How much does it cost to move a piano?

Pianos are exquisite, yet monstrous musical instruments. They’re very delicate and extremely sensitive (so they’re quite vulnerable to damage), but they’re also very large and extremely heavy (so they’re quite difficult to move). On top of it, pianos are very expensive – so moving damage is highly undesirable.

All those facts combined mean that moving a piano is a job for professionals – experienced piano movers who have the specialized equipment and technical know-how to complete the complicated task in a safe and efficient manner.

So, if you need to relocate your magnificent musical instrument, professional piano moving services are your best bet – they will save you plenty of time and effort and will greatly reduce the risk of damage to your valuable instrument. But they will cost you.

How much does it cost to have a piano moved? How much does it cost to hire a piano mover?

You need to know the answers, so you can make informed decisions – and a realistic budget – for your forthcoming relocation.

Factors that determine the piano moving cost

How much it will cost you to move your piano depends on the type of your instrument, the distance to your new home, and the specifics of the pick-up and drop-off locations:

• Make and model of the piano – Different pianos have different shapes, sizes, and weights, so they have different packing and moving requirements. Larger, heavier instruments are more difficult to move – and, therefore, their moving costs are higher;
• Move distance – Moving a piano long distance takes more time and more fuel than moving a piano locally, so the cost to ship a piano across country is higher than the cost to move a piano across town. Generally, the longer the distance, the higher the relocation cost;
• Obstacles at the origin and/or destination locations – Tight spaces, sharp hallway turns, narrow doorways, spiral staircases, hilly terrains, and other challenges that make the piano moving process more difficult and more complicated result in higher moving costs. Stairs, in particular, have a major impact on the final price – piano moving companies charge additional $5–$10 per step (or $40-$100 per staircase) as taking a large, heavy piano up or down stairs is extremely difficult and risky.

Needless to say, any desired/necessitated extra services (crating, hoisting, storage, retuning, etc.) increase the final piano moving cost.

The actual cost you’re going to pay to have your piano moved by a professional will also depend on the areas you’re moving from and to and the specific piano moving company you choose to work with.

Average cost to move a piano

So, how much does it cost to move a piano? The average piano moving cost is about $400 but that figure is only a national median – it doesn’t tell you anything about the price of getting your piano moved to your new place. To get an idea of what you can expect to pay, you need more specific information:

• How much does it cost to move a piano locally? – Local piano moving costs range from $200 to $600 (up to $1,000 for grand pianos moved from/to a high-rise apartment),  depending on the type of the piano and the complexity of the job (number of stairs, ease of accessibility, special packing and/or handling requirements, etc.);
• How much does it cost to move a piano interstate? – Cross country piano shipping costs can be anywhere between $500 and $2,000;
• How much does it cost to move a grand piano? – The cost to move a grand piano is typically about $450-$600 for local moves (but can be as low as $300 or as high as $1,000) and $1,200 for long-distance relocations (the cost can range from $800 to $2,000);
• How much does it cost to move an upright piano? – The average cost to move an upright piano locally is $250-$300.For long-distance jobs, the price can range from $500 to $800.

The actual price to move your piano can be a bit lower or a bit higher than these mean values, of course – it all depends on the specific circumstances in your case. To find out exactly how much it will cost you to take your gorgeous musical instrument to your new home, you need to get a quote from a reputable piano mover.

How much do piano movers cost?

Professional piano movers may have an hourly rate or a fixed rate:

• The hourly rate is based on the amount of time it takes the movers to carry a piano from its location inside a home to the moving truck, load the musical instrument, drive to the final destination, unload the piano, and take it to its designated location in the new home. Hourly rates cover the cost of labor as well as the equipment used – travel fees may or may not be included;
• The fixed rate (flat rate) is based on the size and weight of the piano, its location within the home and building, existing obstacles, and distance to the new home.

When estimating the piano shipping cost, piano movers add up:

1. The base rate for moving a piano – typically $50 (though it may be as high as $250);
2. Mileage fee – about $1.50 per mile for local moves (from $1.20 to $2.50, depending on the company and the area) and $3 per mile for long distance moves (from $2.10 to $10);
3. Extra charges for stairs (about $5 per step, though it may be higher for very large pianos) and obstacles (anywhere from $40 to $200, depending on the level of hardship)
4. Additional costs
   • Grand piano dismantling fee – $100
   • Crating fee – $800 ($1,200 for heat treated crating)
   • Additional items (such as benches) – $20 per item or $1 per pound
   • Insurance costs – Professional piano moving companies offer free insurance for instruments valued up to $5,000 and charge $15 for every additional $1,000 of value
   • Rush fee – $300 for last-minute local moves and $400-$700 for rush long-distance jobs
   • Rescheduling fee – up to $400 (if no one is available at the pick-up or drop-off location when the movers arrive)
   • Storage fee – $50 to $75 per month (for climate controlled storage space)
   • Piano tuning costs (after the move) – between $100 and $150

If you start looking for professional piano moving services well in advance and do your homework well (ask for recommendations, read reviews, check the companies’ ratings, request on-site price estimates, carefully compare the offers and review the movers’ documentation, etc.), you can easily find experienced and reliable, yet cheap piano movers who will take good care of your musical instrument and will deliver it to your new home intact and unscathed – and for an affordable price.

Just make sure you provide the professionals with all the necessary information – type and size of your piano, stairs and other obstacles at the pick-up and delivery locations, special packing and/or handling requirements, necessary and/or desired extra services, time frame of your move, etc. – so the experts can give you an accurate cost estimate and know how many workers to send and what equipment to bring in order to complete your move in a safe, smooth, and efficient manner.

Must-read: 7 reasons why you should hire professional piano movers