Piano moves are specialty work and the wrong matched carrier is how a $10,000 instrument gets a chipped soundboard or a cracked leg. The matched carriers we shortlist for piano have done it many times — they bring piano-specific dollies (skid boards for grands, upright dollies for uprights), they pad the lid + body separately, they pre-screen stairs and doorways, and they carry the insurance to make a claim meaningful if something does go wrong.
What the matched crew should know about your piano
- Type: upright (vertical), baby grand (~5 ft), full grand (~7 ft+), or digital. Each is moved differently.
- Weight: matters for the right dolly and crew size. Upright ~400-600 lb; baby grand ~500-700 lb; full grand ~700-1,200 lb.
- Stairs at origin and destination: how many flights, what’s the landing geometry, is there a switchback. Matched crew will pre-screen.
- Doorways: piano leg + pedal lyre may need to come off; matched crew handles disassembly + reassembly.
- Distance: in-county is straightforward; long-distance to a humid Southeast city (Atlanta, Birmingham) means climate-controlled truck and a careful pad-up.
Cost reality
| Piano type | Standalone | Add-on to house move |
|---|---|---|
| Upright | $300-550 | $200-400 |
| Baby grand | $500-850 | $350-650 |
| Full grand | $750-1,400 | $500-1,000 |
Stair surcharge: ~$100-200/flight for upright, $200-400/flight for grand. Full Value Protection upgrade (strongly recommended for any piano): ~$30-80 premium.
Related
- In-county local moves
- Long-distance moves (piano often bundled with a house move)
- Full-pack
