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Do I Need Piano Movers – Worth the Cost?

Yes, you need piano movers when you are planning to move it.

Moving is always an alarming task. And it becomes more furious when it comes to moving a giant, heavy, expensive one like a piano. 

Do I Need Piano Movers 1

Also, don’t think you can do it alone or with the help of family members or friends (if the member of your family or friend is trained in moving the piano and has the necessary equipment with enough helping hands then you can go for it). 

Moreover, hiring piano movers not only reduces the pressure of moving the piano but also ensures the safety of it in a suitable charge. Usually, professional piano mover charges $258 up to $900 depending on the area you live. 

Explore the blog to learn details about piano moving with mover including the reason for hiring them, facts about selecting them, cost and on and on.

Basics of Piano Movers

A piano may look like a simple instrument that may satisfy the calmness of the place with soft tunes. 

But it’s simple until it does not need to be moved. As it’s a giant piece of furniture with 300 to 1.300 pounds in weight, it requires a professional mind to move it. 

With special skills including the ways to reduce the weight or disassemble the piano, techniques of pulling or pushing, ways to use ramps, dollies, and hand trucks,  tricks of using required equipment for moving heavy objects including forklifts, skates, roller Skids, lifting straps, and so on.

When Do I Need Piano Movers?

When you don’t have enough hands(at least 4 people), essential equipment, or proper tricks for moving the piano in cases of relocating, repairing, storing, or other at that time movers may help moving a piano. Also include-

some situations illustrated when you need a piano mover

When You are Moving to a New Home

A piano can be one of the heavy things you have. And moving it without proper protection, or trick may cause damage to itself or other stuff. 

As, while relocating many factors need to be considered including the condition of floors, corners, stairs. So, it’s needed to hire piano movers. 

They not only move the piano but also ensure the safety of the piano and other essentials.

When You are Relocating Within Your Home

There may be situations when you need to shift your piano from one room to another or upstairs to downstairs and vice versa. 

In these situations, relocating can be more critical as there must be other furniture and objects in your home. Movers may help you out with proper technique and equipment no matter what type of piano you have.

When You are Storing a Piano

Sometimes you may need to store a piano if you are moving a long distance, your moving date is postponed, or you don’t have enough space at your home so need to store it for a while, and so on. 

At that time, movers not only helped to store it but also followed proper ways of storing including wrapping the piano with a blanket to keep it away from dust and moisture, avoiding keeping other objects on the top of the piano, and so on. 

Here moving companies along with Modern Piano Moving, Gentle Giant Moving Company, Sterling Van Lines, Two Men and a Truck, and Atlas Van Lines may help you out.

When You Need to Repair a Piano

‌When a piano needs to be repaired then don’t think you alone can take it for repair. 

There are also movers for you that might help you no matter what kind of piano you have including upright piano, digital piano, silent piano, player piano, spinet, and others. 

They’ll disassemble the piano, pick it up from your home, and deliver it to the repair center.

How to Choose the Right Piano Movers?

With proper research, viewing visual representation of the company, review from the users, finding out the professional piano mover experience are the all you can do for choosing the right piano movers. The detail outlines are given below-

Research Local Companies 

Ask your knowns who hire piano movers to move the piano.  And know about their service, behavior, techniques, availability of equipment, and so on. You can search online or visit the websites of the moving services. 

As well you can also get help from the piano shops as they are closer to the piano industry than you and may have enough knowledge of separating the pros and cons.

Ask about the Movers’ Experience with Moving Pianos

Know about how many times they had taken part in moving the piano or the number of attempts they failed. Find out the techniques and tricks they used in previous critical situations while moving a piano.

Know the availability of heavy object moving equipment to ensure the safety of your piano moving.

Trust your gut 

Find if they are authentic or not. Licensed movers are not only authentic but also trustable for a critical moving. Inquire if they have regulating permission, Federal License with USDOT number, local and state license, and so on.

A List of Questions to Ask Your Professional Piano Mover

To ensure the piano mover experience and techniques you can verify them by pinpointing some queries. Including-

  • What type of guarantee do they offer for piano-moving services?
  • Are you and your workers fully trained?
  • Can you safely disassemble and reassemble the piano?
  • Do you have the appropriate boards and dolls?
  • At what size, weight, and moving distance do your rates increase?
  • What type of pianos did you move earlier?
  • What is their process of moving the piano?

I Can’t Afford Piano Movers! What Do I Do?

Every situation must have an alternative. If you can’t afford movers, don’t worry there’s still a bunch of ways available for you. Check them out-

Consider Moving Your Piano Yourself 

At first point you can do step by step from preparing the surroundings for piano moving to assembling it again. 

Create a timetable too. For better understanding the whole process you can watch some youtube tutorials too. 

Then collect the essentials and learn the tips for moving. Must measure the doorways, corners, stairs before starting moving.

Collect Essentials

Find blankets to cover the piano and make no scratch to the floor or on the piano. 

There are several options available for finding blankets including you can rent them from U-Haul, Budget Truck Rental, or buy from any local store or online.

Rent a dolly to move an upright piano to reduce the overall weight.

Collect a skid board for a giant piano. The rent of the skid board may range from $20 – $600 depending on the duration of keeping it and the size of the piano.

Don’t forget to keep traps for lifting and tying.

Get Suggestions from Movers

As movers are experienced they can guide you properly with tips and tricks. 

So, describe your situation to them and ask what to do and what not in detail before moving a piano.

Cost of Hiring Piano Movers

Move a piano cost may range from $258 to $900 and sometimes may exceed up to $5000 depending on the place of moving the piano, size, timing and so on. That also includes-

Facts that Affect to Hire Piano Movers Cost

‌Moving into a locality may cost $1.20 to $1.50 per mile and total costs may come to $200 to $600. For outside moving, it may cost up to $2000 with $2.50 – $10 per mile.

The cost also may vary with the type, length, and weight of the piano. That may vary from $150 and $1,000.

If there are any stairs to cross with the piano at that time, movers may charge an additional $5-$10 for each step.

On the other hand, if you want to store the piano for a month or more with suitable surroundings, then you need to pay up to $240 for a single month.

How Much Move a Piano Cost?

It not only depends on the type, weight, distance but also on the state where you are moving.

Such as in New York an average cost of moving a piano is from $401 – $1500.

On the other hand, for Texas it’s $150- $995, for Florida it’s $250 – $4,533, for Virginia it’s $254 – $626, for Ohio it’s $258 – $572 and so on.

The Pros and Cons of Hiring Piano Movers

Not everything we decide or plan is beneficial. There’s still some lack of perfect work as the moon also has spots. Here moving the piano by professional piano mover is as beneficial as it is tricky and costly. Know the distinguish here-

Pros:

  • They have the expertise that ensures the safety of the piano.
  • They have the required tools and equipment with proper training of handling them.
  • It decreases the chance of injuries.
  • Able to wrap up the task a bit faster than you.
  • Save money as you don’t need to pay anything for equipment. All these are included in the main fees.
  • Save you from lifting heavy piano.

Cons:

  • It can be expensive sometimes with additional fees such as extra equipments, long distance moving.
  • May have to book in advance during peak seasons. Otherwise, there may be an increased chance of not getting any mover.
  • Risk of damage, if you are trapped by any scam moving company.
  • If they cancel the piano moving at the last minute then you may face a horrible situation to deal with.

What to Do in Case of Damage by Piano Movers?

If you hire a professional piano mover then the chances of damage may reduce but what if you are not lucky enough and the piano is damaged by movers? 

Don’t lose hope here too. There are ways to overcome the damage and sort the problem. That includes-

Inspect Your Piano Immediately

Find out the severity of the damage. And point out what was it earlier and what it is now. Note them quickly.

Take Pictures of the Damage

Have pictures. If the damage is serious then capture video for the further process.

Contact the Piano Movers

Ask for an explanation from them. As well try to know about the insurance they can provide and support.

File a Claim with the Movers’ Insurance Company

You can file a claim if the movers aren’t cooperating with you to solve the problem. 

While claiming a problem must attach the before and after picture if possible.

If you have a piano in your home then there is no doubt how much you are attached to it emotionally. And when it comes to moving it for any purpose including moving to a new place, relocating inside your home, taking it for repairs, storing it for any emergencies, and so on, then you can’t handle the situation alone or with the help of any inexperienced ones. 

In that situation, a professional piano mover may help you out with proper tricks and equipment for moving. 

In the above blog, the whole process of finding, selecting, hiring, and costing of piano mover is discussed. Try to apply this in your moving and enjoy the safe moving of your piano.

People Also Asked

Can My House Moving Team Provide A Piano Moving Service?

Yes, your house moving team can provide a piano moving service.

But make sure they have enough knowledge with proper experience in moving the piano. And know the ins and outs of the tricks and techniques.

Additionally, they must have the required tools for piano moving. If those criteria are satisfied by your house moving team then they must provide a piano moving service.

How Heavy is the Upright Piano?

500 – 800 pounds is the average weight of an upright piano.

It requires at least four people to move. Dolly, straps, and blankets must require equipment while this giant piano is required to move. And don’t forget to hire piano movers who are experienced enough to have ideas of using techniques and equipment.

Do Moving Companies Move Pianos?

Yes, moving companies move pianos.

But before hiring them must check their reviews and experiences. There are a number of moving companies best for piano moving including Modern Piano Moving, Wheaton World Wide Moving, Atlas Van Lines, JK Moving Services, American Van Lines and many more.

Can I Donate or Sell My Piano?

Of course, you can donate or sell your piano.

There’re a number of third party organizations available where you can donate your piano such as Goodwill, Piano Finders, PianosForEducation.org, The Salvation Army Piano Donation and so on. On the other hand, there are also available options you can donate for free such as Schools, Churches, Service Clubs, Social Groups, Senior Centers and others. 

Additionally, if you want to sell, this can be possible too through online or instore. Check Mid-America Piano, American Music World, Caruso Piano Gallery, Plano Mart and on and on.

Brandon Pollard

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