Every Cincinnati moving company will quote you a number over the phone. Fewer of them will hand you a number that survives contact with the truck. DSL Moving runs licensed crews out of our Camp Washington yard on Spring Grove Avenue, not a call center routing you to whoever answers next — and the figure Trent Oberholtzer writes on your estimate is the figure on your invoice. Here is what a 2026 move in and around Cincinnati actually costs, crew by crew and route by route.
Three Crew Sizes, Three Hourly Rates
We price local jobs by crew size, not one blended number that hides how much help you are actually getting. A 2-mover crew runs $99/hr, a 3-mover crew runs $139/hr, and a 4-mover crew runs $179/hr — truck, blankets, and dollies included at every level. Trent Oberholtzer, our estimator, walks the home or does a video walkthrough and tells you which crew size clears your rooms in one trip instead of two.
A one-bedroom apartment in Over-the-Rhine rarely needs more than two movers. A three-bedroom house in Mason or West Chester with a garage full of boxes usually needs four, because two people working a ten-hour day costs more than four people working four.
Flat-Rate Bands, If You Want the Number Locked Before Move Day
Most families would rather budget around one figure than an hourly estimate that could run long if the staircase turns out steeper than expected. Trent builds these once he has counted your rooms.
| Home Size | Flat Rate | Typical Crew |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Bedroom Apartment | $299 | 2 movers, 3–4 hours |
| 2-Bedroom Home | $649 | 3 movers, 5–6 hours |
| 3-Bedroom Home | $1,225 | 4 movers, 7–8 hours |
A $95 deposit holds your date and your crew size. If plans change, that deposit is refundable inside a 72-hour window — call Melissa Ferring before that window closes and there is no penalty.
Long-Distance Runs Out of Cincinnati
Sitting where I-71, I-75, I-74, and I-275 all meet makes Cincinnati a launch point for relocations across Ohio, into Kentucky, and well beyond. Distance and load size drive the final number, but here is the range we quote most often out of our Spring Grove Avenue yard.
| Route | Distance | Starting Flat Quote |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati to Northern Kentucky (Kenton County) | ~10–15 mi | Standard hourly crew rate applies |
| Cincinnati to Columbus | ~110 mi | From $1,395 flat |
| Cincinnati to Indianapolis | ~115 mi | From $1,450 flat |
| Cincinnati to Louisville | ~100 mi | From $1,375 flat |
A Kenton County run across the river is close enough to price at the local hourly rate rather than a long-haul minimum. Columbus, Indianapolis, and Louisville carry a written flat quote, and Brody Kalscheur, who leads our West Chester, Mason, and Fairfield crews, also runs most of our long-distance dispatches once Trent has the inventory locked in. Every interstate quote is covered by our Ohio HHG license, US DOT/MC interstate authority, and $1M cargo coverage.
What Actually Bumps the Bill
We would rather price these upfront than have a crew mention them for the first time in your driveway.
- Piano moves — uprights and baby grands, from $289, walk-boards and stair dollies included
- Stairs and long carries — built into your flat figure once we know the floor plan, which matters a lot on the hill streets around Mt. Adams and Clifton
- Historic homes without elevators — a third-floor walk-up in an Over-the-Rhine loft building gets priced with an extra set of hands, not an extra fee after the fact
- Short-term storage — $90/month if your closing dates do not line up
“I grew up in Norwood watching my grandfather and my dad both run moving crews around this city, and the one thing that never changed was families getting nervous the number would grow once the truck showed up. I built DSL Moving so that never happens here — the figure we write down is the figure you pay.” — Daniel Scott Lang, owner, DSL Moving
Pricing Around Cincinnati Weather
Summers here run humid with stretches well above 90°F, which slows a crew carrying furniture up a Hyde Park hillside but does not change your rate — we start earlier and build in water breaks instead of billing you for them. Some Februarys bring a genuine icy stretch that turns a Clifton hill street into something you do not want a loaded dolly on without a plan. None of that shows up as a surcharge on your invoice; it just means Aaron Beckjord, our dispatcher, builds a weather buffer into any quote booked during those stretches.
Locking In the Deposit
A $95 deposit reserves your crew size and your flat figure at the same time. Cancel or reschedule inside the 72-hour refund window and you get it back; move the date instead, and the number you locked in travels with you.
Booking the Right Crew for the Right Home
Moving out of a hill-street home in Mt. Adams, Clifton, or Hyde Park? Read how we price and staff hill-neighborhood moves before you book. Want to understand exactly what “the number does not move” means in practice? See our price-lock guarantee page. Browse our full local moving services, check our service area across Hamilton, Butler, Warren, and Clermont counties, or check the FAQ page for deposit and rescheduling details.
Quick Answers
Do you charge more for stairs? No — stairs and reasonable long carries are priced into your flat figure once Trent sees the floor plan, not billed separately after.
Is the $95 deposit really refundable? Yes, inside the 72-hour window from booking. Call Melissa Ferring before that window closes.
What if I only need help loading a rental truck? Our two-mover crew at $99/hr handles load-only or unload-only jobs with no separate minimum.
Get Your Written Flat Quote
Tell us the move date and the rooms — Trent will have a real number back to you the same day, in writing.