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Checkmate Movers
Category: Home Services Movers Movers [Edit]
7544 St Louis(between Jarvis Ave & Howard St)
Skokie, IL 60076
(773) 539-9451
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 9 am - 5 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
Act Now! No credit card required to make a reservation. No obligation to rent.
66 reviews for Checkmate Movers
66 reviews in English
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Review from Meghan J.
Chicago, IL
9/29/2010
I've used this company twice and both times were great. The first time we booked about 3 weeks ahead, solidified a time and knew exactly how much we would pay. They were expeditious in moving, were sure to wrap mattresses and nicer items ($5 charge per item) and were quite friendly.
The second time I called on a Sunday morning in a pinch because my friend had to cancel her sketchy movers that showed up unprepared. They said they could squeeze us in at the end of the day. Originally 4:30 but got bumped to 5:30. We were in a tight spot, so we didn't mind the delay. Again they were friendly, quick and careful with belongings.
They may not be a super polished crew w/ uniforms or a fancy truck - but they're polite, efficient and reasonably priced. Two thumbs up in my book. -
Review from Jack D.
Chicago, IL
10/9/2011
My Checkmate Mover's experience was a bit of a double-edged sword, and my feelings about them change a little every time I come across a new item that was broken during the move. But don't let that information stop you, please read on...
Scheduling was really a breeze. One phone call. Went over the box count with the owner, got an estimate, scheduled a date. Easy. And they had lots of availability during a busy move time with pretty short notice. However...and this is a huge however...when I called back to confirm my appointment they had me down on the schedule for a day early (the very next day actually) rather than two days away like I'd requested. Of course I was completely unprepared to move a day early. So, obviously some mess-up on their part but I got no real explanation or apology which left me a little, um, unhappy and stressed. In my book, common courtesy dictates that if you make a mistake you apologize to the customer and make them believe that you mean it. I'm starting to realize that these types of businesses don't operate that way and that to them an apology is an admission of guilt which somehow makes them extremely uncomfortable.
Be that as it may I was able to reschedule for a few days later and everything worked out fine, though I'm sure for many people who are in inflexible situations this would have been a nightmare.
On the day before the new move date I emailed them with an updated box and item count. I never heard back from them on it even though I also placed an after-hours call hoping I'd get a response the next morning. Nope. Nada.
They were scheduled to come in the early afternoon but they were late by a few hours which was starting to get me stressed out. When they finally showed up they came in like a hurricane. A really pissed off, overworked, tired and angry hurricane. I realized a few minutes later that they never received my updated box count and were expecting a lot less stuff. My mistake (in a way). Or was it? The guy in charge immediately met me with a revised plan and said that they'd be bringing in a second truck as soon as they finished up on another move. This, he assured me, would not cost me more since more movers means faster moving even at the new much higher hourly rate. That seemed kind of reasonable but I'm not really the type of guy who likes to be told how things are going to be going - especially since I am the one paying them not the other way around. But they kind of had me over a barrel so I agreed.
Then the move started. Wow. The hurricane was back! Only this time it was a box moving, truck packing hurricane. (As a side note: if you ever want to make your movers unhappy just own some books. We had about 20 boxes and they seemed to hate every single one with a renewed passion every time they were forced to pick one up). To be fair the guys were all fairly friendly, quick, and serious about moving boxes and furniture, unlike some places I've used in the past. In the end it cost me a lot more than I was quoted and I learned a fairly expensive lesson pretty quickly. Take it from me, confirm early, confirm often, and leave nothing to chance, especially if you're are in an inflexible situation as it's only you getting screwed if something gets messed up. Also, pack your stuff carefully and well because no one cares as much about your stuff as you do. In fact, movers probably don't care at all. Finally, stuff will get broken. It will. But you should hold them accountable because they sure as hell aren't going to accept any blame and they're going to try to get out of it however they can. -
Review from Jen G.
Chicago, IL
12/5/2011
They stole jewelry! Be careful!
Make sure to sort by recent reviews, Checkmate has gone downhill.
We actually used Checkmate Movers twice - the first time we were very happy with them so we used them again.
The second time, not so much. We had one room and a closet of misc stuff that we were not having them move -- some breakables, baby stuff that we needed, clothes that were not packed, and jewelry. The door was closed and there was stuff blocking the hall. One of the guys climbed over the stuff, went in, and took diamond earrings and the necklace I got for my first mother's day. He also went in our closet (we moved our own clothes) and stole a ring.
I did sign something that said I would move valuables out of the way -- and they were, but apparently they should have been locked and alarmed! There was no reason for anyone to go into that room as nothing in there was being moved.
I called (once I stopped crying) and said I wanted the stuff back, mainly because it was sentimental, no questions asked but, of course, have not seen anything (that was over three months ago) because that would be admitting guilt.
Recently, they dropped (lost?) their BBB accreditation as well. -
Review from Courtney R.
Chicago, IL
5/29/2011 4 photos
I have been so reluctant to write this review, as I truly believe in supporting local, small businesses. I gave the company a million chances to make things right, but got ignored again and again. I have been trying to get my issue resolved for TWO YEARS. I have called. I have emailed. I have spoke with people who promised to call me back, or give my information to the appropriate person, etc. My issue has never been resolved.
I am actually just copying and pasting my original email that I sent to follow up with a phone conversation with a Checkmate movers employee. It tells the story pretty well:
"To recap the story, I moved from a studio to a storage space in late February. I pulled two matching antique mirrors aside, as I was too apprehensive to have them moved by anyone other than myself. I was assured by the movers present that they had special transport pieces made to protect mirrors like that, and was talked into letting them move both mirrors.
Everything about the move seemed to go smoothly and successfully. It was only after I accessed my storage space for the first time a couple weeks ago that I discovered one of my antique mirrors had been completely broken and shattered. This is of course devastating to me, as these mirrors are irreplaceable as a 100 year old matching set. The devastation, however, was quickly replaced with anger when I realized that whomever had broken the mirror was very well aware that he had done so, as many of the large pieces of the broken mirror were neatly placed inside a flower pot. WOW. Nobody mentioned the broken mirror. I was left to discover this on my own, two months later.
I have attached pictures of the broken mirror. (Yelpers, you can see the pics above). In these pictures you can see the extent of the damage, and the "clean up" of the broken pieces. I have also included a picture of the matching mirror that was not damaged.
I understand that there is an insurance policy of 30 cents per pound. That will be far from any just compensation for the negligence that led to the loss of this irreplaceable piece. This mirror alone cost more than my entire move. I look forward to hearing what options you may offer in regard to this matter."
I have called. I have left messages. I have explained my story to several employees. I have emailed again and again and again. Not only has nobody addressed the issue, I have not even been able to pursue the 30 cents per pound insurance policy the supposedly offer.
I have been contacting them over the course of two years to get this resolved. I even told them that I would use them for my next move (which is this week) if they would be willing to help make this right. Nothing.
Finally I let them know that I had no other option but to post this experience on Yelp, and to file a complaint with Better Business Bureau. No response.
I have tried so hard to resolve this the right way. I am left feeling powerless, ignored, and completely disrespected. I urge you all to chose a company that will respect you as a customer, and will follow through with the contract and insurance provided.
I am using The Professionals for this move. It will be the second time I have used them, and they have always been reliable. I am hoping to be able to write a stellar review for them after my upcoming move soon! -
Review from melissa g.
Chicago, IL
8/2/2010
When I booked with Checkmate, they told me that since I wasn't the first job of the day, they couldn't guarantee a time. This worried me more than a little: what kind of company doesn't know what time they'll show up? And on the day of my move, I got a call in the morning say that they would be later than expected. I asked what time they thought they'd be here, and they said they weren't sure yet, because there was still another job ahead of me (I guess that what happens when you wait til the last minute to book?), but that they would keep me updated. Not good, but manageable, I guess.
They continued to update me throughout the day, as I kept packing, until they finally called saying that they were on the way.
When they walked in, I still was not completely finished packing, which I know is not ideal, but I just ran out of time!
As we were doing the walk through, Justin stopped and asked if I remembered how many boxes I said I would have. I told him I think I told Kevin about 15. He asked me how many boxes I ended up with. Oh crap.
He wasn't mad; he just laughed. He told me it was fine, that it wasn't a big deal; they were going to move everything. It might take a little longer, as I had way more boxes than I told them, but that they'd get it done as soon as I could. Oh, and that I couldn't be mad, because this is the exact reason why they were late.
I don't know how, but even in the ridiculous heat and with the extra boxes, they managed to keep it right on the estimate. Well, I guess I do know how: they strapped 3-6 boxes together, then put them on their backs and carried them down the stairs, and ran back up to get more. And this was their third move of the day. I think these guys are robots, or at least cyborgs.
There is no way I would ever use another moving company. -
Review from Paige W.
Chicago, IL
6/24/2010
I have a long, unfortunate history of ignoring red flags.
My experience with Checkmate Movers is another chapter in that history.
I'm moving out of the apartment I share with my boyfriend -- long, complicated story that I promise isn't very interesting-- and down to Wicker Park, and it's all happening very fast. So I asked a few friends for mover recommendations, and a good friend offered up this company.
I'm moving the contents of a one-bedroom apartment five miles. But I need to do it, y'know, now. I sent in a request for an estimate online and got an e-mail back that night saying they could move me Saturday! Hooray.
But I called them the next day and was told that the guy who wrote me that e-mail had goofed. No Saturday availability. How about Thursday at 3 p.m.?
Fine, I said.
"Well, I can't guarantee 3 p.m. It could be 5 or 6."
Red flag.
But. Fine, I said. Just keep me updated about when they're on their way. I gave them my credit card number and hummed along, looking forward to getting out of my boxes and into my new life.
They sent me a blank e-mail with a Word document of "EXTRA CHARGES" attached. I read it over; it seemed fine, except that they couldn't offer replacement-value insurance. Which is pretty standard.
Red flag.
But. I had to move.
I responded to that e-mail later on, when I hadn't yet received a contract or a written confirmation that they'd actually show up. No response. I called back, asked for a written confirmation. They said they'd send it. NO CONFIRMATION.
Red. FREAKING. Flag.
But. I had to move!
So I took a half-day of vacation, headed back to the city and waited.
I called at 2:15 to make sure the crew was on schedule; the man who answered the phone said he'd call and check, then get back to me.
No response. Red flag.
I called five more times. They actually stopped answering the phone eventually. I got angrier and angrier; the crews got less and less show-uppier. My face, by now, is the color of that red flag. I am Paige's raging bile duct.
When I couldn't get through, my boyfriend called. Man on the phone said he'd been "very forthright" with me about not being able to guarantee a time. That wasn't really my problem -- it was more that they wouldn't give me a straight answer about ANYTHING -- but he also said "We'll see you at 3." I also never got written confirmation of anything, yet they had my credit card number and my faith that they'd show. All I wanted was a little transparency.
This is the same problem I ran into with Conviction Fitness. (Yeah, go read THAT review if you want some entertainment.)
As this fiasco wrapped up, the man on the phone ended up yelling at my boyfriend, I ended up in tears amid my disaster of boxes, dust bunnies and disassembled furniture, and Checkmate movers got FIRED.
I always say I'll pay more attention to those red flags. Next time. -
Review from Bridget J.
Chicago, IL
11/13/2010
Jesus. I think Checkmate Movers sucks donkey dicks. After having used USA Movers I realized just how lousy they truly are.
Rule #1 - Never trust a man who has a Herman Munster tattoo. Not only did the big foreman guy bring a truck when I told him not to (I was merely moving from one floor to another in the same building - only needed a building freight elevator loaded and unloaded) he burned time on the clock because he wasn't sure where to park and kept circling the block. He also insulted my furniture - he shared his opinion loudly about a perceived lack of qualilty of my leather couches - in front of my mother to boot (by the way - she hates the guy and still complains about what an ass he is).
The crew which was much younger and healthier than myself (I had a chest infection at the time) moved at a snailspace. My mom and I could lift heavier things and move faster than these clowns.
So Mr. Foreman,. instead of adding to your Herman Munster tattoo collection - I suggest adding Bozo the Clown. -
Review from Jennifer B.
Chicago, IL
5/24/2010
I knew my fiance was a keeper. When I decided to move in with him, we hired Checkmate Movers at his suggestion, since he had a good experience with them last year. They were everything I could have wanted in movers: on time, honest, prompt, friendly, hard working, courteous, and good at estimates. They also called just before arrival to let us know they were almost there and to confirm where to park.
Bill initially estimated my move at 2 hours and 45 minutes, and they were done and out the door in 2 hours and 50 minutes. The pricing is straightforward and explained ahead of time, there were no surprises when it came time to pay at the end of the move. In addition to the $111 per hour move fee and the automatic $56 travel fee for every move, my only extra charges were 2 items wrapped at $5 each and the use of 4 wardrobe boxes for $8 each, and all these fees were expected. They were quick to respond to email inquiries and questions by phone, as well. I will absolutely use Checkmate again for any future moves in Chicago! -
Review from Jill H.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 5/19/2011
I used Checkmate Movers services in March and on May 19th, I just got billed for the service. It wasn't that much money and I was expecting the charge, but seriously? It took then nearly three months to bill my credit card for the move that happened March 1st?
Something fishy is going on here.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/1/2011
I just used Checkmate again for my move on Sunday. They were even better than the first time they… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie H.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 7/28/2011
Used Checkmate once again for my move and it was everything I hoped for.... they did run a bit late but the team worked quickly and finished in the time listed on my estimate. I even had 2 guys that helped me last time. I was able to focus on some other things I had to do while they worked. I would definitely use again! Thanks Corey, Steve, and DeJuan!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/16/2010
Checkmate was great! Steve, Bill G., and Dejuan were all fantastic. They unloaded my 16 foot truck… Read more »
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Review from Cate W.
Ferndale, MI
7/6/2010
Not only were we living in an old-school 3rd floor (meaning, really, 4th floor) walk-up, sans elevator, but we're bookworms. Who just got married. So guess what--lots of boxes. Lots of lovely new things in boxes. Lots of big old furniture, lots of everything. The last time we moved, we went way over estimate because our movers weren't prepared for the stairs and all our book boxes (40), and all our other stuff boxes (25-30), and one guy was a young god, and the other one looked as fit as Cheech or Chong. So this time, we tried to make it easier on everyone. We threw stuff away. We got rid of dud books and swapped them out at the Chicago Reader Swap. Where we got more books *sigh*. And I tried to get rid of duplicates--loveseat, TV cart, Brown Elephant. Extra little TV from the 70s, Goodwill. Clothing from college, etc, Goodwill.
Then, when we felt ready, I called Checkmate, and got a very reasonable estimate, considering all our stuff and all those stairs. I even priced loading only costs, and renting the truck ourselves. It looked approximate, and we hadn't even considered how we'd unload. I am so glad Checkmate did this job.
Three guys showed up the day of, half an hour late, but they made up for it with speed and good humor. As I signed the paperwork the first guy went out CARRYING MY DRESSER, ALL DRAWERS IN, ON HIS BACK. The circus theatrics only get better. Gigantic wardrobe boxes filled with crazy amounts of book boxes, etc, on another guy's back...It was amazing, and fast. These guys are a far cry from the sloppy, slob mover image.
We had booked a storage unit out in the far suburbs, and the truck beat us out there. Then, our movers managed to fit all our stuff into a 10 x 15 storage unit with room to spare. An impressive game of tetris. They even dropped off our mattress, boxspring, and a handful of other items at the new place up the road.
The only reason I take off a star is because we did go over estimate by $150 (which is okay, but still), and because I haven't yet had the chance to see whether everything's intact, stored as it is so compactly. Still, I'd hire them again, without blinking. They saved us a world of pain. Thank you, Checkmate! -
Review from matthew g.
Chicago, IL
6/28/2010
Checkmate movers. Aptly named. We used them for three previous moves and had come to know them as reliable and affordable. Destroyed in a single day. They no showed on our move today. As I write this, I should be in my new home. Instead I'm at my in-laws. It's not so bad, they're good people and we're ordering barbecue for dinner.
Still, when I called to see where they were, they said they had no record of our call. When they called back (looking to see if one of their crews might be able to salvage our move later in the day) they said they did have a record of our move, but that we had canceled it.
When I assured them we didn't they said ... and I quote ... "Well, the evidence is right here, your name is crossed out."
Awesome. It literally took us 20 phone calls to find another group who could come the next day. We wasted $75 in a car rental for the day, and now Comcast bumped our install back another week ... and we both had to use another vacation day.
All that said, because of our history with them, we would've let there be bygones if they had really made an effort to find a crew to move us. They didn't. Not so much as an apology or a good luck.
Checkmate! -
Review from Grant G.
Chicago, IL
9/23/2009
Corey, Dajuan, Mike and (that other guy!)
At some point a man has to look in the mirror and realize he's too old to rely on friends to help him move. The days of renting a truck, bribing buddies with pizza and beer, hauling box after box down the stairs and ending up with scratched furniture and broken electronics are over.
That point came for me just a few weeks ago. I knew I had to hire professionals and not use something like eMove where one rolls the dice on contract labor. Even then you have to negotiate a huge rented truck through an alley or a one-way street, fill it with gas and return it.
A friend recommended Checkmate and after confirming with reviews here I opted to go with them.
Best. Decision. Ever.
Kevin is very straightforward in explaining the pricing. I did a cost-benefit analysis of the whole deal and found him to be very valuable as his estimate was less than the engagement ring on my fiancee's finger. (Had we attempted to move ourselves, we probably wouldn't have survived it!)
I had to reschedule from early Saturday to Sunday at the last minute and he was able to accommodate a move at 3 pm. His crew called me at 1 to ask if they could go ahead and come by and I told them absolutely! as I was ready to move asap.
Corey and his crew showed up a half hour later and immediately got to work. You might think you have an obligation to help these guys, but let me make it easy on you.
IF YOU TRY TO HELP YOU ARE SLOWING THEM DOWN. GRAB A CHAIR AND JUST WATCH!
Seriously, the way they move is so startlingly efficient, it's easier to stand by and watch rather than participate. They cleared my 3rd floor apartment and moved on to my fiancee's place around the corner. They cleared hers and it was off to the new place.
Unloading the truck is much quicker than loading it and pretty soon we had all our stuff.
The estimated time was a bit over than my quote, but it was through no fault of their own. I underestimated what we both owned which caused an increase in the time it took to load everything.
There are some big pluses here -
1 - They wrap your furniture to protect it. My fiancee's couch was damaged by the http://eMove.com guys who brought it in her place last year. Checkmate wrapped the couch was to get it out the door. Although the wrapping didn't survive getting out the door, the couch did and suffered no further damage from the skinny doorway.
2 - They really do want you to do nothing. Get out of their way. You wouldn't try to help a doctor if he's operating on you, don't try to help these guys, it's what you're paying for!
3 - They're very likable. There's no concern that they're going to try to swipe something or walk off the job. The whole time the guys were in a good mood while moving my stuff and hers.
Having moved 7 times in the last five years, hopefully this is it for a while. When I move again, I'll use Checkmate though. -
Review from Leslie S.
3/18/2011
Checkmate Movers is actually the reason I joined Yelp - if I could give them zero stars, I would.
Let me break down for you why you should go with another company:
1) Hope you don't have the elevator reserved for a set number of hours - Checkmate arrived more than an hour late even though we were the first job of the day.
2) I've never seen such slow packing in my life - could it be because Checkmate gets paid by the hour?
3) Shrink-wrapping the couch or flat screen TV sounds like a bad idea because it is - expect your furniture to arrive slightly worse for the wear.
4) Tough luck for you if you have plants or refrigerated food to move - Checkmate won't help you there!
5) Don't be surprised if you walk into a room and discover the moving crew, dirty and sweaty, sitting on your leather furniture, shooting the breeze.
6) By all means, if you've just purchased a case of bottled water you want bring to the new place, don't give it to Checkmate. Somehow, 24 bottles went down to seven between the two properties - but the best part was when the foreman asked me if he could store a few in the refrigerator for the trip home.
The phrase "are you kidding me?" kept running through my mind as I observed Checkmate on moving day - the same thought returned when I got the nearly $800 bill. If you're shopping for a moving company, my advice is keep looking. -
Review from lorna j.
Chicago, IL
3/5/2010
For a moving gift, my roommate's parents bought us movers. BEST. GIFT. EVER. So, we went to work and scheduled Checkmate Movers.
Steven, Abel and Bill rocked! We had just furniture to move as we had about a month to move our other belongings into our new apartment, so we took serious advantage of that time. They came in under their quote, and took great care of our belongings, including some antiquey pieces belonging to my roommate. I particularly liked when they would wrap pieces in plastic because it made this really wonderful laser-beam fight type noise, and my roommate and I would enact what we thought was going on in the other room.
These guys had a wonderful sense of humor and a seriously amazing work ethic. If I must move within Chicago any time again, I will not hesitate to call this crew again. Top notch! -
Review from Laurie C.
Chicago, IL
5/6/2008
We used Checkmate movers for our move last weekend and they were great. After reading reviews on The Professionals, I originally wanted to go with them, but they were booked for our date. Checkmate was our second choice. We needed to pick up from two locations and deliver to one, and Checkmate offered to go to our first location the night before, store everything overnight, then go to our second location and then our new apartment the next day. We were thrilled with this arrangement and it didn't cost any more than the Professionals.
We had four movers - Paul, Titus, Abel and "new guy." They were right on time, called when they were on the way and kept us updated on when they were charging and when they weren't (they charged when they were driving to our first stop and sitting in traffic, but not when they stopped for dinner.) When they arrived, they hustled like crazy - my boyfriend and I felt like lazy pieces of crap watching them run up and down the stairs. It was the new guy's second day, so he had a little more trouble - he broke a light fixture at the top of our stairs carrying a desk. Paul apologized though and told us we can send him a bill for the light. We haven't done that yet, so I can't vouch for how easy it will be to get refunded, but we were happy no one got hurt.
Our new apartment is on the third-floor with a somewhat difficult staircase. The four guys were up and down so quickly though that you never would have known how hard it was. They were extremely friendly and completely willing to move furniture all over the place. We packed everything in advance except for lamps, framed pictures and hanging clothes. They rented us wardrobe boxes for those things for $6/box.
They quoted us about $700 for two stops (one in West Dundee, one in Lakeview) and one delivery to a third floor, 3 bedroom apartment in Old Town. This included one bed, kitchen table and buffet, a couch and 2 loveseats, computer, tv, entertainment center, several dressers and about 40 boxes. It took six hours over two days and they charged us $774.
Overall, they did a great job. Fast, friendly and efficient. No fancy uniforms or fancy truck or anything, and the light fixture did get broken and one dresser was scratched. Besides those things, though, we couldn't have been more pleased with Checkmate. We will definitely use them again! -
Review from Brandie T.
Chicago, IL
10/29/2007
I would give them a 5, but I'd never used a mover before so I have nothing to gauge this against.
They arrived early and got straight to work. I grabbed my kitties, called a cab, gave them the address to bring everything to and left them to do what it is they do. Besides, they were scaring me and I didn't want to watch them move my stuff. That's not to say they were damaging anything - because they weren't. They treated everything very well. I was just not used to OTHER people moving my stuff.
I moved from Lincoln Park to Rogers Park. They got my stuff to the new place in record time and they had to come up two flights of stairs - and like the first reviewer said - they did it all without complaint. It cost me a little less to move, but I was only moving a one bedroom apartment worth of stuff. I'll probably use them again, and do the same thing I did this time. Again, cos I can't watch. I'm easily freaked out.
All in all they work really hard and very fast. -
Review from Amanda D.
Chicago, IL
Updated - 11/14/2009
So I am updating my review for Checkmate. They still rock.
Here's the thing with hiring movers who are NOT Checkmate. other companies like to use their own tape, and charge you for it. Then other companies try and sell you boxes. And they take forever, and take long breaks.
Checkmate is not like those swindlers. Sure they offer those services, but you have to ask for them and the rate is a flat fee per piece wrapped or for boxes purchased. We hired them in May of 09 to move us from our apartment in Chicago to a storage space in Grayslake IL. I can pack my own stuff, and prefer to, and Checkmate was the only company that offered a flat rate for three men and a truck. I made a reservation a month in advance, and the day of the move they showed up 15 minutes early! And they hauled butt! They even helped us move the stuff to the alley for the junk truck. They hauled butt up to Grayslake and neatly loaded all our stuff into the storage space.
Flash forward to today, they drove all the way up to Grayslake, loaded up said storage space and drove to the new place in Evanston. Even had one of the same movers, which was pretty awesome. They moved us into our new space.
It took them four hours from the drive up to Grayslake to loading the truck to driving back to Evanston to unloading the truck into our new house. Awesome! The total was $100 less then the estimate.
Thank you Checkmate!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/11/2009
Hired these guys to move us from point A to point B.
They were on time, polite and did just that.
The… Read more »
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Review from Kara B.
Chicago, IL
7/2/2009
These are by far the best movers I have ever worked with, and I've worked with a few (5 moves in 5 years -- I don't recommend it!).
Here's my two cents:
1) They showed up EARLY. Yes, early. They called and asked if we were available and then came right on over. It was moving serendipity.
2) They were UNDER their incredibly reasonable estimate. UNDER THE ESTIMATE!!! (That never has happened to me before -- it made my whole week)
All of our stuff arrived in great condition, super fast and for much less than I expected to spend. Not to mention I enjoyed hanging out with our crew -- they were funny and interesting.
I can't recommend Checkmate Movers highly enough. -
Review from Audra C.
Chicago, IL
2/1/2010
Through circumstances beyond my control, I've moved six times in the past eight months. SIX. The seventh time (this past weekend), was finally for a good reason (co-habitation, holla!), so I packed up my things and called another mover.
Finding Checkmate Movers on Yelp, I decided to give them a try. I was a bit taken aback by their higher price (I've been used to paying $85/hr), but decided to give them a go. What I may have paid extra was ENTIRELY worth it!
The guys were nice and didn't complain, even though I have a pain in the ass couch to move. They were fast and efficient, and I felt like I could absolutely trust them with my valuables. I was very clear about a particular piece of furniture I cherished, and they took great pains to wrap it carefully.
I will hire these guys again, when I move. I only hope that's in two years, and not two weeks :) -
Review from Mary Ellen J.
Chicago, IL
7/28/2008
UGH!
Just what my gut told me might happen after reading other reviews- yes they showed up with a too small of a truck!
I sent email after email keeping them up to date on my box count, etc. so I could avoid this nightmare, I even told them how large my basement was and that it was packed- so hence, don't show up with a small truck- when I tell them that my basement is 24 x 15, why would you show up with a 15 foot truck- well they did. And I am sure they do this to totally screw you into making more money, I mean what are you going to do- you are pretty much at their mercy- it's moving day right. My 2 1/2 hour estimate took SEVEN hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My ONLY positive for this company, 1) they were on time and 2) the crew was cool
otherwise, they suck and their steal and screw you method of doing business is not someone you want to be doing business with!
And by the second run, the crew was moving at a far less in-a-hurry manner, I had to start moving my own stuff outside to keep the stuff moving, it was brutal. So I paid someone else so I could schlep my own crap, not what I had in mind. -
Review from Jonathan H.
Chicago, IL
6/16/2009
I have two reviews in one, because Checkmate moved me personally and professionally.
6 months ago I needed to get my basement moved for a construction project but I was going to be out of town and my wife was 8 months pregnant. We got their name from Angie's List and couldn't have been happier. They were on time, Kevin the owner gave us a great quote and they were UNDER! UNDER!
We actually got charged less than they had estimated. We were shocked.
OK, now on to the professional move. I had huge equipment that had to be moved. Kevin came to my store and had a look at the machinery. He said he could do it and was fully insured to do it. They moved an entire shop in 6 hours and two 900 pound machines.
Their quote was 1/3 of what every other mover that "specialized" in moving large equipment charged. If you don't use them you are a fool. A diamond in the rough. -
Review from Stan M.
Chicago, IL
5/11/2008
I can't say enough good things about these movers. I had a three man crew for my move and they were great. Nothing got broken including the aquariums I had them move. They did not insist on wrapping everything like my last movers (Anderson Bros), and were very efficient. To top it all off, my bill was about $35 less than the estimate they gave me.
Also, I had this small black clip (used to hang a DIY CO2) on the back of one of my aquariums that had fallen off. My fault for not being more careful. I figured it was a gone, but still asked if I could check the truck. The head mover asked what I was missing, so I described the piece, thinking he'd have no idea what I was talking about. His response was, "Oh yeah, I already found it on the floor or the cab, it's right there on your counter."
GREAT workers, and incredibly fair prices. I will never waste time calling elsewhere. -
Review from Angela F.
Chicago, IL
7/22/2008
I used checkmate for our move a couple of weeks ago after booking a move with The Professionals and finding out 1 week before our move that they had no record of our appointment. I called Checkmate after reading all of the great reviews they got and they were able to squeeze me in on the same date I originally scheduled with The Professionals.
Our move was scheduled for 2 on a Friday afternoon, they ended up getting their at 2:30, but they called well in advance to warn me they got tied up with another move and were running late, but this is to be expected when you are scheduled as the second or third move of the day on a busy weekend for moves.
Their prices are extremely reasonable, and they do not try to rip you off by wrapping up everything and then charging for it without asking your permission, as has happened to me with another moving company. They explained everything as they worked, so there were no suprises. The guys were extremely friendly and worked diligently through the entire move. They were also careful with our things and nothing was thrown around or damaged.
We were originally quoted $333 ($111 an hr for 3 hours) to move things from two different apartments into one (which is a great deal to begin with). They ended up only taking just under 2 hours, so we paid under what they quoted us, but I was so happy with the service that I tipped them the difference. It was also convenient that they carry a credit card machine so you can pay right there with credit or debit instead of cash. I would highly recommend Checkmate, as they are by far the best movers I have used in the Chicago area. -
Review from Brian P.
Forest Park, IL
4/28/2008
We used Checkmate Movers on our move on Friday from the West Loop to Forest Park. Bill, Bill, and Corey called 15 minutes ahead of their scheduled arrival time to confirm and showed up exactly on time. They were very nice and got to work immediately. We had everything out of our 1 bedroom apartment in approximately an hour and a half. If the elevators had been quicker, it would have been even less. We hit some traffic on the way out to our new place (love 290 having traffic at 11:30 am on Friday), but again, we were unloaded and done in about an hour. With their half hour travel time for their location, we clocked in at 3 1/2 hours total, a half hour under our estimate.
As I mentioned, the crew was great and worked very efficiently and also took good care of our stuff. Only issue was my own fault, as I didn't ask them to wrap our mattress so it got a little dirty, but its under sheets anyways right?
I would highly recommend Checkmate if you are looking for honest hardworking movers that take pride in what they do. -
Review from JoAnne H.
Chicago, IL
9/25/2008
I hired these guys to help me move on August 10. It was my first time ever hiring movers.
I was moving out of a 2nd floor 300 square foot studio into a 3rd floor 2 bedroom apartment that was three miles away. I was completely packed, so I didn't need them to help with that. They quoted me 2.5 hours for 3 guys at a flat rate. They showed up on time, and were great and very polite. I was AMAZED at how fast they were, and how strong, too. I had several boxes of books. I couldn't even pick up one box, but these guys were strapping 3-4 of these boxes at one time to their backs and hauling them. It was amazing.
They actually finished under time, so I was charged for only 2 hours. They also never broke or damaged anything, which was a big relief. I was so happy with the job they did, I gave each guy a 10% tip.
Anyway, I chose to go with these guys after reading reviews on YELP, and I am SO glad I did. I highly recommend them. As another reviewer has written, though, follow up with them before the move to make sure they have you down and everything is set. That was the only part I was ever really concerned about. -
Review from Ashley A.
Chicago, IL
6/14/2009
I hired Checkmate movers because of the reviews on Yelp, and everyone is right, these guys are awesome! Kevin (I think he's the owner) gave me an extremely reasonable quote and got me scheduled for the day and time I needed. I did all this pretty early, because I like to be prepared, and I'm glad I did...
On moving day, I was completely frazzled. I walked into my new apt (which was new construction) and it was covered in a layer of dust an inch thick. Of course I was dismayed because the movers were coming in three hours and the management office was supposed to have the unit spotless--it wasn't. My mom and I feverishly cleaned for the next couple hours, all the while worrying because I felt like this first debacle was setting the stage for how the rest of the day was going to go. Thank God it didn't.
First, Kevin called me two hours before the movers were supposed to come just to check in on me--awesome. Then, the moving crew got there 5 minutes early--even more awesome. The three movers we got (I know one of their names was Paul) were great as well. They never stopped moving all the while entertaining us with these crazy stories (crazy meaning interesting and hella funny). They got my one bedroom packed up in an hour and were on my way to my new apt even before I was! By 3:45 (they arrived around one) they had moved all of my boxes and set up all my furniture! And did I mention they never stopped moving!!
These guys were great, I'd DEFINITELY hire them again. When it was all said and done, I paid them $375 plus tips, which is reasonable for all the crap the lugged for me. Definitely hire Checkmate movers! -
Review from Laura M.
2/8/2008
So, of course, I was guided by my fellow yelpers and chose these movers. They were late however, they did call in advance to warn me. There were three guys and when they got to my place, they were on a system. They knew exactly what to do, and didn't waste one moment. They never complained (even when my husband decided the dresser should be moved from the second floor to the basement), sent any bad vibes, but did their work.
These are no nonsense movers so don't expect anything fancy but not one item got damaged. Let me reiterate this further, they were careful with all of our items and moved them efficiently and timely.
I had "professional" movers move us from Miami to Chicago called United/Suddath and they had twice the amount of people and they still damaged some of my furniture and items both the packers and the movers and took twice as long. This time, I packed my own stuff and I am pleased with Checkmate.
This company was great. -
Review from shai c.
Chicago, IL
8/6/2009
Be wary if you have electronics. They broke my TV. Something on the inside of my TV must have fallen off during the move because now there is no picture coming out of the tv. Just sound. But since it's not "external" they don't cover it. So now a TV that I spent $3000 on is just garbage. They provided no help, didn't even say sorry. Kevin wasn't apologetic at all. Just said, if there's no external damage we don't cover it. I actually had to call a couple of times and leave a message about it. No one ever called me back. I finally called with a different number and someone picked up right away. I guess they were trying to avoid me. If you use these guys, just make sure you move your TV yourself.
I guess they can shake the crap out of your TV but as long as it doesn't crack, they are not liable if it doesn't work anymore. -
Review from Crystal M.
Chicago, IL
8/19/2008
They were super easy to schedule with, showed up ON TIME...which has NEVER happened to me before, were all very friendly and polite (movers can often be buffoons as we all know) and the final price only came in a tiny bit over the estimate, which was fair enough.
They are great if you're moving on a budget and a short time line. Highly recommend! -
Review from PATRICIA A.
Chicago, IL
9/15/2008
'I asked for the movers to arrive at 10:30 because I only had that morning to pack my things beginning at 9am. They arrived at 10:15 so we weren't completely ready for them just yet but the clock was ticking. I guess earlier is better than late.
Instead of 3 people they brought 4, which was supposed to make the move go faster which would keep me under budget but it actually went longer and my original estimate of $388 became $599 after I paid for the .75 overage in time + an additional $15/person I gave for tip for a total of $660! They originally estimated 3.5 hours and it came out to 4.25 with the hourly rate being higher $141 because they brought an extra guy.
The lead mover kept wanting to pack my stuff (they charge you by the box) even though I had 4 of my own friends packing my rooms. He kept telling me it was free to pack, but then I reminded him the boxes weren't free so I would do it myself. There were plenty of large items to take first but he kept stressing about the stuff that hadn't been packed. At one point, he even wanted me to pay an extra $6 to 'pack' a bed, which basically meant putting my comforter and sheets into a wardrobe box.
I still gave them a decent tip so my total move was closer to $700 from a townhouse to a 1 bedroom condo. I don't think I should have been charged for that much extra time because he said it would only take them 20 min to get from my townhouse to the 1 bedroom condo (it's only 10 min on Lake Shore but the truck had to take local roads). Instead it took them 1 hour to get to my house which contributed to the overage in time. I wonder if they took their sweet time or what because it shouldn't have taken that long.
My last complaint comes in regards to the damage they did to my townhouse. There is a significant tear in the drywall of my house. It's not just a scratch, there's a whole in the drywall + another 2.5 foot long scratch that actually needs to be repaired. The lead mover then scrubbed it with water and a cloth which just ruined the paint job since it's water based paint. This makes it much harder for us to sell the house if there is obvious damage to the walls. I called them the day after my move on 8/30 and it's 9/9/08 and I still of course have heard no response. I even gave them a copy of this review and called Kevin, the main contact and have not received any calls back. I would definitely NOT recommed Checkmate or use them again based on this experience. -
Review from Erica H.
Chicago, IL
7/1/2008
These guys did an awesome job. They were not only on time, but early- which was nice. My move was fairly small- I was only moving my bedroom and assorted boxes- but they really worked quickly- despite the not-so-fun stairs at my new place (on the 3rd floor).
My quote was for 2 hours, but they were done in 1 hour and 40 minutes- and so it ended up costing me less than $200. I ended up tipping them the difference of what I expected to spend because they were great. -
Review from Sarah Rylee F.
FOREST HILLS, NY
4/30/2009
I will use Checkmate again AND recommend them!!
I have very heavy furniture (couch and bed frame) and they moved ALL of my stuff in 2 hours (and trust me it's a lot of stuff) it was a little bit more time then I was originally quoted but it was still totally reasonable.
and 'Steve' was gorgeous... so it's always helpful to have cute movers ;) oh... and they have a HUGE truck. all my stuff went in 1 trip! fast. cheap. and VERY careful! A+ -
Review from andrea m.
Chicago, IL
8/13/2009
We just used Checkmate movers and overall had a good experience. It was the first time I had ever hired movers so I was just happy not to have to haul all of our crap ourselves.
They showed up over an hour and a half late. To be fair, they did call us to warn us they were running late. It didn't really bother us at all so I am not holding that against them.
The guys were very nice and worked pretty quickly. They were true to their quote, which was very appreciated. The only real negative was that they broke our front door and didn't mention anything about it. We didn't notice until a few days later, actually, that the screen door is completely broken. It would have been nice if they at least told us about it or tried to fix it. -
Review from Alison H.
Chicago, IL
8/25/2008
These movers were timely, professional, courteous, fast, Affordable
ALL ITEMS ARRIVED IN PERFECT CONDITION. The team was clean, friendly and nice to be around.
I can not recommend these guys highly enough!
Call Kevin at Checkmate they are WONDERFUL! -
Review from Sheina K.
Chicago, IL
3/20/2009
This was my first experience hiring movers & they did a wonderful job. Showed up on time, got everything done in 2 hours flat (an hour under the estimate), and were friendly.
My only complaint is that my mattress & boxspring covers wound up with tiny holes in a few places, but in their defense, I did not tell the guys that the covers were new & ridiculously expensive, nor did I remember to go buy mattress bags like I meant to (they told me they did not provide bags 2 days prior to the move), so I can't really *blame* them. I would just suggest buying your own mattress bags if you hire this company & that's something you're worried about.
Everything else was fine, including my digital piano & several boxes of fragile items. No hidden charges or fees for things like shrink wrapping/furniture pads.
I would definitely recommend them & will use them next time I move. -
Review from Ross J.
3/30/2009
My neighbor upstairs (3 condo unit) used Checkmate movers when she moved out a few years ago, and they parked their giant truck within inches of my wife's car in our parking lot. I was worried that they would end up hitting or scratching it, so I took pictures of their truck's precarious position. Then, after they left, I went down to see if there was any damage - sure enough, there was a GIANT scrape along the passenger side back door and rear quarter panel! I took pictures of this as well and sent them a letter explaining the situation. They never responded. Everything was denied on subsequent phone calls to follow up, including ever having received my letter and photos.
"Shady" is too charitable a term to describe this operation. Avoid at all costs. -
Review from Katie P.
Chicago, IL
6/18/2008
Based on the reviews on here, I really expected to give these guys 5 stars too...but I have a few caveats that make me think the next time I move (hopefully not for a long, LONG time) I may look elsewhere.
The good news is that everything got moved in a little over two hours (for a usual 1 Bedroom apartment load of clutter) and the price was definitely right. My original quote for 2 hours was $233. I was floored. For the 2 hour and 40 minute job, I still came in under $300. Ultimately, in the big picture, a very very good thing. And the two "worker guys" (who never told me their names) were wonderful.
But...
I find moving very stressful and I have to say that a couple details from these guys really made it more, and not less, stressful. First, my appointment was for 10am...they showed up at 10:25 and didn't call until they were standing outside my place. That annoys me...25 minutes is pretty late. It should warrant a call. Second, they showed up in a Budget rental truck and really looked like a rag-tag crew. In the end it doesn't really matter, but I was surprised at the level of professionalism. I expected a little more. Third, the "head guy" didn't really say anything to me except to convey that I had misled them as to how much stuff I had and was visibly pissed at what they had to move. I'm sorry, I don't move every day and the dude on the phone asked for an estimate IN BOXES. (What kind of boxes? How big would those be?) I felt like I was being reprimanded...and yet, I was paying for it. I'm a Catholic and I know about self-imposed guilt, but I draw the line at having to pay for guilt.
There are other things (like a complete lack of personality or sense of humor about anything, continually huffing about clearly annoyed that I'd put them behind schedule....b/c of my "misleading" estimate...) but in the end the move occurred for cheap so I guess that's the lesson.
But a complete lack of customer service on the movers' end will make me think twice about calling back. And from the way he left after the job was done, I'm sure Kevin will be all too glad never to see me again either. -
Review from Jessica B.
Chicago, IL
8/15/2010
I really hate to write a bad review. Especially after the movers had to battle two flights of stairs at the apartment I was leaving, and another three flights at the apartment I moved into.
But.
The movers broke one of my speaker stands, several glasses, lost a few items, and took more than twice as long as the estimate (so the move cost twice as much).
I asked that my bed be wrapped, and the mattress was wrapped, but the box spring was not. I had stepped out to by myself, and the crew, something cold to drink, so I didn't see them take my box spring out unwrapped, and it arrived at the new apartment with dirty hand prints and smudges all over it.
Most frustrating of all, I saw one of the crew members carrying an item out of my old apartment, but it never appeared at my new apartment. Where did it go? No one seems to know. And the gentleman who answers the phone at Checkmate doesn't seem to care.
I have called several times to speak with him and each time he is going to talk to the crew and call me back, but has yet to actually call me back.
I do want to mention that the movers were friendly and I liked them a lot, but at the end of the day, getting all of your belongings (unbroken) is worth a lot more.
This experience was an expensive disappointment. -
Review from Jon B.
Chicago, IL
6/30/2010
I was charged $111 for 3 guys, plus another $111 for their drive out to my old apartment in the suburbs, all of which was explained in advance. There were no hidden fees, and the guys didn't ask for a tip (which is against the law, but lots of movers do), so I was happy to give them one.
They were fast and careful with my stuff, although they did almost forget a shelf and the brackets for another shelf. They were also an hour late even though I was their first move of the day.
I'd certainly recommend them.
