Moving a piano is already complicated; moving it across the country is another level. Pianos come in all shapes and sizes; it’s awkward, bulky, and heavy. It has 88 keys and lots of moving parts. It requires skill and experience because your piano isn’t just moving to a new location; it’s also moving to a different climate.
Whether you’re moving in one go or will have to put your piano in storage for a while, there are a few things you want to consider.
1. Get Professional Help
The first thing you want to do is find a professional piano mover to help you. You might think it’s not a big deal to handle with a few friends, but there’s a lot more into moving a piano than just heavy-lifting. Of course, there’s a cost to getting professionals to move your piano, but if that’s the only thing stopping you from hiring movers, then it’s a negative that is far outweighed by the positives.
First of all, professionals have the experience and the skill to properly protect and transport a piano. With so many moving parts that can easily break when mishandled, it’s best to rely on movers that do this daily. It could potentially cost a whole lot more having to repair damages compared to paying professionals that can get the job done right the first time.
There’s no monetary value for peace of mind. Many vetted, licensed, and insured movers can do the job at an affordable rate. It’s just a matter of doing your research and finding the right mover. Many full-service movers also have piano moving services or other specialty services; it’s a good idea to ask about this and what it’ll entail. Otherwise, you can always hire a piano moving expert to take care of just the instrument.
It may seem like an additional cost and more hassle coordinating a separate mover for a single item, but specialty piano movers are a notch above typical movers since they have more than just moving expertise.
2. Measure The Space
Whether you’ve decided to let professionals take care of the move or try and do it yourself, you need to know how much room the piano will take up. It’s a good idea to get some good measurements of your piano so you can at least explain it to potential movers and get an accurate quote.
Having the proper measurements will also help you envision where the piano is supposed to go in your new home. It’ll be a big waste of time if you try to move the piano and only then realize that it won’t fit through the door. Or you might have it delivered to your new home and then learn that it doesn’t work in the corner of the room with the rest of your furniture. Knowing where it should be and if there’s enough space to move will make a move a whole lot more efficient and quicker.
It will help you figure out what size truck or storage you’re going to need. It’s possible to move a piano along with your other things, but it’s essential to give it some space to avoid shifting and scratching. You’ll also want to make sure the truck has proper tie-downs so your piano will be secured during transport.
3. Clear the Path
You might be moving your piano on moving day with the rest of your stuff, or you’re only moving the piano first. Either way, make sure the path it needs to go through in your home is cleared of boxes or furniture. It’s a precious instrument that takes up a lot of space and requires more than one person to move. So make sure you account for the equipment needed to move along with whoever is moving the piano.
Clearing the path makes it a lot safer to move your piano and makes it a lot quicker, which can shave off a few minutes from the time. You’ll also want to make sure there’s nothing that can potentially injure them movers like unsecured carpets or random toys strewn about.
4. Secure the Keyboard
Professional movers will take this step, but it doesn’t hurt to do some pre-emptive checking. If your keyboard lid has a lock, ensure it’s working securely. The 88 keys are one of the most delicate parts of a piano, and depending on what they’re made of, it can get costly for repairs.
If you’re packing your keyboard, wrap it correctly, as it can easily damage the wood surface. Many professional movers will provide packing supplies, and some will even help you with professional packing services. Take advantage of these additional services to give you peace of mind. They probably have the right packing supplies and moving equipment to deal with your piano if they offer piano moving.
5. Get It Checked
Moving a piano is taxing just as it’s taxing on you. Especially when moving something like a piano across the country, there are a lot of things that happen internally that are out of anyone’s control. Professional piano movers will do their best to keep your precious cargo safe throughout the transport or storage. But moving from New York to Las Vegas can also present its challenges – such as the climate.
Depending on what materials and woods your piano are made of, it can experience some adverse changes due to moving from a cooler climate to a desert area. It may sound like a pet needing a veterinarian, but pianos have too many moving parts and sensitive materials to just be left alone after a long cross-country move. Having it checked and tuned is one of the first things you’ll want to do once you’ve settled into your new home.
If you opted for a professional piano moving expert, they’d usually offer the service along with the move anyway. Since they already deal specifically with pianos, any legitimate piano mover will advise tuning as part of a package deal. So don’t ever think that they’re just trying to pick you for more money.
In the end, the best advice when moving a piano is to consult an expert. It doesn’t hurt having to pay someone who does it for a living. And you’ll always get more value for trusting professionals to take care of your valuable piano rather than just trying to wing it with some friends and a box of pizza.
