How to switch floor plans within the same Chicago apartment building

Switching floor plans inside the same building sounds simple until you hit the lease math, the transfer fee question, and the timing that decides whether it works at all. This guide breaks the process into steps you can act on this week, whether you're moving from a studio into a one-bedroom or downsizing out of a two-bedroom that's too much space.

Why this matters

Most renters assume an internal transfer is just paperwork. It isn't. You're ending one lease and starting another, which means your deposit, your move-out inspection, and your renewal timing all get touched at once. Get the sequence wrong and you end up paying for two units at overlapping dates, or losing your spot on the new floor plan to another applicant while you're still sorting out notice periods.

At Stead220, a 308-unit building at 220 N. Ada Street in Fulton Market, floor plans range from studios to two-bedroom homes, which means residents transfer for real reasons: a studio outgrown after a year, a two-bedroom split when a roommate moves out, a one-bedroom traded up for a corner unit with more light. The process below applies broadly to any Chicago building with more than one floor plan type, not just this one.

What you'll need

• Your current lease agreement, with the transfer or early-termination clause highlighted
• A list of available floor plans in your building (ask the leasing office directly — availability boards online often lag)
• Your move-out and move-in dates mapped on a calendar, with at least a few days of overlap buffer
• A copy of your current unit's condition report from move-in, for comparison at inspection
• Budget clarity on the new floor plan's rent, plus any transfer fee or reletting charge
• A short list of questions for the leasing office about deposit transfer versus new deposit

The steps

1. Pull your current lease and find the transfer clause

This tells you whether an internal transfer is even structured as a formal option, or whether you're effectively breaking one lease to sign another. Some buildings write a specific "intra-community transfer" clause with its own fee schedule, separate from early termination. Read it before you say anything to the leasing office, so you're negotiating from information instead of guessing. If your lease doesn't mention transfers at all, assume the building treats it as a lease break followed by a new lease — a very different cost structure. The lease agreement itself is the single most important document in this whole process, and most people never open it until there's a dispute.

Common mistake: assuming a transfer is automatically cheaper than breaking the lease outright. In some buildings it isn't — check the actual dollar terms.

2. Check availability on the floor plan you want

Available units shift weekly in a 308-unit building, and the exact layout you want might not open up for months. Ask the leasing office for a realistic timeline, not just "we'll let you know." If you're flexible between two or three floor plan types, say so — it widens your options and speeds up the match. Before committing, spend time learning to read a floor plan properly, since square footage on paper doesn't always translate to usable layout, especially with corner units or units with mechanical closets eating into the square footage.

Common mistake: trusting a floor plan sheet without touring the actual unit. Two "identical" one-bedrooms on different floors can feel very different depending on window placement and noise from shared walls.

3. Give written notice on your current unit

Most buildings require 30 to 60 days written notice before a move-out date, and that clock doesn't pause because you're staying in the same building. Submit notice in writing — email counts, but check your lease for the required method — and get confirmation back in writing too. This step is where timing mistakes turn expensive: give notice too early and you might be paying rent on a unit you've already left; too late and you delay your transfer date.

Common mistake: giving verbal notice to a leasing agent and assuming it's on file. Always follow up with something dated and written.

4. Negotiate the transfer fee and deposit terms

Ask directly: is there a transfer fee, and can your current deposit roll over to the new unit instead of posting a second deposit? Buildings handle this differently, and it's rarely posted publicly. Some will prorate your final month on the old unit against your first month on the new one. Get whatever is agreed to in writing before you sign anything new — verbal promises from a leasing tour don't hold up at move-out.

Common mistake: signing the new lease before confirming deposit treatment, then discovering you owe a full second deposit on top of the first.

5. Sign the new lease and set your dates

Once terms are settled, you'll sign a new lease for the new floor plan with its own start date, term length, and rent. Line this date up carefully against your old unit's move-out date — a one- or two-day overlap buys you breathing room for the physical move, but too much overlap means paying double rent unnecessarily. If your building offers flexibility on lease term length during a transfer, this is the moment to ask, since timing your lease around renewal cycles can affect the rate you're offered.

Common mistake: setting the new lease start date the same day as the old lease end date, leaving zero buffer for moving furniture between units.

6. Complete the move-out inspection on your old unit

Even within the same building, your old unit gets inspected against its original move-in condition report, the same as any other move-out. Photograph everything before you hand back keys — walls, floors, appliances — so there's no dispute over deposit deductions later. This step gets skipped more often in internal transfers than in normal move-outs, because residents assume "the same management company already knows the unit's condition." They don't track it that closely.

Common mistake: skipping photos because "it's the same building anyway." Deposit disputes still happen on internal transfers.

7. Move and confirm utilities/mail on the new unit

Utilities inside a single building sometimes transfer through the property, sometimes need a separate account switch — confirm which applies before move day so you're not without power or internet for the first 48 hours. Update your mailing address with USPS even though you're staying in the same building; unit numbers matter for mail routing.

Common mistake: assuming internet and cable carry over automatically. Many providers require a new service order tied to the specific unit number.

Troubleshooting

The floor plan you want isn't available yet. Ask to be added to a waitlist and confirm how the leasing office prioritizes current residents versus new applicants — most buildings give existing residents first right of refusal.

Your deposit won't transfer. Ask for the specific reason in writing. Some buildings separate deposits by unit for accounting reasons even when the resident is the same; push for a prorated credit if a full transfer isn't possible.

Your notice period overlaps two lease terms. If your notice deadline falls mid-lease on the new unit's start date, ask the leasing office to align both dates manually — this is common enough that most offices have a standard workaround.

You're being asked to pay a full new application fee. Some buildings waive application fees for internal transfers since you're already an approved resident. If it's not waived automatically, ask why before paying it.

The unit's condition doesn't match what you toured. Request a walk-through immediately before signing, not after. Floor plans and finishes can vary unit to unit even within the same layout type.

Rent on the new floor plan is higher than expected. Compare the quoted rent against current listed rates for that floor plan type, and ask whether any resident-transfer pricing applies versus new-lease pricing.

Tools and resources

• Your signed current lease and any addenda
• The building's published floor plan sheets for the unit you're targeting
• A written notice template (email is usually acceptable, check your lease)
• Move-out condition report from your original move-in
• A move-in checklist adapted for a same-building move, since you'll skip steps like address verification for new services but still need utility transfers handled

What to do next

Once the new lease is signed, shift focus to the physical move itself — packing, utility transfers, and confirming your new unit's inspection report matches what you toured. If you're still deciding between floor plan types before committing to a transfer, compare amenities across unit types before locking in a decision, since the right floor plan often depends on which amenities matter most day to day.

FAQ

One last thing

The detail most renters miss: your move-out inspection on the old unit still happens even when you're staying in the building, and deposit disputes on internal transfers are more common than people expect precisely because everyone assumes "it's the same management, they'll be reasonable." Photograph the old unit before handing back keys, every time, no exceptions.

Related guides

• How to time your apartment lease for the best rate in Chicago
• How to plan a move-in checklist for a Fulton Market apartment