Key Things to Know Before Moving From Chicago To Dallas

If your city’s nickname is “Chiraq”, it’s probably time to get out of town. For your own safety and sanity, professional movers have been helping people evacuate Chicago since the Al Capone days. Now it’s your turn, and iMoving is here to save the day.

Do you want to DIY, or call the pros? The choice comes down to how much you treasure your physical and mental health. We can’t put a price on your back or on your stress, but we know that professional moving companies can make your life a whole lot easier for just a little bit more money.

To make it easier to find professional help, iMoving built a one-of-a-kind marketplace where you can shop, compare prices, and book professional Chicago to Dallas movers. Let’s take a look at our top choices, and see what you can expect from moving with the pros:

It will cost you between $1900 and $9800 to move from Chicago to Dallas. We’ve seen some moves that are cheaper or more expensive, but that’s the general ballpark. At the end of the day, your long distance move depends on two main factors: The distance you’re traveling, an the amount of stuff you’re hauling.

You can’t really do much about the miles between point A and point B in this case. Chicago and Dallas aren’t getting any closer together. But, you can downsize your stuff so you’re transporting less. It’s a good idea to sell off, donate, or just trash any unwanted items before you move.

Expect your Chicago to Dallas move to take between 3 and 21 days. Why the huge window? The duration of your move is mathed out like the cost of your move. It all comes down to how far you’re going, and how much you’re hauling.

Most people think less stuff means less time. Unfortunately, smaller moves get bundled together in the same truck. This means more pickups and dropoffs along the way, and more delays before your movers arrive. On the other hand, if you manage to fill an entire moving truck with just your belongings, it’ll actually take less time to get to your destination.

The price of your Chicago to Dallas move depends on a handful of different factors. Here’s what will make your quote a little heftier than usual:

1. Distance

The distance between your point of origin and your destination will take up the lion’s share of your quote. Long distance movers charge based on distance, and Chicago and Dallas are almost 1000 miles apart. Prepare your wallet accordingly.

2. Volume/Weight

Aside from the distance, the volume (or weight) of your move is probably the second-biggest factor determining the price of your move. Fortunately, you can sell, donate, or junk unwanted items to cut down on your final weight. Long distance movers will assign a cubic-foot or per-pound value to all your stuff, so try to minimize your haul before you get a quote.

3. Packing

Packing is a pain, but you can pay your movers to handle it for you. It’ll cost you a little extra, but we definitely recommend it if you’re averse to dealing with all the boxes, tape, and packing peanuts by yourself.

4. Access Fees

If you’ve got an obstacle course waiting for your movers, they’ll charge you for it. Think of what it takes to get from your front door to the street: Long driveways, hallways, staircases, or elevators all need advance planning. Communicate these challenges to your movers to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

5. Shuttles

Most cities in the US have annoying regulations about where you can park a big moving truck. Your semi trailer may have to wait outside of town while your moving team uses a smaller box-truck to get your stuff to and from the larger trailer. It’s an expensive extra step, but it’s unfortunately unavoidable.

6. Specialty Items

Pool tables, pianos, antiques, even hot tubs - we’ve seen it all, and we know that these extras cost extra money. Your movers will have to do some extra planning and prep if they have to haul any oddball items, including possibly hoisting those oddball items out the window and down to street-level. It ain’t cheap.

7. Storage

You’ll have to pay extra for storage, and unless you’re 100% sure everything will fit in your new place, you’re going to want a storage unit just to be safe. Fortunately, a lot of moving companies are partnered with local storage yards, and you may be able to score a free month or two.

8. Insurance

In an ideal world, your movers won’t break anything, and nothing will get stolen during transit. Unfortunately, you’re moving out of Chicago, so don’t get your hopes up for a completely hitch-free move. Your movers are legally-obligated to offer $0.60 per pound of items lost, damaged, or destroyed, but if you want full-value coverage, you’ll have to pay extra.

There’s a lot that goes into the final price of your move, and understanding all these building blocks is important if you want to avoid getting ripped off. It’s also important to know why you want to move in the first place…

• Less crime: Sure, Dallas is a big city and there’s crime here and there, but it’s not CHICAGO bad. Lots of people are moving from Chicago to Dallas just to live someplace a little more “howdy” and a little less “hood”.

• Better weather: The occasional flood or heatwave is much more preferable to “Pan-Arctic Frozen Ice Bomb Dick-Punch 5000” or whatever else the Weather Channel’s calling the regular Chicago forecast.

• Cheaper: Chicago is actually more expensive than Dallas. A lot of people are moving all over the US in search of a place they can actually afford, and Dallas might be right on the money.

• Quieter: While Dallas is a big city, a lot of it is suburban spread. While it may not be as convenient as a built-up urban area, it’s actually a nice break from the nonstop chaos and noise of the big city. Depending on where you live, Dallas can be a lot calmer.

• Politics: We don’t want to get involved in any weirdo culture-war stuff, so we’ll just state the facts: Chicago has one brand of politics, and Dallas (and Texas) does things differently. Some people see it as a selling point.

• Taxes: This one might go hand-in-hand with the political scene, but Texas doesn’t have state income tax. You get to keep more of your money, and since you’ll be spending less to survive, that means you’re getting to keep even more cash.

• The Dallas Arboretum: This is one of the most-popular sites to see in Dallas, and it’s well worth the trip. The Dallas Arboretum is a gigantic spread of botanical gardens and groves, perfect if you’re craving fresh air on a beautiful day.

• The Sixth Floor Museum: The Sixth Floor Museum is dedicated to the John F. Kennedy assassination. While you’re in the neighborhood, you can take a side-trip to see the grassy knoll where those CIA goons actually did it.

• Sports stuff: The Cowboys. The Rangers. The Mavericks. The Stars. Even FC Dallas, if you’re one of those weirdos who likes soccer. Whatever you’re into, there’s plenty of excuses to get ripped on tailgate beer and embarrass your kids.

• The Samurai Collection: Downtown Dallas is probably not where you’d expect to find a whole collection of classical Japanese art and artifacts, but the The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum is totally worth a look.

• Reunion Tower: If you’re moving to Dallas, there’s no better way to get a lay of the land. Get to the top of Reunion Tower and drink in the view of your new city. There’s an indoor/outdoor observation deck, and even a restaurant up there.

• Dallas Museum of Art: Rounding out our arts-and-culture angle, the Dallas Museum of Art is a must-see if you’re interested in bragging to your friends about how cultured you are. It’s a huge collection, including Ancient Egyptian pieces that are 4000 years old.

You’ve seen our list of movers, and you’ve learned a little more about your new home. Now, all you have to do is tell us about your move, and we’ll help you find the right company for the job.

If you’re ready to escape from Chicago and head to Texas, use iMoving to find the best Chicago to Dallas movers in the business.