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Inventory-based estimate
A written quote built from a real walkthrough, so the number you approve is the number you pay.
Long-Distance Movers - Cross-Country Relocation to All 50 States
Interstate household moves priced on weight and distance, with a binding estimate built from a real inventory and one coordinator from quote through delivery.
Long-distance moving
Interstate Moving Handled End to End
We move households from the Chicago metro to every state in the country, including Alaska and Hawaii.
A long-distance move is priced by the weight of your shipment and the distance it travels, not by the hour. That means the single biggest lever on your final cost is how much you decide to ship, which is why we start with an inventory rather than a phone guess.
What is included
Every Long-Distance Move Includes
Loading and transport
Professional loading, blanket wrap, tie-downs, and transport on our own equipment.
Valuation coverage
Released value protection at no charge, with full value protection available on request.
One coordinator
The same person handles your file from first call through final delivery.
Delivery window
A committed spread of days in writing, tracked and updated while your shipment is in transit.
Reassembly
Anything we disassembled at origin is rebuilt and placed where you want it at destination.
How it works
Your Long-Distance Move, Step by Step
Six stages, each with a clear owner and a document you can hold us to.
1. Estimate
A coordinator surveys your inventory in person or by video and issues a written estimate. Insist on binding or binding-not-to-exceed terms so the price cannot drift once your goods are loaded.
2. Booking
You approve the estimate, choose your valuation coverage, and lock a pickup window. Summer dates go first, so book four to eight weeks out.
3. Packing
You pack, we pack, or we split it. Anything we pack is covered for damage in a way that owner-packed cartons generally are not.
4. Load day
The crew inventories and tags every item, notes existing condition, protects floors and doorways, and loads. You sign the inventory before the truck departs.
5. Transit
Your shipment travels on a delivery window rather than a single date, because weather, weigh stations, and hours-of-service rules are real constraints.
6. Delivery
The crew unloads, checks items against the inventory, places furniture, and reassembles. Note any damage on the paperwork before the driver leaves.
Pricing
What Long-Distance Moving Actually Costs
Two households leaving the same street on the same day can pay very different amounts, because one ships 4,000 pounds and the other ships 9,000. Weight and distance drive the base price; everything else is an add-on you choose.
Timing matters as much as any add-on. Roughly half of all interstate moves happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and prices follow that demand. The same shipment can cost 20 to 30 percent less in October than in July.
- Full packing service typically adds 20 to 30 percent to the base transport cost.
- Storage in transit is billed monthly and is worth it when a closing date slips.
- A shuttle is required when a tractor-trailer cannot reach the door - common in cities and gated communities.
- Long-carry and stair fees apply when the truck cannot park close to the entrance.
- Full value protection costs more than released value but covers replacement rather than 60 cents per pound.
Before move day
How to Prepare and What to Ask Before You Book
The difference between a smooth move and an expensive one is usually settled weeks before the truck arrives. Get the paperwork right, be honest about access, and confirm what is actually included in the price you were quoted.
Ask any mover for their USDOT number and verify it. A legitimate interstate carrier is registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and you can look up their licensing and insurance status in a few minutes. Be cautious with any company that will not give you a written estimate, demands a large cash deposit up front, or refuses to survey your inventory before quoting a price.
Be specific about access at both ends. Stairs, elevator reservations, long carries from the truck to the door, low-clearance garages, and narrow streets all change the crew size and the hours required. An access detail you leave out is the single most common reason a job runs past its estimate.
- Confirm the estimate is binding or binding-not-to-exceed, not a non-binding guess.
- Verify the USDOT number and insurance before you pay a deposit.
- Declare stairs, elevators, and parking limits at both origin and destination.
- Decide on valuation coverage: released value is free but pays only 60 cents per pound.
- Set aside documents, medication, keys, and valuables to move yourself.
- Photograph high-value and fragile items before they are wrapped.
- Confirm who signs for delivery if you cannot be there in person.
Licensing and protection
Licensed, Insured, and Accountable
Any company moving household goods across a state line is regulated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and must hold an active USDOT number and operating authority. LD Movers holds both, carries cargo and liability coverage, and provides certificates of insurance for buildings that require one before move day.
How valuation coverage works
Valuation is not the same thing as insurance, and the difference surprises people at claim time. Every interstate shipment includes released value protection at no charge, which pays 60 cents per pound per article. On a 40-pound flat-screen television that comes to $24 regardless of what you paid for it.
Full value protection is the alternative. Under it, the carrier is liable for the replacement value of a lost or damaged item, and repairs, replaces, or pays out accordingly. It costs more and usually carries a deductible option, and on a full household shipment it is almost always the right call. Your coordinator walks through both options before you sign anything.
If something goes wrong
Note any damage on the inventory sheet at delivery before the driver leaves - that document is the basis of a claim. You have nine months from delivery to file, and carriers must acknowledge a claim within 30 days and resolve it within 120. We would rather fix a problem than argue about one, and our claims contact is the same coordinator you have worked with from the start.
Choosing a mover
How to Vet Long-Distance Movers for Your Move
Searching for movers near me returns a mix of licensed carriers, brokers who resell your job, and outright scams. A few checks separate them quickly.
- Verify the license. Every interstate mover must hold an active USDOT and MC number. Look it up on the FMCSA site and confirm the company name matches the one on your estimate.
- Ask carrier or broker. Brokers sell your move to whichever carrier bids lowest, which is how people end up with a crew they never vetted. LD Movers operates its own trucks and crews.
- Insist on an inventory. A written estimate without a walkthrough is a guess, and guesses get revised upward on move day once your goods are already on the truck.
- Read the valuation terms. Released value coverage is included by default and pays only 60 cents per pound - about $60 for a 100-pound television. Full value protection costs more and is worth it on a household shipment.
- Refuse large cash deposits. A reasonable deposit is a small percentage. Demands for a large sum up front, especially in cash or by wire, are the most reliable warning sign there is.
- Get the delivery window in writing. Reputable carriers commit to a spread of days and explain what happens if they miss it.
LD Movers is licensed and insured for interstate household moves, holds a 4.9-star average across 212 verified reviews, and quotes from a real inventory every time. You will speak to the same coordinator from estimate through delivery.
FAQ
Long-Distance Movers FAQ
How far in advance should I book a long-distance move?
Four to eight weeks is ideal, and longer during peak season from May through September. We accommodate shorter timelines when capacity allows.
Is my long-distance quote guaranteed?
Yes. After an inventory review we issue a binding or binding-not-to-exceed estimate. If nothing changes on your end, the price does not change on ours.
How long does delivery take?
Delivery runs on a committed window rather than a single date. Chicago to Texas is typically 3 to 6 days; Chicago to the West Coast is typically 7 to 14 days.
Do you move cars or motorcycles?
Yes. Vehicle transport can be arranged alongside your household shipment and appears as a line item on your estimate.
Can you store my belongings between pickup and delivery?
Yes. Storage in transit is available in our secured, inventoried warehouse when your closing or lease date slips.
Related services
Other Ways We Can Help
One coordinator handles every service on your move, so you are not managing multiple vendors when dates or access rules change.
Local Moving
Same-metro moves billed hourly with crews, truck, and materials included.
Commercial Movers
Business relocations scheduled around your operating hours.
Apartment Movers
Walk-ups, high-rises, elevator windows, and building paperwork.
Office Movers
Corporate moves with floor-plan labeling and workstation rebuild.
Piano & Specialty Moving
Pianos, safes, pool tables, and antiques with the right equipment.
Packing & Storage
Full or partial packing plus secure short and long-term storage.
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