Piano Moving Cost: How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano?

Beauty and the Beast

Piano Movers. Pianos are a thing of beauty that command attention and admiration. On the other hand though, it is also a huge beast of furniture, almost comparable to a very delicate antique cabinet. In fact, pianos are doubly tricky because if you moving the piano goes wrong, you risk damaging it or turning it out of tune.

And for this reason, a lot of people turn to Piano Movers.

The costs of moving such a grand piano are revealed below

REASONS to Hire Professional Piano Movers

The first reason is simple: pianos are heavy and hard to move. There are different piano versions, a typical upright piano weighs somewhere between 400 and 900 pounds, Grand pianos can weigh up to 650 and 1300 pounds and Spinet pianos weigh around 300 pounds. Weight, height and size are just the beginning of it, you also have to consider the terrain and the path to getting it out of the house. Even if you have piano moving equipment such as a skip board and can lock the piano belt safely, handling the whole transportation process of an extremely heavy item would be a hard task for everyone not trained enough.

The second reason is about value. Depending on its make, model and age, a piano can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to half a million dollars. Inexperienced movers can possibly cause expensive damage to the instrument. Professional piano moving companies have techniques to ensure piano is protected from scuffs and scratches. So in order to maintain safety while moving, hiring piano movers is a must!

Cost to Move a Piano

The cost of moving any piano will depend on such things as type and size of the piano, location and move destination, billing type, if crating is required, etc. If you are moving a small typical piano locally, it can cost you as little as $100 ($50 being the base rate). However, usually stair flights or steps are involved into the process and the cost can vary and go up to $200 or more for a small piano. Typically, a high-end, big (grand) piano to be moved across country or any other long distance will cost starting from $999 (base rate) and more.

How to Get Piano Moving Quotes Online

There are basically two ways to bill a piano move.

1. Hourly Rate – This is common with typical (general) household movers. There is usually a minimum number of hours required with 3hrs being the common base rate.
2. Flat Rate – This type of billing method is characteristic of professional piano movers. Unlike household, these guys specialize in moving pianos.

For flat-rate the following will be considered:

• The type of piano (upright, grand, spinet)
• Distance to be covered (from piano to truck and home to home)
• Difficulty and additional challenges to move a piano (stair flights, grass pulls, tight turns, etc.)
• Time restraints
• Waiting time if applicable

As a general rule, remember that the more difficult the job is, the higher the price.

Here are some other factors to consider when calculating the price:

• The moving company – Experienced, specialty piano movers will of course cost more than those with lesser credentials and no reviews.
• Ask about insurance – There are various types of insurance, including Automotive/Commercial Insurance and Cartage/Content Insurance.
• Tips – This will depend upon the client’s generosity and overall satisfaction with the service (can range from $10-$40)
• When you make the booking – Rushed transport will incur higher charges of up to $200.

Piano Moving Estimates – Sample

For Typical Piano Movers.

Usually, an average base rate is $50.

Then they will compute for the mileage. For local transport, it’s common to be charged $1.2 to $1.5 per mile.

Longer distances usually have higher rates of $3 to $10 per mile.

Additional charges like those for steps and stairs have to be considered as well. Some companies request $2-$10 per step, while others will bill you standard $40-$100 for each flight of stairs.

So as a summary, a local transport can be done for just $100 to $600 whereas long distances can cost from anywhere between $700 and $2000 depending on the miles to be covered.

Prices For Specialty (Hi-End) Piano Moving Companies

On the more expensive end, here is a sample price table from a specialized company:

Sample Calculations: How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano

Darling, don’t worry! I’ve found Topmoverquotes.com and they will help us to move the piano at a good cost and with reliable movers.

Let’s take the average costs of moving a piano and take a look at some sample computations.

1)      From one part of the county to another (Local Move Rates)

2)      From New York City to Baltimore City, Maryland (Long Distance Rates)

Enjoy the music

Pianos are an investment to any home. If you get high quality professional piano moving assistance, you will be ensured that your musical piece will arrive safely and still be in a great working condition.