Piano Movers

Uprights and grands

We move upright and grand pianos, including instruments from makers like Steinway, Baldwin and Bösendorfer. A piano needs its own plan. It is heavy, its weight sits high or to one side, and its legs, lid and keyboard break if it is tipped or dragged the wrong way.

A piano can move by itself or as part of a full local move or a move across the Hudson.

How a grand piano moves

1. The crew measures the doors, turns and elevator at both ends before lifting anything.
2. The lid is closed and secured. The pedal lyre and the legs come off.
3. The piano goes onto its straight side on a padded piano board, and is wrapped and strapped to it.
4. It rolls to the truck on the board, rides strapped in the truck, and goes back on its legs in the new room.

How an upright moves

An upright stays on its feet. It is wrapped in pads, set on a piano dolly and rolled upright and steady. On stairs, the crew moves it one step at a time with straps, with people above and below it.

Tell us about the path

The path from the room to the truck decides the crew size and the price. When you call or send the form, tell us:

• upright or grand, and the length of a grand if you know it;
• stairs at either end: how many steps, and any turns or landings;
• the elevator size, if the piano has to ride in one;
• narrow doorways, halls or tight corners.

A photo or a short video of the piano and the path helps us give an exact written price. Your hourly rate and terms are in writing before moving day, and the total follows the actual hours. See how our prices work. In a tower, the building’s elevator and move window rules apply to a piano too; our high-rise moving page explains them.

Pianos in towers and walk-ups

In a tower, the piano rides in the service elevator, so the inside size of the elevator matters, and a grand can need its full depth. In a walk-up, the staircase decides: its width, its turns and its railings. If a piano cannot pass a staircase or a door safely, we tell you before moving day, not halfway up the stairs.

Get the room ready

Pick the new spot before the crew arrives, away from radiators, heating vents and direct sun. Clear the path of rugs, plants and small furniture. Keep pets and children out of the way while the piano is on the move.

After the move

A move shifts a piano’s tuning, and so do changes in heat and humidity. Piano technicians usually suggest letting the instrument settle in its new room for a few weeks before tuning. We move pianos; tuning is work for a piano technician.

Questions about piano moves