So, you have decided to relocate and move into a new house or apartment. If you are looking to transfer all of your things to your new home you will need to find good movers. Moving clothes and smaller furniture is quite simple, but to move a piano is another story. When it comes to a bulky instrument, like a piano, things don’t sound so easy. If you have one , we can imagine how precious this instrument is to you. A piano is an expensive and delicate instrument and needs to be handled with special care during your move. If you are in NYC you will be able to choose among the best piano movers NYC has to offer. We are here to tell you what price range to expect to move a piano. You will also familiarize yourself with how they go about moving your precious instrument.
How much will it cost to move a piano
You will want to know how much it costs to move a piano if you have one.This is quite reasonable. Piano movers set their price according to different factors. There are usually two ways they will charge you for their service
- They will charge an hourly rate, and the minimum here is 3 hours
- Piano movers can set their own rate according to certain factors and they include :
– Size and type of your piano. The price can be different for an upright, spinet or grand piano
– What the distance is. For shorter distances, or moves in The NYC area you should hire NYC local movers
– The space and terrain they have to work with
– How many people they will need to move a piano
– How much time they have to wait. Time is money so don’t lose it with making your movers wait.
Type and size of the piano are important
Piano movers will charge according to the size, type and weight of your piano.So there are different categories that charge differently. We will try to explain the differences according to the types of pianos.
Parlor Grand Piano move
These pianos are quite heavy. They can be up to 7 feet long and their average weight is about 900 pounds. They have very beautiful vibrant sounds. In order to move it, piano movers will charge between $415 and $650.
Studio Grand Piano move
These pianos are also huge and bulky. They are usually situated in professional studios and can weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. The price for moving this piano would be between $255 and $415, and this is the price if you move it locally. For long distances , ou should hire New York City long distance movers.
Baby Grand Piano move
Although these are the smallest ones in the group of Grand Pianos, they are not so easy to move. They have an unusual shape and are a little challenging. They need wide exit points, so you will even have to take off doors to get them through. The price to move this baby is between $250 and $400.
Player Upright Piano move
This kind of a piano has a very old fashioned design that is in the antique category these days, but moving it is not a piece of cake. They can be up to 100 pounds heavier than a standard upright piano. You will have to take between $195 and $315 out of your pocket.
Standard Upright Piano move
These pianos are quite heavy for their size. Standard uprights can be up to 4 feet tall and when it comes to their weight they are not as light as a summer breeze, but quite the opposite. On average, they can weight around 600 to 800 pounds. Since these pianos are big and tall, your doors will have to come off for them to fit through. This will need a couple of movers in the crew and you might have to pay from $195 to $320.
Studio Upright Piano move
Finally, this is the last one in the upright piano group. This is the smallest piano that you can buy in full size. Its average weight is between 300 and 400 pounds. These pianos usually find their place in apartments because of their convenient size. This can be a two man job. Piano movers will probably use stairs or an elevator and you will have to pay between $195 and $315.
Typical piano moving prices
If you hire good piano movers in NYC they will work in teams of two to five people, and that depends on the size and shape of your piano. They will bring their own equipment like straps for moving, skid boards, special dolly, a floor jack and a ramp. They will carefully strap your piano when they load it in the truck, so that it doesn’t move around. If you are retired or a senior citizen, you will be able to get a special discount from most piano moving companies. So here are some average prices you can expect depending on the distance of your move
- If you hire local movers they will charge you between $125 and $600
- For long distance movers the price increases.You will have to pay anywhere from $700 to $2,000. Of course, the price will vary according to the distance, type and size of your piano.
- When you opt for overseas move you will have to pay an average of $3,500 . In addition, the price of transporting your piano from your home to the place of shipment is not included here.
- If you decide to skip the costs of transportation and drive your piano by yourself you can save between $275 and $400. Of course you would still need to have professional piano movers pack, load and unload your precious instrument.
There can be some extra charges
To sum it up, if you live in a building or a house difficult to reach there may be some additional fees your piano movers will charge. This might happen if your building has a lot of stairs and no elevator, if a crane has to be used or if your instrument demands special storage conditions.
- They might charge between $2.00 and $10.00 per step if they have to take the piano up or down the stairs
- If you want your piano stored in a special storage room with controlled climate you will have to pay between $50.00 and $60.00 monthly
- Finally, when your piano is unable to fit through the door, you will have to use a crane . Lifting and moving your piano with a crane will cost you between $750.00 and $2,000.