whether it's a cross-town move or a long-distance haul, with clear communication along the way.
- 6
Settle and follow up
We reassemble furniture, place boxes where they belong, clear packing debris, and confirm the employee is settled so the first day in the new role starts clean.
Why Choose Melendez Moving
- A real, family-owned Chicago company based at 3900 N Normandy Ave, not a national broker that hands your move to a stranger
- We know Chicago buildings: COIs, freight elevators, loading docks, walk-ups, greystones, alleys, and street permits
- Fully licensed and insured: MC #087428, DOT #3120049, IL license 220206, City license 70318261, insured by Progressive, workers' comp through Pinnacle Point
- Uniformed, trained crews who represent your company professionally in front of employees and clients
- Binding estimates so the relocation budget stays predictable, with no surprise charges
- Discreet and organized, with one point of contact and clear communication for HR
- Local and long-distance, so the same trusted crew can handle moves into or out of Chicago across the lower 48
We Handle the Building Headaches, Not Just the Boxes
In Chicago, the furniture is rarely the hard part. The freight elevator is booked, the condo board wants a Certificate of Insurance before the crew gets past the lobby, and there's nowhere legal to park the truck. We plan all of that before move day.
Certificate of Insurance (COI)
Many high-rises and condo associations require a COI on file before move day, and some won't let the crew past the lobby without one. Send us your building's requirements and we coordinate the paperwork with property management.
Freight Elevators & Loading Docks
We help reserve your freight-elevator window and loading-dock time slot, then plan the move around them so your slot is never lost.
City Permits & Parking
On blocks without a dock, the truck needs a legal spot. We walk you through Chicago's moving-truck permits and posted signage so you're not circling on move day.
Walk-Ups & Vintage Stairwells
Tight greystone staircases and narrow doorways are our normal. We measure first, protect woodwork and floors, and disassemble whatever needs to come apart.
Not sure what your building requires? Tell us about it and we'll handle the paperwork and scheduling.
Honest, Transparent Pricing
The number one fear when hiring movers is a final bill that blows past the quote. We explain exactly how pricing works and confirm the details with a direct call before move day, so the number you hear is the number you pay.
Hourly Pricing
Best for most local moves. You pay for the crew and truck by the hour, with a clear estimate up front of how long your move should take based on your home and access.
Flat-Rate & Binding Estimates
Best when you want one locked number, common for long-distance moves or moves with tricky building access. We assess your inventory and access up front and hold the price.
What Drives Your Final Cost
- How much you're moving (your inventory volume)
- Access on both ends: stairs, elevators, and carry distance
- Packing help and specialty items like pianos or antiques
- Storage needs between closings
- Timing, since month-end and summer are the busiest
Our No-Surprises Promise
- No surprise stair or long-carry fees
- No last-minute truck or fuel charges
- No inflated materials upsells
- Standard equipment included at no fee
Related Moving Services
All servicesAreas We Serve
We provide employee relocation across Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, within about 50 miles of our Northwest Side base.
- Chicago, IL
- Mount Prospect, IL
- Naperville, IL
- Evanston, IL
- Oak Park, IL
- Plainfield, IL
- Aurora, IL
- Schaumburg, IL
- Elgin, IL
- Arlington Heights, IL
- Bolingbrook, IL
- Saint Charles, IL
- Wheaton, IL
- Des Plaines, IL
- Crystal Lake, IL
- Barrington, IL
- Lombard, IL
- Orland Park, IL
- Palatine, IL
- Downers Grove, IL
- Joliet, IL
- Tinley Park, IL
- Skokie, IL
- Kenosha, WI
Employee Relocation FAQs
Yes. We can work entirely with HR, entirely with the employee, or with both. You get a single point of contact who handles scheduling, the binding estimate, and building coordination, so your people team isn't chasing details. Just tell us who should approve the plan and who to call on move day.
We help coordinate them. Most Chicago high-rises and condo associations require a COI on file before move day and a reserved freight elevator and loading-dock window. We'll work with the building's management office to get the COI submitted and the elevator and dock booked. Give us two to four weeks of lead time, since elevator slots fill quickly.
Yes. We do local moves across Chicagoland and long-distance moves across the lower 48, both into and out of Chicago. We're licensed for interstate work under MC #087428 and DOT #3120049, so a relocation from Chicago to another state, or from out of state into the city, is handled by the same crew you booked.
We provide a written binding estimate after we understand the move, so the cost is set before anything is loaded. That gives HR a clear number to put against the relocation package. If anything about the move changes, we tell you before it affects the price, never after.
Yes. If you're relocating multiple team members at once, we'll build a schedule that staggers the moves, coordinates each building's requirements, and keeps everyone informed. We can also handle the office relocation itself alongside the staff moves, including after-hours scheduling to limit downtime.
Yes. Our crews are uniformed, punctual, and trained to treat people and property with respect. A relocation is a first impression of the new role, so we keep it organized and low-stress: careful handling, clean walkways, and clear communication from the first call to the last box.
For a relocation, the biggest cost drivers are distance and whether it's a local move within our 50-mile radius or an interstate move under our MC and DOT authority, plus the access on both ends. A high-rise with a reserved freight elevator and a required COI is straightforward; a greystone walk-up, a long carry from the alley, or a street with no truck parking adds crew time and labor. Volume matters too, so a studio relocating from out of state costs very differently than a four-bedroom. We give a binding estimate after a walkthrough so HR or the employee isn't surprised at the end.
For an interstate relocation, give us as much lead time as you can, ideally a few weeks, since long-haul scheduling and building elevator reservations both need to line up. Mid-month and midweek dates are easier to book and easier on the building than the end-of-month rush when every lease in the city turns over. If the employee is landing in a high-rise, we'll confirm the freight elevator window and get the COI to building management before move day so the crew isn't held in the lobby waiting on paperwork.
What Customers Say
I've used Melendez Moving five times. Great company, punctual, affordable, never an issue. I'll keep recommending them to everyone. Thanks for the help across the past five of my business and home moves.
We hired Melendez for a customer-facing B2B project. Kevin and his team responded quickly and professionally, wore company shirts for a uniform appearance in front of my clients, and were respectful and efficient. I'd hire them any day.
This is the 20th time I've moved in my adult life, and Melendez Moving is, hands down, the most professional and meticulous moving company I've ever used. They took better care moving my baby grand than the piano company did when I bought it. I couldn't recommend them more highly.
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