We give guide and research top piano movers in the moving industry based on their location as well as a few other factors. You can make a comparison and check a list of piano movers that can match your household needs.
BEST OVERALL
BEST CUSTOMER REVIEWS
BEST PREMIUM SERVICES
A piano is a costly and valuable instrument and it often comes in large size and is bulky. Moving a piano by yourself can cause damage or injury, therefore when you are moving home, piano moving should be performed by professionals. Piano movers often make use of specialized equipment for your piano move as other moving techniques used by furniture movers may simply damage your costly instrument.
The piano movers we partner with a focus on the safe transporting of large, heavy, and costly pianos & organs with the use of special equipment, harnesses, and dollies.
Piano moving companies have undergone special training and understand how to secure, haul, and set up the instrument properly, carefully, and precisely. They have the qualification to transport the piano from your home, apartment, or office and maneuver it safely across the stairs.
Also, long distance movers must possess the right license to perform national moves across state borders.
How much cost required to move a piano is dependent on several factors such as the size of your piano, your location, whether you are moving locally or across the country as the case may be.
The cost or rate also varies for different companies. On average, the cost of moving an upright piano is between $380 to $650, if it is a baby grand piano; then the price may increase by an additional $100, and if it is a grand piano; the price may increase by an additional $150 to $200.
The total cost will be dependent on the type of piano; its age, whether there are a set of stairs, and the distance you are relocating it to.
The weight of an average piano ranges from 300 pounds upright piano to about 1,200-pound grand pianos.
Piano moving companies usually charge an additional fee for each set of stairs they have to scale through.
The size of the piano also plays a role in deciding the rates as a bigger piano attracts higher moving rates. All these put together will give an idea of what the cost of moving a piano from one place to another will be.
Distance | Upright Piano | Baby Grand Piano | Grand Piano |
---|---|---|---|
Local | $125 – $600 | $600 – $850 | $850 – $1000 |
Long Distance | $600 – $1000 | $1000 – $1200 | $1200 – $1500 |
Prices for local piano relocation differs from company to company depending on your distance and unique needs that are to be served. The cost usually depends on the type and size of the piano, billing type, distance, and if crating is required.
Moving a piano across town usually costs as little as $100 or more depending on the size and distance to be covered. If stairs or flights are involved, then it can go as high as $200 or more as the case may be.
Prices for relocating pianos whether long distance or cross country also differ from company to company just as we have for local piano moving services, it is also dependent on the distance you are moving to.
Moving a typical high-end, big or grand piano across the country or across long distances may cost as much as $600 depending on the location or as the case may be.
It is important to note that stairs may cost an additional $2-$10 per step. Other things to be considered include the best time to move a piano, the right moving equipment, piano storage facilities to be used, safety, and how to get a quote among others.
4.9 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 |
Best Overall | Best Customer Reviews | Best Premium Services | Best Moving Crews | Best Local Movers |
15% Seniors & Military Discounts | 20% Seasonal Discount | 18% Flexibility Discount | 15% Student Discount | Not Disclosed |
$2700-$6200 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2850-$6350 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2900-$6500 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2200-$5400 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) | $2300-$5600 (Avg. 2-3 bedroom) |
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It is important to have the right tools and training to make sure the piano remains undamaged and that no one sustains an injury. While there are owners who may want to perform the Piano move themselves, the smartest move is to hire a professional mover to handle the work for you.
Piano movers have special knowledge and understand the right handling methods to make sure the object is properly disassembled, transported, and set up.
Below are our top picks based on our experts’ research and reviews:
BEST OVERALL
Gentle Giant is one of the best piano moving companies out there, it is a national moving company based in Massachusetts and was founded in 1980 to offer full-service moving solutions to their clients.
They have over 200 competent moving specialists and movers who they refer to as giants.
BEST CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Sterling Van Lines Inc. is a moving company based in Los Angeles offering both moving and storage facilities for over 50 years, they are a member of a couple of moving organizations that only reputable companies can be identified with.
Some of these organizations include the American Moving and Storage Association and California Moving and Storage Association among others.
BEST PREMIUM SERVICES
Modern Piano Moving began operations in 1935 with moving only pianos before they later began to offer other moving services and storage facilities.
BEST MOVING CREWS
Two Men and a Truck offers exceptional moving services and has been in operation for over 30 years providing moving solutions for local, long-distance, and international relocation, packing services, storage facilities in over 300 locations spread within and outside the United States.
BEST LOCAL MOVERS
A-1 Piano was founded in 1958 by Jim Flobert who started the company as a small piano moving coy; they provide top quality piano moving services with the help of their trained and expert movers who understand the trade of relocating piano from one point to another.
Getting a quote for your piano moving task can be through visitation or direct contact with the national moving companies or requesting for a quote from the company by visiting their website online.
Usually, the billing or quotes are based on two major ways;
All these are factors that will be put into consideration before arriving at a rate for moving your piano either locally or across the country.
The most important thing in moving your piano is to ensure you engage a professional piano moving company that is licensed and insured to do the job.
Engaging professional cross country movers will save you a lot of headaches and hassles as you can attend to other daily pressing issues while the moving company gets the job done for you.
This is important as it will help you cater for any eventuality in the process of moving your piano from one place to the other.
If your moving company is not insured, then it will be difficult to recoup your loss in case of any form of damage to your piano in the process of transiting.
Wrap the piano with a blanket or padding and secure it with a packing tape and do not allow the tape to touch the piano surface.
The padding and blanket must be thick enough so that the piano is properly protected when the truck encounters bumps on the way.
Do not lift the piano using its legs when you are lifting it into the truck or into the furniture dolly, the legs can be fragile. The piano should be kept in the upright position as laying it on its side may cause damage to the inner mechanics.
Make sure the piano is properly secured in the truck, it is safer to use a wood plant so as to ensure a level flooring for the piano because most truck spaces are usually not level
Make sure you take extra precautions while packing to avoid any form of damage to the piano.
All moving parts of the piano should be well-secured and padded while in transit and the trucks used in transporting the piano must be equipped with a special air ride system to prevent jostling organs or pianos while in transit.
Most people assume that if their piano is moved to another house or across the country, it needs significant retuning. But it is not always the case.
One of the most important factors in the tune of a piano is humidity. If the piano travels through areas with varying levels of humidity, it may require retuning. If the humidity is a similar level throughout the journey, it may not require any further tuning.
It is very common for piano owners to move their piano across a room after it is delivered by a moving company. Perhaps you are rearranging your furniture and you have finally landed on the ideal spot for your piano.
We would recommend that you exercise extreme caution when moving your piano. It is not so much about the piano, but about yourself and your home.
Pianos are very heavy and dragging them on your floor may damage the wood floor or carpet. Meanwhile, trying to lift a piano by yourself or with one other person can be dangerous, as they are very heavy.
One of the best things that you can do is to clear the space where the movers will enter to pick up your piano. Ensure there is a clear path between the piano and the door. It is also a good idea to clear the staircase and any other areas where the movers may go to get your piano outside.
Another helpful tip is to ensure there is space for the movers to park the moving van. It should be close to the door of your home or apartment building to make the process easier.
The most reputable movers that offer piano moving services take great care to ensure that your instrument does not suffer any damage. But there are no guarantees when you are lifting and loading heavy objects.
It is best to purchase insurance from the moving company for your piano. They will offer you several plans, and we would advise that you choose the plan with the most comprehensive coverage. Such coverage ensures that you receive financial compensation if your piano is damaged or lost.
Time is not always a commodity available to people who are moving long distances. You may have no choice but to schedule your piano moving for a specific date or time. If you do have the option, we recommend that you schedule your piano moving for AFTER your other possessions are loaded onto a moving truck.
Moving your piano at the end ensures that your rooms are clear. It means that movers can easily shift the piano across the room and get it to the moving van. If you have furniture and valuables throughout the rooms of your home, moving a piano becomes more challenging.
It is imperative that you ask the moving company beforehand if you want to help during the moving process. Some companies may not allow you to participate in the process, beyond holding a door open, as it is an insurance liability issue.
There is no need to help in most cases. Moving companies have a lot of experience dealing with heavy items like pianos. So long as you are upfront with them about the conditions of the move, they will bring the necessary personnel and equipment to shift it safely.
We research and analyze huge amounts of data so that you can make the most educated and informed decision when it comes to choosing your local or long-distance movers.
We dig through customer reviews to get the real scoop on the 6 P’s:
Engaging the right professional piano moving company already guarantees that the moving of your piano will be done in accordance with generally accepted standards using the right tools and equipment to ensure the process is carried out safely and securely.