Because of the size, delicacy and awkward shape, a piano or organ obviously isn't a typical musical instrument that can easily be picked up and moved. And because the lightest piano weighs in at about 300 pounds, weight is an issue too. As a result of all these factors, hauling a piano can be not only downright inconvenient but it also can be disastrous if not done properly. So to make sure you protect your piano or organ when you move it, your best bet is to get an experienced professional piano mover to do the job for you.
When you hire a piano mover, you're not just paying for men with muscles; you're paying for expertise and experience that will help ensure your piano or organ will be handled properly and arrive safely. That means it has to be expertly crated and uncrated or wrapped in enough moving blankets to protect it. It also means they have to know how to set up the piano or organ when it reaches its destination. You wouldn't want to leave this to a regular moving company, unless they happen to be experts in piano moving too.
Your best bet is to interview at least three professional piano movers, so you can identify one that is both qualified and reputable. This is especially important if you're moving to or from a multi-story building or if there are stairs leading from the street to the building's front door. Here are some questions to ask when you interview them:
When you hire a piano mover, you're not just paying for men with muscles; you're paying for expertise and experience that will help ensure your piano or organ will be handled properly and arrive safely. That means it has to be expertly crated and uncrated or wrapped in enough moving blankets to protect it. It also means they have to know how to set up the piano or organ when it reaches its destination. You wouldn't want to leave this to a regular moving company, unless they happen to be experts in piano moving too.
Your best bet is to interview at least three professional piano movers, so you can identify one that is both qualified and reputable. This is especially important if you're moving to or from a multi-story building or if there are stairs leading from the street to the building's front door. Here are some questions to ask when you interview them:
- Do they have a valid Department of Transportation (DOT) license?
- Do they make it a policy to “keyboard” pianos when they move them? If they do, that means they would remove the keyboard so the piano can fit through tight spaces. This introduces a whole world of negative possibilities, so either pass on this vendor or at the very least, make it very clear you don't want your instrument to be keyboarded.
- Do they have enough insurance to replace or repair your piano or organ if it's damaged or destroyed? If not, contact your insurance agent to see if they will give you a rider to your policy during the move. If so, make sure to factor that into your cost comparisons.
- Will they come to your home to pick up the instrument? Sometimes long-distance or international movers want you to deliver your piano to a local piano dealer so they can pick it up from there to transport it. You'll obviously want to know this in advance as you compare prices.
Once you've chosen a piano mover and your instrument arrives at its destination, make sure they position it somewhere that doesn't have major shifts in temperature, such as near heating or air conditioning ducts, or doors and windows. Even small temperature changes can cause warping, which can affect the instrument's sound.
As you can see from all the variables above, you wouldn't want to trust the intricate task of moving a piano to cheap movers that aren't specifically trained for the job. For a list of reputable companies that range from cheap residential movers you can use for regular moving and piano movers with far more expertise, fill out our secure form.
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