Hiring a professional piano mover can help ensure your prized musical possession arrives safely
Moving your antique grand piano to a new home, or even just a different room, isn’t like moving any old piece of furniture—there are keys, pedals, wires, and other components that can be very expensive (or even impossible) to replace. Not to mention it can also weigh upwards of 1,000 pounds, so hiring professional piano movers is the best way to protect yourself and your beloved instrument.
Finding the right mover involves verifying qualifications, comparing costs, and choosing the best guarantee, but with a little know-how, you’ll be able to find the right pro for you in no time.
5 Benefits of Hiring Professional Piano Movers
Check out the advantages of hiring a professional moving service that specializes in moving pianos.
1. Home Damages are Less Likely to Occur
There aren’t many home objects that are heavier than a piano, and the instrument can be extremely difficult to move for this reason. Without the right tools and equipment, everything from minor damages like floor scratches to major ones like holes in plaster walls are more likely to occur. Fortunately, professionals have everything they need to safely navigate a piano out of a home without wreaking havoc in its wake—they can ensure the instrument easily slides through even the tightest door and hallways.
2. It Ensures the Instrument Will Be Handled Properly
Although pianos appear to be sturdy, the truth is that they’re incredibly sensitive. Anything from high exposure to humidity to sudden, sharp movements can throw pianos out of tune and even break the internal strings. But professional piano movers have years of experience safely moving pianos without damaging the instrument or your home. With professional help, you can rest assured that your instrument will make it to your new home looking and sounding the way it did when it left.
3. It Reduces the Risk of Injuries
Pianos can weigh 1,000 pounds or more, and moving one without the right skills can put you and your instrument at risk of injury. This task is better left to the pros because they’ll bring a team of experienced movers that can lift your piano, and they know how to move it through precarious places, like down a stairwell, without getting hurt.
4. It Speeds Up the Moving Process
Delegating the task of moving your piano to a pro will free up your mind (and hands) to finish other important moving tasks. A team of professional piano movers also has the tools and the experience to move this famously heavy instrument much faster than if you tried to do it yourself.
5. It Saves Money in the Long Run
There are a few ways in which hiring piano movers can save you money in the long run. Though you will have to pay between $150 and $800 to move your instrument, you won’t have to worry about extra fees from piano or home damages down the line.
Before Hiring a Piano Mover
There are a few important things to do before hiring movers in general, but these become especially crucial when you’re moving a treasured piano. Whether you’re moving it across town, across the country, or even just to a different room (a lesser-known service that movers offer), the same due diligence applies. Below is a breakdown of the homework to do beforehand.
Plan Your Grand Piano Moving Project for Accurate Quotes
Before you contact any professional piano movers for a quote, note the distance you’ll need to move your instrument. Long-distance moves cost significantly more, so figuring out the numbers beforehand will help you get a more accurate estimate.
Next, measure the length and width of the piano, then note the weight if possible. If you have the original owner’s manual for the piano, there may be specifics to reference. Otherwise, here are a few average weights:
Upright piano: Up to 60 inches tall and 500 to 1,000 pounds
Medium grand piano: 5 foot 6 inches to 5 foot 9 inches tall and about 600 pounds
Grand piano: 5 foot 10 inches to 6 feet tall and about 700 pounds
Check Your Professional Piano Mover’s Qualifications and References
When hiring any kind of moving service, including a specialized piano-moving service, it’s always a good idea to check out references beforehand. Read online reviews and ask your pro for names and contact information from past customers.
Questions to Ask Your Professional Piano Mover
When interviewing potential piano movers, ask them the following questions.
What type of guarantee do you offer for your piano-moving services?
Are you and your workers fully insured?
Do you have references?
Can you safely take the piano apart and reassemble it if needed?
Do you have the appropriate boards and dollies to safely move a grand piano?
What are your base rates for moving an upright piano?
At what size, weight, and moving distance do your rates increase?
Hiring Your Professional Piano Movers
Once you’ve chosen the piano mover you wish to work with, it’s time to settle all the details. This process includes a full, detailed contract in writing, as well as a financing plan if needed. You’ll also need details and pictures of the piano’s current condition to protect yourself if anything goes wrong.
Get a Contract and Arrange Payments With Your Piano Mover
Your piano mover should provide a detailed breakdown of costs, with a solid number that you’ll pay in the end. This breakdown will protect you from any unwanted surprises when the time comes for payment.
Keep Records of Your Piano Moving Project
Before moving day, conduct a complete review of your piano, noting any cosmetic damages or issues with functionality. Take lots of pictures and record yourself striking each key. This precaution will provide you with dated evidence if anything goes wrong during the move.
Next, be sure to oversee the project yourself. Don’t go overboard, but ensure the movers use the proper equipment and care as promised.
Know Your Rights and Avoid Mover Scams
While there are many reputable professional piano movers, there are a few bad apples within the moving industry, so keep an eye out for any red flags. Be aware of how to avoid the rare mover scam, which entails so-called movers charging double or triple their promised rate or driving off with your piano.
Be sure to check previous customer references and avoid paying in full upfront. If your movers arrive in unbranded trucks or attire, that can also be suspect. Trust your gut instincts and always put contract details in writing.
After Your Movers Have Finished
Your piano is a valuable possession in more ways than one, which makes the cost to hire movers well worth it. Once your piano movers have safely delivered your instrument to its new home, conduct a full examination to ensure there isn’t any damage. If they delivered your piano with the care it deserves, be sure to leave the moving service a positive online review.
How to Find a Professional Piano Mover
One of the many reasons to hire professional movers is that they will help you avoid personal injury and damages to your belongings. That said, not every mover will know how to get a piano out of a house safely, so it’s important to hire movers with piano-specific experience.
Ideally, you’ll want to find local piano movers who specialize in transporting this type of instrument. They will have the equipment needed to move the instrument, and can take apart and reassemble the piano if needed. You can find pros via online databases, a Google search, or by reaching out to fellow pianists for recommendations.
