A piano is heavy, top-heavy, and expensive to get wrong. Moving one is about the route it takes and the equipment under it, which is why the questions start with your stairs and your doorways rather than with the instrument.
An upright stays upright. It gets wrapped, tipped onto a piano dolly, and steered, and the difficulty is almost entirely in the weight distribution and the turns. Spinets and consoles are the manageable end. Full uprights and old player pianos are considerably more than they look.
A grand does not travel assembled. The lid is secured, the lyre and pedals come off, one leg comes off, and the instrument is lowered onto a padded skid board on its bent side, then strapped down and moved on the board. Baby grands and concert grands are the same procedure at different weights.
The route decides the job. Interior stairs get measured for width and for the landing turn, because a piano needs room to swing. Exterior steps, a stoop, a railing that has to come off, a storm door that does not open past ninety degrees: each of those changes the plan and none of them are a surprise if they are known ahead of time.
Send measurements or photos when you ask for a quote. Doorway width, stair width, the turn at the landing, the number of exterior steps, and how far the truck can get from the door. Those five things are most of what determines how a piano move goes.
The finish on a piano marks easily, so it gets fully padded and wrapped before it moves an inch. The house needs protecting too. Banisters, door casings and stair treads take the brunt of a piano move, so runners and padding go down on the route first.
Where the piano lands matters as well. Interior walls are better than exterior ones, and away from radiators, heating vents, fireplaces and direct sun. Tell the crew where you want it before it comes off the truck rather than after it is set down.
A piano that has been moved goes out of tune. Let it sit and acclimate to the room for a couple of weeks before you have a tuner in, so it settles at the new humidity first. Tuning is a piano technician's work, not a mover's.
Piano work here runs into the same three obstacles again and again: a narrow staircase with a turn at the landing, a front stoop with a railing in the way, and a finished basement where the instrument has lived for thirty years. Getting the measurements before the day is what keeps a piano move from becoming a problem on the doorstep.
“The owner came by the end location to make sure all went smooth”
The team showed up on time Saturday Morning with a smiles and a chill attitude ready to go. I gave them all waters they were really thankful and helped us move to our new home. We followed them and right away unloaded. The owner came by the end location to make sure all went smooth which I thought was great. I would recommende MOOVERS to anyone.
Usually, and that is the part we need details on. Stair width, the landing turn and the exterior steps decide the approach, so send measurements or photos with your quote request.
Partly. The lyre, pedals and one leg come off so the instrument can go onto a padded board on its side, and it all goes back on at the other end. The action and the strings are never touched.
Almost certainly. Give it about two weeks to settle into the new room's temperature and humidity, then bring in a piano technician.
Yes. Single-item piano moves are common, including moving one from room to room or floor to floor in the same house.
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