Long Distance Movers in Chicago, IL

We carry our own. Melendez Moving operates under MC #087428 and DOT #3120049, which means the company that gives you the estimate is the same company that loads your home and delivers it. We don't sell your move to a broker or a third-party carrier you've never spoken with. You can verify our USDOT and MC numbers on the federal FMCSA database before you book, and we'd encourage you to. That verification is exactly what protects you on an interstate move.

A binding estimate is a written price based on a real look at your belongings, and it's the number you pay as long as the move stays what we agreed to. Many online quotes are non-binding ballparks that climb once the truck is loaded and your leverage is gone. We do an in-home or video walkthrough first, build the estimate from what we actually see, and put it in writing. One of our customers told us the binding estimate after a virtual walkthrough was exactly what she paid, and that's the standard we hold.

It depends on the distance and the route, but we give you a delivery window up front so you can plan your arrival and your first night, not just hope. We've delivered a Chicago-to-Dallas move within 48 hours. Longer hauls across the lower 48 take more time, and we'll tell you honestly what to expect for your specific destination. The key is that we keep you updated while your shipment is on the road instead of going quiet.

We handle them with you ahead of time so loading day isn't the day you find out about a rule. Many condo and high-rise buildings require a Certificate of Insurance and a reserved freight elevator or loading dock time slot, often booked two to four weeks early. We'll help you coordinate the COI and the elevator or dock reservation so the crew can load on schedule. Tight corridors, narrow elevators, and walk-up stairs are routine for us.

Long distance is different from a cross-town move, and we load for it. Our crew wraps and pads your furniture, disassembles beds, tables, and large pieces, and secures everything with straps and tie-downs so it rides safely over hundreds of miles of highway. All of that equipment, the dolly, hand truck, straps, hand tools, and rope, is included at no fee. We're insured through Progressive, and we note condition on your inventory at pickup and again at delivery.

We're based at 3900 N Normandy Ave in Chicago, IL 60634, and we handle interstate moves across the lower 48 states. Whether you're heading to the Sun Belt, the coasts, or somewhere in between, the same Chicago crew that loads your home stays accountable for it all the way to your new front door. The best next step is a quick walkthrough so we can give you a binding estimate and a realistic delivery window for your destination.

Three things, mostly. The big one is how much you're moving, measured by weight or the space it takes on the truck, which is why downsizing before the walkthrough is the surest way to lower the number. Second is distance and destination, since a haul to Indianapolis prices differently than one to Phoenix. Third is access at both ends: a third-floor walk-up, a long carry from the alley, a freight elevator with a tight reservation window, or a destination street where the semi can't park and we shuttle to a smaller truck all add labor and time. We factor all of it into the binding estimate up front so none of it becomes a move-day surprise.

Start by deciding what's actually making the trip and clearing out what isn't, because every box you don't move is weight and space you don't pay to ship across state lines. Keep a separate go-bag of the things you'll want the first night and the items you'd never want out of your sight, like passports, medications, jewelry, and important documents, and plan to carry those yourself rather than putting them on the truck. There are also things we can't legally haul on a long distance load: propane tanks, gasoline, aerosols, paint, pool chemicals, and other hazardous or flammable items, plus perishable food that won't survive days in transit. We'll flag anything like that during the walkthrough so you can handle it before load day instead of unloading it off the truck in the alley.