Transporting a piano from one location to another is always a delicate matter. In addition to the weight of the instrument, you also have to contend with all the moving parts as well as the piano going out of tune, which will likely happen to some degree.
Rather than moving the piano yourself, a job of this magnitude needs to be handled by a team of trained and experienced piano moving specialists like our pros at Ace Moving & Warehousing. Not only will the experts keep your piano safe but they’ll also dramatically reduce your risk of suffering injuries that are common with DIY moving of large, heavy items.
If you’re planning to relocate a piano soon, here’s a simple guide that’ll help you prepare and will help the pros move your piano as safely and efficiently as possible.
1. Determine the Size of Your Piano
As you might expect, no two pianos are alike. Different companies make different models that come in all shapes and sizes. If you break pianos down into categories you essentially have two types.
Upright/Console Piano
Commonly known as a ‘box’, an upright piano looks like a large wooden box with pedals. Its size ranges from 36’ inches tall all the way up to 50” tall. Most usually weigh between 300-500 lbs.
Baby Grand or Grand Piano
A ‘grand’ piano is a generalized size range for pianos that are anywhere from 4.5 feet in length to 9’ feet in length. They can weigh as much as 1300 pounds. They are extremely difficult to move due to their non-symmetrical shape and heavy wood and metal components.
Knowing the size of your piano is important because you’ll need this information when you call around to get estimates from Twin Cities moving companies. If you have a very large instrument, the movers will need to bring a larger crew to safely and efficiently handle its weight and bulk.
2. Isolate the Piano from Other Furniture
If possible, we recommend moving the piano separately from all other furniture. Do not stack anything on the piano and do not place it next to metal items or other items that can damage the piano’s finish or parts.
3. Clear a Path for Moving the Piano
Make sure there is a clear path from the piano to the entrance of the door that we will use to move it. Remember, also, that we will need to use a door that the piano can fit through.
Movers prefer a double door nearest to the moving truck, both when they move your piano from your existing home and bring it into your new house.
4. Set Aside Room and Time for Disassembly
Keep in mind that your movers may need to remove the legs of the piano to fit it through a doorway even if you have a double door. That’s especially likely if you’re planning to move a baby grand or grand piano.
If you’re hiring professional movers, do not attempt to remove the legs of your piano before they arrive. Movers have the proper tools and know-how to both remove the piano legs and store them safely. If you try to disassemble the instrument on your own, you could easily damage it.
Give us plenty of time to move the piano. This is a job that does not need to be rushed. We will have to move slowly and strategically and transport the piano slowly on the vehicle.
5. Get Moving Insurance for Your Piano
If you’re hiring professional movers, you’ll automatically get something called released value protection for all of the items you’re transporting in the truck. But unfortunately, that level of coverage offers a remarkably low level of financial reimbursement for damaged or lost items ($0.60 per pound, per item).
If you want more peace of mind, you’ll want to upgrade your coverage to full value protection, which will reimburse for the current market value of the item or pay for repairs. But even when you upgrade to a higher level of coverage, your piano will still be considered an “item of extraordinary value,” if it’s worth more than $100 per pound.
If that’s true for you, you’ll need to declare that in writing on your inventory form prior to your move. If you don’t declare it, your movers have the right to limit their legal responsibility to reimburse you in the event your piano comes out of the move with damage.
If you want even more peace of mind, you may want to consider purchasing additional third-party insurance for more coverage. Of course, your movers will do everything in their power to keep your piano safe throughout the entire process. However, the reality is that accidents happen, and sometimes, those accidents have nothing to do with the moving company.
Check out Should You Buy Moving Insurance Through the Moving Company? for more information.
6. Keeping Your Piano in Tune
Honestly, that really depends on your piano. While most people assume that their piano will go terribly out of tune, it may not end up being as bad as you assume if your piano is stable.
An unstable piano may not hold its tune even when it’s moved across a room, much less moved across town or across the country no matter how carefully it is moved. But a stable piano should be able to tolerate being moved from one side of a room to the other and may even be able to tolerate a full-scale move. You’ll likely want to have your piano professional re-tuned at some point after you’re all squared away in your new home, but it’s not imperative that you do it right away.
If you play daily and it’s important to you that it be properly tuned right away, be sure to find and schedule a piano tuner in advance. That way, you can have the job done as soon as possible after your piano arrives and is situated in its new home.
Ace Moving & Warehousing Can Move Your Piano!
When it’s time to move your piano, leave it in the hands of our expert piano movers at Ace Moving & Warehousing! We value your piano as much as you do and will ensure that it is moved safely from point A to point B. We’ve facilitated thousands of interstate, international, and local moves from the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro and would love to help simplify your relocation, too.
To learn more about our moving services or get a preliminary estimate, call us today at 763-755-2045 or request a fast quote online, and we’ll get in touch to discuss your move!