How Much Does a Piano Moving Company Typically Cost?

Buying a piano is a thrilling experience, but hiring a piano moving company can be a slightly confusing one. Knowing what pay range is normal and what you can expect from the experience demystifies the situation and allows you to simply enjoy your new piano. 

What is Included in a Piano Move?

The piano moving company will wrap your piano in blankets to protect it when they pick it up from the store. They will move it into their truck, securing it with straps so it won’t be damaged in transit. At your house, the movers will unload it from the truck and put it in your house in the location you indicate.

If there are steps or awkward entrances, or even if it has to be lifted through a window using a crane, quality piano movers can handle the situation. Be sure you know exactly where you want the piano to go in your house, as you will not want to attempt to move it yourself! Some services that require additional costs are obtaining insurance on the piano, moving the piano up steps and lifting the piano through a window.

Cost Breakdown

• Local moves typically cost from $125 to $250 for an upright piano to $600 for a grand or baby grand. 
• Long distance moves range from $700 to $2000, but distance and the accessibility of beginning and end locations make this price estimate fluctuate wildly. 
• Stairs are usually billed per stair, and you can expect to pay between $2 and $12 per stair. Sometimes the company will just give a flat fee for a flight of stairs, usually around $100. 
• Insurance is billed on a weight basis. A upright piano weighs approximately 550 pounds, a baby grand weighs approximately 600 pounds and a grand piano weighs 820 pounds. Insurance rates are about $4 per pound. Alternatively, some insurance is billed based on the piano value rather than the weight. In this case, the cost is usually $10 per $1000 of piano value. 
• Senior discounts are sometimes available from piano movers, and can usually save you 5%-10%. 

Do-It-Yourself Warnings

Some people will see the piano moving estimates listed above and decide to take on the piano move themselves. A word of caution: renting a truck to move the piano will be about $50, but there is no way to insure the piano against human error. At 600 pounds, these pianos are heavy and awkward. Moving a piano across a flat surface is deceptively easy; coaxing that piano up a ramp, or even over a single step, is significantly more difficult. 

Average Cost

Moving an upright piano into a house with a single flight of stairs will run about $250. This will be done easily. With the special talents of the piano moving professionals, you will be able to enjoy playing your new piano quickly and painlessly.

Most of the time, they will pick up the piano without you having to be there, so you can wait at home and only dedicate 30 minutes or less of your day to this endeavor. Enjoy your new piano!