How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano?

If you are planning to move and you have a piano, there are several things you need to think about. Perhaps you’ve already considered several of these things, like the average cost of moving a piano, how you will manage it up that daunting flight of stairs, and you may have even looked into piano moving services. Regardless of what you know or don’t know, we’ve got the perfect piano moving guide for you. Keep reading to find out how much it costs to move a piano.

Why You Should Hire Professionals to Move a Piano

When moving a piano, you should always hire professionals to help you. Pianos are big and bulky and trying to move them yourself, without the help of a professional, can be dangerous for you and for your piano.

Your best option is to hire experienced piano movers. Generally, this means piano moving companies who have specially equipped trucks and equipment to safely move your piano from one place to another.

If you want to use a regular mover rather than specialized piano movers, you should ask them about their experience moving pianos. Likewise, if you do decide to move your piano with one of these specialized companies, make sure you call them well ahead of time, as they can book up quickly.

Piano Moving Cost Factors

There are a lot of things that moving companies consider when charging clients for moving a piano. Among these factors are moving distance, piano type and size, and any possible obstacles that could present a challenge on moving day.

• Moving Distance

  One way that piano moving cost is determined is by the moving distance. Almost all professional piano moving companies will charge a base rate of $50. With local moving, you will see that flat rate, plus anywhere from $1.20 to $2.50 extra per mile. For long distance moving, it’s usually anywhere from $3 to $10 extra per mile.

• Piano Type and Size

  Type and size also factor into the cost to move a piano. Moving an upright piano will cost less than it will to move a grand piano because it is smaller. That’s because size and weight also play a huge role. A smaller piano weighs less, so it won’t take as many people to carry it. That means you’re not paying as much in labor costs. Locally moving an upright piano should cost you between $200 to $300. For a longer distance, that number will go up to around $600.

  A grand piano requires a lot more men to move it, and therefore costs more money to move. Locally moving baby grands or concert grands can run you anywhere from $300 to $1,000 depending on the piano’s shape, size, and weight. Expect that number to be higher if you’re moving a long distance.

• Obstacles On Moving Day

  If you’ve got stairs, narrow doorways, or difficult terrain to traverse, expect to pay more to move your piano.

  Out of these, flights of stairs are the most comprehensive. Moving companies will normally charge an extra $40 to $100 for every flight of stairs (about $5 to $10 per step). This counts for steps that are indoors and outdoors, so make sure to take that into account.

  Other things like narrow doorways and difficult terrain are normally charged under a hardship fee. Depending on the challenges your property presents, this can be anywhere from $40 to $240. It’s important to tell prospective movers about flights of stairs or any other possible obstacles they could face on moving day. Doing so will allow them to give you a more accurate moving quote.

DIY Piano Moving

While it’s not recommended to move a piano by yourself, it may be possible if you have the right number of people and a piano that isn’t too heavy.

First, you need to gather materials. This means blankets for protection, tape to secure the blankets, piano dollies for transportation. It’s imperative that you make sure your dollies can hold the weight of your piano! You might also consider buying or building a piano skid board to further secure the piano during your move.

Next, you’ll need to measure doorways and hallways and take note of any possible obstacles. Wrap the piano up well ,and when you are prepared to move it, do so carefully. It should be the first thing that goes into your moving truck and once it’s in there, you need to secure it to make sure that it won’t move during the moving process.

Finally, whether you move your piano by yourself or not, piano tuning is extremely important and something you should do as soon as your piano is in its new home.

The Average Cost

So, how much does it cost to move a piano? The average cost to move a piano is anywhere between $200 to $500 for a local move and around $400 to $1000 for a long distance move. Although piano moving costs can seem high, it makes much more sense to pay for a safe move rather than buying a whole new piano.