How Much Does It Cost to Hire Riggers to Move or Scrap Machinery in Chicago?
By Igor Chudov, owner, Chicago Machinery Movers, Berkeley, Illinois. Moving and removing industrial machinery in Chicago area. Prices as of October 2026.
Below are the typical moving stories, and typical prices we charge customers for jobs similar to this. The exact price, in your case, will depend on many other things like accessibility of machinery, particular jobsite rules, the season (winter is harder), diesel prices, and more. Call 630-235-6603 with the machine's make, model and weight and I will give you the exact price in one phone call.
How much does it cost to unload a 13,000 lbs CNC machine and put it inside a shop?
The job, usually, is simple: we make an appointment, arrive to the
customer's site to meet a truck delivering one machine, like a Puma
CNC lathe.
It is the trucker's job to open up the tarp and undo the securement chains and straps. Then we lift this machine, drive it inside the shop, and set it down.
The job does NOT include leveling, drilling the floor, and so on - all those things are extras. It may include having to have the machine long way on the forks and skates.
The base price: $2,300.
How much does it cost to move a 13,000 lbs CNC machine from town to town?
A 13,000 lbs machine is that "sweet spot" that can be picked up with a 15,000 lbs capacity forklift, lifted onto a truck, with the same truck also being able to carry the forklift along without needing a second truck. It can typically be done by two riggers. The machine cannot have a separate bar feeder adding much to the length, or else another truck is necessary to accommodate the total length of the equipment.
The base price: $3,000.
How much does it cost to load a machine onto the customer's own truck or trailer?
This job involves bringing a forklift, pulling the machine out of the shop (potentially using machine skates to get them through narrow doors,) then lifting the machine outside and putting it on the customer's truck. Pricing here mostly depends on the size of the machine defining what forklift to bring, the time expense of skating.
The base price (15,000 forklift, no skating, one piece, no outside plates) - $2,400
The extra price (30,000 forklift, no skating, no outside plates) - $2,800
The high price (60,000 forklift, skates, three street plates to cover asphalt) - $5,900
How much does it cost to move a machine to another spot in the same room?
This type of job ranges from shockingly easy to enormously complicated depending on the size of the machine and the equipment needing to be mobilized.
The price varies from $2,400 to $9,390
How much does it cost to hire riggers with forklifts to help with machinery setup for a day?
The day typically looks like this: work starts at 10am the first day and 9:30am on subsequent days (if any), 45 minutes lunch around noon, riggers leave at 4pm if last day and 4:30 PM if equipment is left on site. We help with assembly, etc.
The price varies from $2,400 to $6,200 per day depending on the number of people and forklifts needed.
How much does it cost to remove 4 CNC machines from a shop for scrap?
Obsolete machinery removal has a special place in my (Igor's, the owner) heart. I always like doing it for many reasons: one is favorable economics, as I am paid by the machinery (and occasionally by charging customers for particularly difficult cases), by their parts, and sometimes I can get to remove pretty valuable equipment from rich companies. Having said that, many cases exist where removing obsolete machinery could cost you nothing if the machinery is heavy, easy to remove, and still contains all original parts and controls.
How much does it cost to take a 60,000 lbs injection molder out of the shop and load it out?
There are several reasons why money starts adding up quickly when it comes to rigging injection molders. The need for a big forklift means that the lift equipment needs to be delivered on two trucks (forklift and counterweights/helper forklift). The forklift and the weight of the machine add up to typically more than the asphalt or thin concrete can handle, so street plates need to be brought out (but not always). There is always at least three riggers needed, two of which must be CDL-A drivers. Maneuvering typically up to 40 ft machine takes more time.
Basic price - $6,000
