How Much Does it Cost to Move a Piano in 2021

The melodious tunes of a piano can captivate attention for hours, no matter what the occasion. Apart from producing beautiful music, a piano is also gigantic but, at the same time, a delicate musical instrument that needs careful handling if you wish to play for a long time.

What if you have to move someday, even if it’s just a few blocks away from your current home or to a new city? You’ll also need to transport the piano with everything else.

Have you thought about how much does it cost to move a piano? If you plan on moving it yourself, chances are, it won’t be easy. It’s always better to hire a professional mover or get help from a moving company for something this expensive. An experienced piano mover will have the specialized equipment along with a truck with enough room for piano storage.

How Much Does it Cost to Move a Piano?

The cost of piano moving depends on the type and style of the instrument. Each model has different equipment and handling requirements. It also depends on the overall weight of the piano; the heavier it is, the more men and tools needed. Thus, the costs increase.

The main difference between moving a grand piano (horizontal) and an upright piano (vertical) is that each varies in size and requires more or fewer employees, moving blankets, and packaging material. A piano moving company will provide a moving quote based on the piano type and size.

Piano Moving Cost by Type

An upright piano is relatively smaller, cheaper, and easier to move than a grand piano. It is also the most common type of piano found in most US homes. The four different types of upright piano are standard upright, spinet upright, console upright, and studio upright. Moving charges for each depend on the size. On average, expect to pay anywhere between:

Spinet Piano-$150 to $200
Console Piano-$150 to $300
Studio Piano-$200 to $300
Standard Piano-$250 to $350

A grand piano is expensive and most used by professionals for its sound quality and prompt response. It comes in six sizes, petite grand, baby grand, medium, parlor, semi-concert, and concert. It takes more than one mover for safe piano transport. Here’s how much you’ll need to pay on average for varied sizes of a grand piano.

Petite grand piano-$200 to $300
Baby grand piano-$250 to $350
Medium grand piano-$300 to $400
Parlor grand piano-$350 to $600
Semi-concert grand piano-$350 to $700
Ballroom grand piano-$400 to $800
Concert grand piano-$450 to $1500

Piano Moving Cost by Size

If you hire a piano moving service, a professional piano mover will ask you regarding the size of your piano to arrange the necessary tools, equipment, and the number of workers required. A piano ranges from anywhere between three feet (smallest size) to nine feet (biggest size). Small models require less use of tools and labor whereas, a larger piano may need dismantling for transportation through stair or tight spaces. These are standard rates:

Three feet piano-$150 to $300
Six feet piano-$350 to $1000
Nine feet piano-$500 to $1500

Factors Affecting the Cost

For a rough idea of your piano moving charges, compare it with how much does a piano cost? Moving a large and expensive item takes more effort, which hikes the charges. Factors that affect the cost of your piano moving are:

Weight

If you own a heavy and large size piano, you’ll probably pay more for its transportation due to added specialized tools, packaging gear, and even partial dismantling if required.

Due to its curvy shape and enormous size, a grand piano is difficult to lift and transport to the moving company truck, and thus it costs more compared to an upright piano. It can weigh anywhere between 600 to 1200 pounds.

A spinet piano is the smallest type of upright piano and weighs between 300 to 400 pounds. Larger upright models can weigh around 500 to 800 pounds.

To calculate a better estimate of your piano moving cost, carefully measure the piano’s dimensions with an inch-tape.

To measure an upright piano height, start from the floor towards the piano lid. To measure a grand piano, note down its length from one side of the keyboard to the bow. Generally, a baby grand piano is under six feet in length, whereas a concert grand piano is around seven feet long.

The quickest way of getting an accurate piano moving cost is to provide the moving specialist the make and model of the piano. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll be charged without any hidden fees occurring later.

Distance

The costs associated with moving a piano from one place to another also depend on the distance covered. In general, the longer the route, the more expensive cost of transportation.

There’s a great deal of difference between piano moving within your locality and moving it to another city. If your piano moves across the country, the charges for extra travel time, moving truck fuel, etc., will add to the final bill.

Things like having stairs etc

Any hindrances that may occur during piano moving will add to the overall cost. Workers will need to put in extra effort to move and place the piano where desired securely.

One of the most common obstacles is stairs.

When it comes to moving a piano, stairs are your worst enemy because stairs delay piano moving and make the overall process very expensive. A piano mover will charge you extra if the piano moves along steps or a staircase. Expect additional costs of $5 to $10 per step and $40 to $100 per staircase.

Other hurdles that may slow down piano moving include a tight turn, tight corner, and a narrow entrance. If the pathway from the moving truck to the front door is rough or shaky, charges for the inconvenience caused will also make it to the bill.

Can You Move a Piano Yourself?

It’s pretty convenient when you can transport things without any external help. But when it comes to a piano, you might want to reconsider this thought. A piano has 88 keys, and some models have over 10,000 movable parts and don’t forget the weight. The last thing you’d want is to miss out on measurement and damage the expensive musical instrument.

If you’re still confident you can lift and load the piano in the truck without the help of a piano mover, you’re going to need some piano moving equipment and support from one or more people. Here’s how to move a piano yourself:

Evaluate The New Place

Note the dimensions of the place you’ll place the piano. Measure the room space, doorway, and stairs (if any) to ensure the piano will move through all without risk of damage. Clear all pathways you’ll use to carry the instrument. Also, check whether the stairs are strong enough to bear the weight of the piano.

Gather Your Supplies

You’ll need a moving blanket (more for larger models) and towels to wrap the piano. Also, arrange multiple tape rolls, padding, and a hump strap. There are some supplies specific to the type of piano.

Upright piano. It requires piano dollies (trolley with wheels).
Grand piano. To move a grand piano, you’ll need a piano board or piano skid. Make sure the size of the board fits the piano. Additionally, you’ll need more straps and padding.

Assess Truck Size

Make sure the moving truck has enough capacity to carry large items such as furniture and a piano.

Load the Piano

If you’re going to load an upright piano, make sure the piano dollies can easily carry its weight. For a grand piano, detach the leg before placing it on the piano board. Ensure it’s tied in place using ropes and straps, then move it in.

Re-tune the Piano

Relocating the piano may cause it to go out of tune. When you’ve set the piano in its new place, make sure to have it tuned by a piano technician.

Average Cost to Move a Piano With Piano Movers

Are you wondering how much does it cost to move a piano using a professional moving service? For example, on average, piano movers in Salt Lake City charge between $200 to $400 for local moves and around $700 to $2000 for long-distance piano moves. The national average for moving a piano is $405. This amount will vary depending on the piano moving company you choose and other factors discussed above.

Shipping Costs For Piano Moving

Movers calculate shipping costs on an hourly or flat rate basis.

The costs associated with a per-hour moving service are based on the number of required workers, the piano removal equipment used, time consumed to transport the piano from one place to another, and total travel fee.

Companies that charge hourly rates traditionally bill for three hours of labor at a minimum. This includes the time piano movers take to pack the piano, bring it out of the house, load it in the truck, finish the delivery, safely unload the piano, and place it in the new space.

Flat rate movers will charge you a fixed fee based on factors such as the type of piano (including weight and size), distance to be covered, and any obstacles (stairs, tight spaces, etc.). The best way to know the exact cost of piano moving is to have the movers visit your place to assess possibilities for problems they may face on moving day.

Generally, flat-rate services charge a fixed fee of $50; then, they add additional charges of $1.5 per mile for local moves and around $3 per mile for long-distance piano moves.

Additional Costs Associated With Moving a Piano

Apart from the packaging and safe transfer of the piano, other costs will make it to your final bill.

Partial disassembly

Mover will need to partly dismantle a grand piano to safely move it out. For this service, they’ll charge about $100 to detach parts of the piano.

Crating

If you want to be extra careful with moving your piano or own an expensive model, you can have it transported in a bespoke wooden crate. The minimum piano crating fee is $800 and can reach up to $1000.

Hoisting

If the doorways or stairs of your house are too narrow to fit the piano, it will need to be hoisted using special equipment via a window or the balcony. Charges for this service are between $700 to $1000.

Emergency Moving

Rush moving can double the initial costs you were to pay for piano moving. A last-minute moving service will cost you an additional $300 locally and $400 to $600 for a long-distance haul.

Insurance

Some piano moving companies will offer you complimentary insurance coverage of $5000. If you want to purchase additional coverage, it’ll cost $15 per every $1000.

Re-tuning

There are chances your piano (even a player piano) may need re-tuning due to certain shocks and impacts that occur during travel. Piano tuning charges range between $100 to $150.

How Much Does it Cost to Move a Piano Across Country?

For example, if you reside in Salt Lake City and relocate to a neighboring state, the moving companies in Salt Lake City will charge you $700. This fee can reach up to $2500, excluding overseas travel. Expect to pay costs for wrapping and loading the piano along with fuel charges, a truck driver, and total travel distance.

How Much Does it Cost to Move a Piano Locally?

Depending on the exact distance and model of the piano, the cost is between $300 to $1000 for local moves. This price includes packing service as well as loading and transportation.

Conclusion

Hiring a professional piano moving service is a wise choice rather than doing it yourself because movers have the required expertise and experience to securely transport your piano safe-and-sound. You can contact different companies to determine how much does it cost to move a piano? Think of it as a financial investment you won’t regret.