Piano Movers NYC

For most households, the piano is the most challenging piece of furniture to transport. Whether bringing a brand-new instrument home or moving a family heirloom from one home to another, trying to get a piano safely from one point to another presents real challenges. Even many regular moving companies don’t have the expertise or equipment required to handle the peculiar weight distribution and size of most pianos. For these reasons, if you need to move a piano, hire a professional mover who has experience with them. Finding the right mover to transport your piano (upright or grand) is straightforward with a free search of Cheap Movers NYC’s pre-screened network of licensed, insured, and reputable moving companies.

New York City Piano Movers Cost

The average cost of New York City piano movers is between $300 and $600. Several factors will influence the final cost of transporting your instrument.

• Type of Piano: The most significant variable in determining the cost of moving your piano is its weight, which varies by type. At 100 to 300 pounds, spinets are the smallest type of piano and, therefore, often the cheapest to move. Uprights come in three styles—consoles (200 to 300 pounds), studios (400 to 500 pounds), and full uprights (500 to 800 pounds). Uprights with a player mechanism have a further 200 to 300 pounds. Finally, baby grands weigh 500 to 800 pounds, while full and concert grands weigh 800 to 1300 pounds.
• Age of the Piano: The age and condition of your piano will often have an impact on its moving cost. Older pianos, particularly antiques or vintage models, require a higher degree of care and possibly special crating. Some pianos have elaborate decorative woodwork or delicate finishes that you must protect during the move.
• Stairs:If the movers need to take the piano down or up the stairs, the moving company will require an additional fee that is proportional to the complexity of navigating those stairs safely. Moving companies don’t always include these fees in sight-unseen quotes, so be sure to ask the company specifically about any such additional costs.
• Required Services: Requiring additional services can add to the cost of moving your piano. Some standard other services include disassembly and reassembly, special crating, storage, tuning, and so forth.
• The Distance of Move: The distance your piano is being transported will also factor into the cost, with long-distance moves generally being more expensive than local moves. This is because local movers typically charge by the hour while long distance movers charge by weight and distance.

Piano Moving Services In New York City

Moving a piano in New York City presents particular challenges. Often the instrument needs to be transported up the stairs or through windows. Navigating through narrow and crowded streets and alleys, as well as vestibules, elevators, and hallways, can be difficult and require an experienced professional. These are some factors to ask your mover when planning to transport a piano in NYC.

Piano Disassembly

Often a mover will need to remove parts of the instrument to transport it safely. The most common parts that need disassembly are the legs, as they are the most fragile points on the instrument, and the way they protrude can present challenges for moving through doorways.

Special Piano Moving Equipment

Experienced piano movers use a range of specialized equipment to get the job done. The specific pieces of equipment used will vary, but they typically include heavy-duty dollies or trucks, pads, cargo straps, clamps, skid boards, stair rollers or automatic stair dollies, jack in the box lifters, lift bars, and window cranes.

Piano Storage

Many movers offer storage options if your piano needs to be kept safe between pick-up and delivery. Pianos require a climate-controlled environment, with low humidity, stable temperatures, and protection from pests and weather.

Local Piano Moving

Short distances usually make for the cheapest moves. Your local piano move might mean taking it from one part of a building to another, or from one area in a neighborhood to another. Even a local move, however, can incur additional costs depending on the complexity of the situation and weight of the piano.

Long Distance Piano Moving

Getting your piano from one side of the city to the other, taking it out of the city, or bringing it into the city will likely be a “long distance” move, which is often more expensive than a local move. Long-distance moves are also more likely to require storage between pick-up and delivery, which can also add to the cost.

Piano Reassembly

If movers disassemble your piano, they’ll have to reassemble it. Fortunately, the cost of this is usually included in the disassembly fee. Other post-move services, however, may also be needed, including tuning, pitching, or repair and reconditioning of the instrument.