Whether for yourself or your children, many dollars and hours have been invested in the piano, lessons, and practice. Understandably, when planning your move to a new home, safely moving your piano becomes a high priority.
Should You Hire Professional Piano Movers or Do-It-Yourself?
Although the thought of saving money may seem attractive, you will likely find it worthwhile to spend the extra money on professional piano moving services. This investment will help ensure your piano is moved safely to its new location. After all, professional piano movers have expertise moving pianos. Hiring professional movers to move your piano will not only keep it safe, but it will also eliminate the risk of injuring yourself. Depending on the type, pianos can weigh anywhere from 300 pounds for an upright to upwards of 1,000 pounds for a grand, making it a challenge for an inexperienced piano mover.
In addition, professional piano movers should be insured, which means if any “accidents” occur while moving your piano, you are covered for the needed repairs. This would not only include the piano itself, but also any damage to your home. The reality is, no matter how much experience a professional piano mover may have, accidents happen and it will give you peace of mind knowing that your piano AND home are covered.
Furthermore, there are various pieces of equipment professional piano movers have at their disposal to protect your piano and home. Without these resources, you run the risk of costly damage. Purchasing or renting this equipment would not be economical, but without it, you put the safety of your piano in jeopardy.
Ultimately, by moving your piano on your own, the money you save may end up paying for medical bills and repairs for your piano and home.
So You’ve Decided to Hire a Professional Piano Mover. What now?
Thorough research is important when selecting someone to safely move your piano. Ask for recommendations from friends who have experience with a piano move. Here are some specific questions you can ask them:
- How satisfied were you overall with the piano moving services you received?
- Were the schedulers easy and pleasant to work with when planning your piano move?
How you are treated from the start is a good indicator of how well they will work with you if issues need to be resolved during or after the move.
- Were the piano movers pleasant to work with on the day of the move?
If the movers are courteous and communicate well with you during the job, they are likely going to take great care of your prized piano and will be mindful of keeping your floors, stairs, doors, and walls damage-free.
- How did the movers wrap or protect the piano before they began moving it?
Reliable piano movers should use padded protection that is securely in place to keep your piano from getting damaged during transport.
Try to also contact music stores that sell pianos. They should be able to direct you to dependable professional piano movers.
Finalize your shortlist of recommended piano movers by verifying their reputations of recommended piano movers by checking out online reviews. Google, Yelp and Angie’s List are some resources that provide reviews for service providers. If the piano movers have a Facebook page, there may be reviews listed there as well.
You’ve narrowed it down to 3-5 piano moving services. What are the next steps?
When you’ve got a manageable list of piano moving companies, call each one to gather more specific details. Be sure to speak to someone at the company who is knowledgeable about the operations and moving day procedures. To help make your final choice, attempt to get the answers to the following questions in as much detail as possible.
- How do you protect the piano when moving it in and out of locations and during transport inside the truck?
- How do you protect floors, stairs, walls, and doors while moving the piano out of and into the homes?
- What moving tools and supplies do you use to ensure a safe and efficient move?
- How many years of experience do you have moving pianos and how many piano moves do you execute each month?
- Are you licensed and do you carry workman’s safety, automotive/commercial and cargo insurance?
- Have your movers received specific training for moving pianos?
- What is the insurance claims process if my piano is damaged during the move?
- Do you offer additional insurance to cover any damages to my home or piano?
- Do you offer safe climate-controlled temporary storage for pianos?
As a final check, look up their rating on your local Better Business Bureau website. Besides their ratings, you may also be able to find records of complaints filed against them.
Preparing for Move Day
Once you have selected a piano mover, do not delay in scheduling the actual move day. The sooner you contact the selected piano moving company, the better chance you will have to schedule your ideal move date. When scheduling, request to have one of the assigned movers visit your home to go over the move. This will ensure the piano movers arrive with the necessary manpower, supplies, and equipment. The movers should also be able to advise you on what to do in preparation for the move. This could include clearing pathways to move the piano safely out of its current location to its new one.
Thoughtfully consider where you would like the piano to be placed in the new location. This will help the piano movers complete their job more efficiently. Avoid areas in the room that may be exposed to extreme temperatures or too much sunlight or humidity. Steady temperatures will allow your piano to adjust to its new environment.
Include Reynolds Transfer and Storage on your shortlist. We offer reliable moving services that will get your piano safely to its new location. Contact us to discuss your upcoming piano move.
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