What we need to know
- Type: spinet, console, upright, baby grand or grand.
- Length: measured for grands.
- Access: stairs, turns, elevators and door widths at both homes.
- Value: so you can decide on valuation. High-value instruments need to be declared.
Upright pianos often weigh 300 to 900 pounds, and grands can be heavier. Extra charges for stairs are common, and these should appear on your written estimate. We'll confirm how we'd handle your specific instrument during your survey.
What a safe piano move looks like
Grands usually have legs and pedal lyre removed and are wrapped on a piano board. Uprights are wrapped and secured upright against the truck wall. A long-distance move should keep the piano from shifting for days at a time.
Don't let anyone roll a piano on its casters over rough floors or thresholds, because casters weren't designed to carry it across a house.
Climate and tuning
Moves from Chicago to very dry places like Arizona or Colorado, or to humid Florida, can affect the soundboard and tuning. Give the piano a few weeks in its new home, then have it tuned. Keep it away from vents and sun, and consider a humidity control system if the climate shift is large.