How Much Does It Cost To Move A Piano?

A piano can easily be the most valuable item in your home. Moving these beautiful instruments can become a daunting task, even for an experienced mover. To relocate a piano with the least amount of risk involved, you should always rely on a professional piano moving company. Moving a piano by yourself is one of the worst decisions that can be made during a change of residence, and it will always result in damage (and possibly injury).  Only a crew of professional piano movers will have the tools, knowledge, and experience necessary to get your instrument to its new location in the same condition it left in. Piano moving cost will vary depending on a few factors. A grand piano weighs between 700 and 1300 pounds, while an upright may only weigh 400 or 500 pounds (though a few may be as much as 900lbs). This is a significant difference in weight, and you will find an even more significant difference in size under most circumstances. The cost of moving a piano can also vary based on the difficulty of the route (stairs, corners, etc.), and the distance between residences. It may only cost $100 to move a relatively small piano across town, while shipping a large piano across the continent can be as expensive as $4,000.

Piano and Organ Moving Rates

A piano and organ are moved in the same manner, so piano moving cost is comparable to the cost of moving an organ. It will take 2 to 5 people, as well as several instruments, to move a single piano. Common items that are used include a specialized dolly, skid boards, high-tension moving straps, a floor jack in case legs need to be removed, cinder blocks to place under the skid boards (to allow room for the dolly to maneuver), and a ramp to shuffle along the heaviest instruments. Once the piano or organ has been moved into the truck, it will be strapped down so that it will not withstand damage by shifting during transport. The professional cost of piano moving is definitely worth the level of care that will ideally be given to your instrument.

Average Cost to Move a Piano

The moving of an instrument as large as a piano is no easy undertaking. It is specifically for this reason that professional piano moving is available. The average cost to move a piano is around $200 for reasonable distances. This will cover taking the piano out of the old home, travel in a moving vehicle, and the placement of the said instrument in its new location. If the move is particularly straightforward (no stairs or difficult maneuvers) and short in distance, you may find professional piano mover’s rates to be as low as $90.

Long Distance Piano Moving Rates

The shipment of a piano over a long distance can be extremely expensive. If you are moving within the North American continent, you may be able to have the instrument taken a long distance for a piano moving cost of under $1,000. However, should your journeys take you over the ocean, the freight shipment of an average sized piano could be over $3500 for the overseas voyage itself (not including moving to and from the shipment locations). As you can see, the cost of moving a piano over a long distance can be quite expensive.

Professional Piano Movers Prices

Professionally trained piano movers are the only safe solution for the transportation of a piano or organ. However, just because someone presents themselves as a professional piano mover, doesn’t mean that they actually are one. A good approach to booking a quality mover is to look for reviews through the internet and/or word of mouth. It is not unheard of for a house mover to present themselves as a piano mover as well, but don’t be quick to accept this claim without sufficient evidence that they are indeed qualified to safely move the instrument.

When the piano mover’s prices appear especially low, there is added need for investigation. Without the proper instruments and knowledge, movers will almost certainly cause some distress to the piano, and yourself. It is also essential to ensure that the moving company has the proper insurance coverage. Commercial/automotive insurance will cover damage to buildings or vehicles during the move, and carriage insurance will protect your piano. Additionally, you must be sure that the company has the proper form of workman’s safety insurance. This would be a contracted hiring, and as the employee you become responsible for the well being of the company’s workers during the move. This liability will be transferred to the piano moving company if their insurance coverage is suitable. The only way to guarantee that these insurance requirements are met is to obtain a Bill of lading. This legal document will set out the terms of the moving agreement, and will declare the insurance holdings of the moving company. A properly insured company is well worth the piano moving cost.