Houston Movers
Houston has no zoning, so a single mile can hold a 1920s bungalow, a row of three-story townhomes, a 30-floor apartment tower and a strip center. That variety is what makes local moves here tricky. Condor Moving Systems has a Houston location and our own crews and trucks working the metro, backed by our Fort Worth location and more than two decades of moving Texans since 2003. Local moves and moves within Texas are hourly with a binding estimate; out-of-state moves are priced by the cubic foot.
Local Houston moves · Long-distance and out-of-state moves · Packing add-on · Crating · Storage · Office moves
USDOT 1126171 · MC 458180 · TxDMV 006041428C
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4.6 stars from 1,531 reviews on SoTellUs.
Punctual, good and professional. Condor Moving System is my go-to moving guys now. Fairly priced for the level of professional moving service they provide to their customers. They were very good in communication to me and among themselves. I have had many bad experiences with multiple movers before it. Condor is the first ever company that I found nobody to complain about, which is maybe a pretty rare thing to say about relocators.Thomas D.
Movers did a great moving job even though it was a not smooth and it's a very long job. Best value for the money we spend. They stayed professional and were kind throughout the move process. They recognized my items and if I needed to change the things, they did it for me rapidly. Very friendly teamwork. Will surly use them again!Denis T.
I moved 2 bedroom apartment from TX to CA. Scheduling was very easy. … Delivery date and time were accurate nothing was missing, definitely recommend to hire condor moving for every move.Aviram E.
Local Moves in Houston: How the Hourly Rate Works
- Rate: from $175 per hour.
- Minimum: 4 hours, including a trip charge that we figure case by case when we quote.
- Estimate: your local estimate is binding. If your list changes before we start loading, the foreman writes up the revision and you approve it first.
- Included: the crew, the truck, furniture pads, and basic furniture disassembly and reassembly.
- Not included: packing, which is always an add-on (see below).
Full local minimums and details are on our Texas local movers page. A trip charge applies, and we figure it case by case when we quote.
What makes a local Houston move take longer
- Townhome stairs. Houston has thousands of three- and four-story townhomes, especially in Midtown, Montrose, Rice Military, the Heights, EaDo and Cottage Grove. The garage is on the ground floor, the living room is on the second and the bedrooms are on the third, often up narrow, turning stairs. Big sofas and box springs may need to be lifted around tight landings.
- Shared driveways. Many townhome rows share a narrow private drive with no room for a truck to turn. We park on the street and carry. In-state we run 26-foot box trucks, and local moves usually have no shuttle charge unless it's truly impossible to get the 26-foot truck to your door.
- Towers. Downtown, Midtown, Uptown/Galleria and the Texas Medical Center apartment buildings typically require a certificate of insurance, a reserved freight elevator and a loading-dock slot. We issue the COI ahead of moving day.
- Long walks in garden apartments. Large complexes in Westchase, the Energy Corridor and Greenspoint can put the unit a long way from the nearest truck parking.
Ways to shorten your hourly move
- Have every box packed and taped before the crew arrives
- Reserve the elevator and loading dock for the start of your window
- Clear a path from the door to the truck, and save a parking spot if you can
- Tell us about stairs and long carries during the survey so we bring the right crew size
Houston Neighborhoods We Move Every Week
Inside the Loop: the Heights, Montrose, River Oaks, Upper Kirby, West University Place, Bellaire, Rice Village, Museum District, Midtown, Downtown, EaDo, the Medical Center, Meyerland and Garden Oaks/Oak Forest. Older homes here often sit on pier-and-beam foundations with steps up to the porch, under big oaks that hang over the street.
West and Northwest: Memorial, the Energy Corridor, Spring Branch, Katy, Cinco Ranch, Cypress and Bridgeland.
North: The Woodlands, Spring, Klein, Tomball, Kingwood, Humble and Atascocita.
South and Southwest: Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Pearland, Friendswood, Clear Lake (near NASA's Johnson Space Center), League City and Webster.
East: Baytown, Pasadena and Deer Park.
Master-planned communities such as The Woodlands, Cinco Ranch, Bridgeland, Sienna and Kingwood have HOAs or community associations, and some restrict truck parking or set moving hours. Many neighborhoods across Houston also have recorded deed restrictions. Ask your HOA or civic club for any rules that affect moving day.
Freeways, Tollways and Construction
- The loops: I-610 inside, Beltway 8 (the Sam Houston Tollway) in the middle, and the Grand Parkway (SH-99) on the outer ring. Harris County toll roads are cashless; drivers need an EZ TAG or a compatible tag.
- Spokes: I-10 (the Katy Freeway east-west), I-45 (North and Gulf freeways), I-69/US-59 (Southwest and Eastex), US-290 (Northwest) and SH-288 toward Pearland.
- Rebuild work: the North Houston Highway Improvement Project is rebuilding I-45, I-69 and SH-288 around downtown, and segments near EaDo and the I-69/SH-288 interchange are under active construction into 2027. Expect closures and detours east and south of downtown.
We schedule around peak traffic when we can. A local move that starts at 8 a.m. in Katy and heads inside the Loop can lose an hour to the Katy Freeway alone.
Planning Around Houston Weather
Hurricane season
The Atlantic season runs June 1 through November 30. If a storm is forecast to hit the upper Texas coast, we'll work with you to move your date. Hurricane Beryl in July 2024 left more than two million customers without power across the region for days; moving into a building without working elevators or air conditioning isn't realistic, so we reschedule rather than force it.
Street flooding
Heavy rain floods underpasses and low streets quickly in Houston, even without a named storm. We watch flash flood warnings on moving days and won't drive a loaded truck into water.
Heat and humidity
Summer days are hot and very humid from May into October. An early start helps, and crews drink water and take short breaks. Leather, wood furniture and electronics shouldn't sit in a hot garage or truck longer than needed.
Severe wind
Spring storms can be strong. The May 2024 derecho blew out downtown windows and toppled trees and power lines across the city. We don't load or unload during severe-weather warnings.
The Houston Moving Calendar
- July 1, Texas Medical Center. Medical residencies start on July 1, so late June is busy for apartments near the Medical Center, Braeswood and Midtown.
- August move-ins. Rice, the University of Houston, Texas Southern and Houston Christian University bring students back in August.
- Rodeo season. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at NRG Park runs from late February through March and brings heavy traffic around the 610 South Loop and Kirby.
- Month-end. Apartment leases turn over at the end of each month, so the last and first days fill up first.
Long-Distance Moves From Houston
Out-of-state moves are priced by cubic footage only. The per-cubic-foot rate already includes the trip, so there's no separate distance charge. Out-of-state moves start at $1,200. Your estimate is binding. Moves from Houston to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio or anywhere else in Texas are hourly, like a local move, from $175 per hour with a 4-hour minimum.
| From Houston to | Approx. driving miles | Approx. drive time by car |
|---|---|---|
| Beaumont | 85 | 1½ hrs |
| Lake Charles, LA | 145 | 2½ hrs |
| Austin | 160 | 3 hrs |
| San Antonio | 195 | 3½ hrs |
| Corpus Christi | 210 | 4 hrs |
| Dallas | 240 | 4 hrs |
| Shreveport, LA | 240 | 4½ hrs |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 270 | 5 hrs |
| New Orleans | 350 | 6½ hrs |
| Atlanta | 795 | 14½ hrs |
| Tampa | 980 | 18 hrs |
| Charlotte | 1,035 | 19 hrs |
| Denver | 1,035 | 18½ hrs |
| Los Angeles | 1,550 | 26½ hrs |
| New York City | 1,630 | 30 hrs |
Rounded, from OpenStreetMap routing between city centers, without stops.
Next-day delivery is available on a dedicated truck for destinations within about an 8-hour drive. From Houston that includes Austin, San Antonio, Dallas–Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, Beaumont, Lake Charles, Shreveport and Baton Rouge.
Standard delivery windows for out-of-state moves are 1–10 business days for most states and 1–21 business days for the San Francisco Bay Area, the Northwest, the northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, Upstate New York and New England, counted from the first day you can receive your shipment. Pickup dates are guaranteed, and a guaranteed delivery date is available for an additional charge.
Getting a Quote
- Zoom video survey, the most popular choice. A consultant walks your home with you over video.
- Phone quote, if you can give us an accurate list of furniture and a box count. For a binding phone quote with no video or in-person survey, you sign a written waiver of the survey.
You can start your list on our moving inventory.
Every Move, Local or Long-Distance
- Basic furniture disassembly and reassembly on every move
- Furniture pads and wrapping
- A written inventory with numbered tags on long-distance moves
- Placement in the rooms you choose
- A dedicated consultant
- Released value protection at no extra cost: our basic liability as your carrier, 60 cents per pound per article. It's moving coverage, not insurance. Full value replacement is available through Baker International; we don't sell it in-house. Compare the coverage options.
Packing is always an add-on. Choose a full pack, or a partial pack for dishes, clothes, decorations, or the garage and attic. Boxes and supplies are in our store.
Specialty Item Moving in Houston
Specialty items on a Houston move are quoted separately so the crew brings the right board, crate and padding for each one.
Piano moving
Upright and grand pianos are quoted per instrument. Condor moves them ground floor to ground floor, or by freight elevator with no stairs — we do not carry pianos on staircases.
Pool tables
We take the table down, crate the slate, and set it back up level in the new room.
Grandfather clocks
Weights come out, the pendulum is secured, and the case stays upright for the trip.
Licenses, Rights and Claims
Moves within Texas run under our TxDMV registration 006041428C. Out-of-state moves are regulated by the FMCSA under USDOT 1126171 and MC-458180, and you'll receive Your Rights and Responsibilities When You Move. Weight tickets are only required for military moves, and we can provide them when a military move needs them. For service members at Ellington Field JRB and elsewhere, we handle PPM moves, retiree moves and government-arranged shipments. If anything is lost or damaged, we help you through the claim after the move: file a claim.
Houston-Area Communities We Serve
Houston, Bellaire, West University Place, Katy, Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands, Conroe, Tomball, Kingwood, Humble, Atascocita, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Pearland, Friendswood, League City, Clear Lake, Webster, Pasadena, Deer Park, Baytown and Galveston. For the farther suburbs, the trip charge is figured case by case when we quote.
Galveston, the Bay and the Coast
Moves to or from Galveston, Clear Lake, Kemah, Seabrook and League City have a few things in common.
- Raised houses. Many homes on Galveston Island and along the bay are built on pilings, with a long flight of stairs from the ground to the main floor. Tell us how many steps and whether there's an elevator or lift.
- Narrow island streets. Older Galveston neighborhoods, including the East End and the historic districts, have tight streets and limited curb space.
- Storm surge planning. Coastal addresses are the first to evacuate when a hurricane threatens. If you're moving to the coast between August and October, leave a cushion in your dates.
- Salt air. Electronics and metal furniture going into a beach house do better if they're packed and stored inside, not in a garage under the house.
Moving Between Houston and the Rest of Texas
Houston to Dallas, Austin or San Antonio is one of the most common long moves in the state. A few points:
- These moves are hourly, like a local move: from $175 per hour with a 4-hour minimum, on a binding estimate. Cubic-foot pricing applies only to out-of-state moves.
- Next-day delivery is available on a dedicated truck, because each of those cities is well within an 8-hour drive.
- Your pickup date is guaranteed, and a guaranteed delivery date is available for an additional charge.
- If you're moving to DFW, our Fort Worth location is on the other end.
Office and business moves
For Houston businesses, from Energy Corridor offices to medical practices near the Medical Center, ask your consultant about scheduling around business hours. We can schedule office moves on evenings and weekends when needed; after-hours and weekend work carries an extra charge, which we disclose when you book. See our office moves page and ask your consultant about building rules for commercial moves.
Condor Crews at Work
Houston Moving FAQ
How much does a local move in Houston cost?
Local moves are hourly, from $175 per hour with a 4-hour minimum that includes labor and a trip charge, which we figure case by case when we quote. Your estimate is binding.
I live in a three-story townhome. Will that take longer?
Usually, yes. Turning stairs and third-floor bedrooms add carry time. Tell us the layout during your survey so we bring enough crew members.
Do you have a Houston location, or do crews come from Fort Worth?
We have a Houston location, plus our Fort Worth location for North Texas.
What happens if a hurricane is headed for Houston on my moving day?
We'll move your date with you. We don't load or deliver into a storm or into flooded streets.
Can you deliver to Dallas the next day?
Yes. Next-day delivery is available on a dedicated truck for destinations within about an 8-hour drive, including DFW, Austin, San Antonio, Baton Rouge and Shreveport.
My apartment building near the Medical Center wants a certificate of insurance. Can you send one?
Yes. Send us the building's requirements and we'll issue the COI before moving day.
Is packing part of the hourly rate?
No. Packing is an add-on, quoted separately. Basic furniture disassembly and reassembly is included.
Does a long-distance shipment go over a truck scale?
No. Out-of-state moves are priced per cubic foot, and moves within Texas are hourly. Weight tickets are only for military moves, when required.
Plan Your Houston Move
Tell us your Houston address, where you're going and roughly what's coming. We'll set up a Zoom survey and send your binding estimate.