Know your instrument's weight
A spinet weighs about 300 pounds. A full upright runs 500 to 800. A baby grand starts around 500 and a concert grand can exceed 1,200. Those numbers are the reason a piano needs four people, not two strong friends.
The right equipment
Uprights get strapped upright to a piano board and tilted onto a four-wheel dolly. Grands are different: the lid is locked, the legs and lyre come off, and the body is lowered onto a padded skid board on its bass side.
- Piano board and skid
- Heavy-duty ratchet straps
- Stair-climbing dolly for exterior steps
- Moving blankets and stretch wrap
- Spotters at every turn
After the move
Let the piano acclimate in its new room for two to four weeks before tuning. Any move shifts the soundboard and strings slightly, and tuning before it settles means paying twice.
What it costs
In DFW, expect $350 to $600 for an upright on ground level and $600 to $1,200 for a grand or any piano with significant stairs. That's a fraction of the repair cost if a leg snaps or the case cracks.