7 October 2019 Do I Need a Professional Piano Mover?

Do I Need a Professional Piano Mover?

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One look at a piano should be all it takes to realize it’s not like moving other pieces of furniture. Whether its an upright or a grand, these items are big, bulky, and heavy. One slip up can spell disaster. 

Consider the fact that an average piano weighs anywhere from 300 to 1,000 pounds or more. Now, look at how that weight is distributed. Depending on the make and model, it can easily be worth multiple thousands of dollars. This isn’t something you want to trust to the average mover. It takes extreme care, so it’s handled in the right way. If you have a piano you care for, you need to invest in a professional piano mover. 

Professional movers do a lot of things before they ever walk into your home. 

They have the right tools for the job. They use blankets for proper coverage and protection. They use tape to ensure protection stays in place. They use dollies capable of handling a piano’s weight. These use skid boards to ensure a piano stays in place. They use straps to help them with the move. 

They also use the right amount of people. Often, this isn’t a two person job. Depending on the size of your piano, multiple people are needed to ensure it moves easily from the room, through doorways, around corners, and up or down stairs. 

They also know to ensure they have a clear path before they ever lift a finger. Will the piano fit properly through doorways and around corners? We’ve seen many do-it-yourselfers get stuck because they try and shove a piano where it won’t go. 

They also know that many parts of a piano are delicate by nature. The thin, decorative legs can easily snap off. The pedals are easily damaged. All of this should be removed and well protected. 

Once complete, it’s also vital to ensure everything is back in working condition. That means re-tuning it and cleaning it to make sure it’s in top shape. 

If you’re moving and you want some advice, give us a call today. We can help you make your move successfully, with your piano being in as good of shape at your final destination as before you moved. 

Filed Under: Piano Moving Tagged With:
28 October 2018 Should You Try And Move Your Piano Up Stairs By Yourself?

Should You Try And Move Your Piano Up Stairs By Yourself?

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Are you moving into a new home? Congratulations. A lot goes into finding the perfect home and moving all of your personal belongings from place to place. 

Chances are you’ve boxed everything up according to room. You might have called in a moving company to help you with the move. 

Did they give you a quote on moving the piano? 

The problem is, pianos aren’t like other pieces of furniture. They are sensitive instruments that can take a beating when moved, especially when they aren’t handled with the care they deserve. And depending on what type of piano you have, they may be one of the heaviest, bulkiest items in your home. Should You Try And Move Your Piano Up Stairs By Yourself?

You can’t heave that on your back and walk down the stairs. It simply won’t work. 

Stairs are one of the biggest problems in moving a piano. How do professionals do it? They use specialized equipment. They use:

Piano moving straps in order to keep all of the moving parts together. It’s important to keep the lid down to ensure your piano stays safe, and hands and fingers don’t get trapped underneath. 

Piano dollies are used so the mover doesn’t have to lift and carry as it moves across landings, staircases, and hallways. 

Piano planks are used so the movers don’t have to lift and carry up each individual step. 

Most movers also use special gloves to help them grip and handle the piano with ease. 

Take a look at your move. How many stairs are involved? Do your staircases involve turns and landings? 

It’s not just your new home; it’s the entire process. To ensure your piano stays safe, be sure to hire someone right for the job. 

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14 October 2018 Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

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Just because a mover adds your piano to their job doesn’t mean they’ll handle it with the greatest of care. 

If a mover doesn’t move pianos for a living, they might not be aware of how to pack the piano properly without breaking legs, pedals, or other delicate parts in the process. They also won’t be aware of how to fix complex problems once they put your piano in its final resting spot. 

Pianos can weigh hundreds to even thousands of pounds. Moving a piano is different than moving a large chest of drawers or an armoire. It’s bulky. It’s awkward. It’s easy to hurt yourself and easy to damage the piano. Why Moving A Piano Without A Professional Puts You At Risk

And because movers only carry insurance needed for the most common types of moving damage, chances are they won’t be fully covered if the unexpected happens to your piano. 

That means you’ll have to foot the bill to get your piano back into original condition. 

If you’re moving, and a piano is a part of your move, do your research early to be sure they’re right for the job. 

A great way to tell is by the equipment they use for the process. Piano moving companies have trucks specifically built for moving pianos. They’re smaller. They’re specially made for housing a piano during a move. 

They also use hydraulic lifts and other technology to have less chance in injury for both the movers and for your piano. 

Another great way to tell if someone is experienced in moving pianos is to do a little research online. Look through review sites to determine who has a good reputation and who to avoid. 

Also, remember moving a piano is not a do it yourself project. Even house movers utilize tools to help them lift heavy objects. Do it yourselfers often attempt moving without straps and dollies, simple items that can add leverage to the job. Pianos are heavier than they look; it’s the last thing you want to discover when you’re nearing a flight of stairs, or trying to wiggle the piano through a door. 

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21 August 2017 What’s The Easiest And Safest Way To Move Your Piano?

What’s The Easiest And Safest Way To Move Your Piano?

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Sometimes the easiest way to spruce up your home is to rearrange the furniture. And while that’s easy with a chair or a coach, it becomes much more difficult with a piano. Inspiration is the easy part – moving the piano into place is considerably more work. 

Not only is it risky for your piano, but can be dangerous for you as well. You’ll want to hire a professional piano moving company if you are going between tight spaces or moving it to another floor in your home. But if your location is only a few feet away, we have some advice for your more.What’s The Easiest And Safest Way To Move Your Piano?

Prepare the path

The very first step is to determine the final resting spot for your piano. Make sure you have a clear path with nothing to block the path from beginning to end. If it has a lid, close it. This is especially important to ensure your fingertips aren’t injured in the move. 

Make sure there aren’t any rugs that can get in the way, pieces of furniture that can bump or block your path, or cords that can cause tripping hazards. Measure every crucial detail, including doorways and spaces you’ll have to travel through. 

In some cases, grand pianos can be easier to move as they often have wheels to get it to where you desire. While wood flooring can be easy, be especially careful on carpets, where the wheels can stick and be difficult to budge. It may be simpler to remove the legs rather than put them at risk for damage. Upright pianos may be easier to handle, but they can be top heavy and more prone to falling sideways. 

Gather your tools

Pianos are the bulkiest, heaviest pieces of furniture in your home. This is especially true with pianos that do not have wheels. A dolly can help make the move easier. You’ll need several people on all sides of the piano as it travels from place to place. 

Depending on how complicated your move is, you may also wish to invest in moving pads and straps. Be sure to strap down the lid to prevent it from being damaged, or from hurting you during the moving process. Blankets and pads will protect your walls from being scuffed and your piano from having exterior damage. 

It’s better to be over prepared and have too many tools on hand rather than putting your piano or your health at risk. 

And if it’s something you can’t handle, give us a call. 

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With:
19 March 2017 Moving Tips To Prevent Piano Damage

Moving Tips To Prevent Piano Damage

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If you hire a general moving company to move your personal belongings to your new home, they’ll often recommend hiring a specialty company to move a piano. Why?

Pianos can weigh anywhere from 400 to 1,500 pounds or more. Not only are they bulky and heavy, but they are also very fragile pieces of furniture. One wrong move and you could lose your piano forever.Moving Tips To Prevent Piano Damage

Piano moving companies won’t attempt to move your piano with just manpower. Instead, piano moving companies use special tools to get the job done. Skids, ramps, pads and slings all make the process a little easier.

Smaller pianos generally are transported in one piece. Concert and grand pianos are usually dismantled before moving.

An experienced piano mover will wrap the instrument in moving pads and secure it to a piano board before it is every lifted from its resting point. Then the piano board is used to slowly move the piano up or down the stairs.

In some circumstances, a crane may be used to hoist a piano from a higher floor level if there isn’t an elevator in place that can handle the piano. Then they will use dollies to transport it on level ground, using ramps to move the piano onto the truck.

A piano company doesn’t just move your piano, they dismantle it at the beginning, and they also reassemble your piano in your new location.

Spend a few minutes in your new location considering your piano’s final placement. Humidity and temperature affect the sound, tuning and performance of your piano. Try to find a place that is less prone to moisture, sun or extreme temperatures. Stay away from drafts or vents where airflow can have an impact.

After the move, wait a few days before tuning. By that time, the piano should have settled into its new spot, and hold the tune as you begin playing in your new location.

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14 August 2016 Hire A Mover Or Move A Piano Yourself

Hire A Mover Or Move A Piano Yourself

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Are you the proud owner of a grand piano? Does it have an honored place in your living room? You’re not alone. Many piano owners find that their grand pianos take center stage.Hire A Mover Or Move A Piano Yourself

Pianos are relatively easy to care for. Frequent tuning, regular cleaning, an occasional repair, and your piano will give you decades of enjoyment. But what about when you move?

Pianos are notoriously difficult to move. We’ve all seen movies and cartoons where something goes wrong, and the grand piano falls from great heights, smashing to smithereens. In reality, it’s not a laughing matter.

Can you move it on your own? Can you get a few friends together and push and pull, tug and shove it from one location to another?

Or should you trust it to movers who have experience with the task? Someone who understands the nuances of moving a piano, has the proper tools for the job, and can ensure safety from beginning to end?

Moving a piano is no easy task. It requires training, a lot of muscle, and teamwork from beginning to end. Before you even begin, there are many questions to answer. How will you get it through doorways? How will you move it up and down stairs? How will you get it into the truck? Each step of the way is a moment of opportunity for something to go wrong. That’s where training and experience come into play.

To do it yourself takes a truck, a few friends, and lady luck being on your side for the day. Drop it, bang it, drag it and you can cause thousands of dollars of damage. Pull it the wrong way and you (or your friend) could wind up with a trip to the emergency room.

Professional movers wrap your piano for full protection. They use specialized equipment made for the job. They take precautions to avoid damaging yourself and the piano. They take full responsibility and have relevant insurance to ensure if something does go wrong, you’ll be covered.

To get a clear picture of all that is involved in the process, contact us today.

Filed Under: Piano Moving Tagged With:
17 October 2015 An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

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Think moving a piano is as easy as moving a big piece of furniture? Think again.

A piano not only is big and bulky, it also has special needs and requirements. Handle the move incorrectly and you could be paying dearly for the mistake through lots of repair and restoration to bring your piano back up to working condition.An Experts Advice On How To Move A Piano

All pianos have one thing going for them that makes them awkward to move – uneven weight. Upright pianos are extremely top heavy while balancing on tiny, delicate legs. Grand pianos not only have a lot of bulk and weight, their size makes them anything but easy to handle.

And while the outside of a piano alone can give you problems when moving, it’s the inside that is also of concern. Scratches to the outside finish can be devastating to a vintage or antique piano, but damage to the inside can amount in thousands of dollars in repair bills bringing it back into playing condition.

To move it properly, you need two things in place:

  • A properly prepared moving crew
  • A properly prepared piano

A properly prepared moving crew is not your average moving team. It takes more than two people to move a piano. The more difficult the move, the more people you’ll need on the team. It takes work getting a grand piano from place to place, especially if there are sharp corners and large flights of stairs.

A professional piano moving team knows how to use proper tools to significantly reduce the risk of injury. They use dollies along flat surfaces. They use helpers to guide them through difficult passages. They may even use cranes if the situation warrants the need.

And every professional piano mover knows that long before they lift the piano, the preparation will determine how successful the move will be.

Never move a piano on it’s metal casters or put undo weight on its delicate legs. Legs are used more for decoration and for support, not for heavy movement. If at all possible, the casters and legs will be removed and packed before the move, reassembled once its in its final resting spot.

For a grand piano, the lid should be closed and locked. Then the piano should be thoroughly wrapped and protected before movement is made.

Moving a piano is difficult in the best of situations, but if you’re combining it with a house move as well, there are extra things to keep in mind.

Because your piano movers are scheduled at a certain time, make sure it coincides with a good time with the rest of your moving crew. A piano can’t be shuffled around large pieces of furniture or stacks of filled boxes. Design the track used for moving a piano in and out of your homes and keep the pathway clear for the move. A clear path will give you every advantage of having a smooth transition from place to place.

When your piano is in place, give it time to acclimate to its new conditions. Then with tuning, your piano will be back and ready to play once again.

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25 July 2015 When Moving A Piano Does It Need To Rest Before It Is Tuned?

When Moving A Piano Does It Need To Rest Before It Is Tuned?

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When a piano is moved, it can go out of tune due to a number of factors:

  • Humidity levels may change
  • Temperature levels may change
  • Bumps and bangs can knock it out of tune

It also depends on the length and distance of the move. Are you moving it from the living room to the family room? Are you moving it 10 minutes away? Or will it be moved half way across the country?When Moving A Piano Does It Need To Rest Before It Is Tuned?

Longer moves will typically provide more opportunity for a piano to expand and contract based on the different environments it resides in. Yet even a slight movement can sometimes have a big impact.

Where is a piano coming from, and where will it be moved to? Some pianos are well taken care of, tuned every four months, and being moved from your old home to your new home. Other pianos may have been stored in a basement for years without tuning, and moved into a home for a young child to begin lessons. Big difference in the care it had before the move; big difference in the approach to take to bring it back in tune.

If a piano is on a regular maintenance schedule, it’s probably okay to keep to that schedule and your piano will continue operating at peak condition.

If a piano has been sitting in storage for years without maintenance, the first tuning may not have full effect. In order to bring it into tune, it may take several attempts, which means working on it from the moment you move it will start the process.

If a piano is coming from a desert community and will be placed in our more humid climate here in Memphis, it may take a few days of adjustment to settle in to its new environment. Give your piano time to adjust to its new surroundings, then schedule a piano tuning session to perfect its pitch.

If a move is in your future, start by talking with a professional mover first. They can help walk you through the process, and provide you with the best advice for maintaining the sound quality of your piano.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With: ,
14 July 2015 5 Biggest Challenges To Avoid When Moving A Piano

5 Biggest Challenges To Avoid When Moving A Piano

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Moving even under the best of circumstances is stressful at best. But when you add in oversized items that have special meaning, the stress can increase tenfold.

Proper planning is the starting point for a successful move, followed by having access to the correct resources for the job. Many times problems can be avoided simply by relying on resources that have experience doing the task at hand. A general mover has experience in moving standard items – boxes and furniture. When you throw in out of the ordinary items – like a piano – the struggle begins.5 Biggest Challenges To Avoid When Moving A Piano

Packing and Unpacking

When a mover comes into your home, they have experience in moving everyday items. They bring the right box for your dishes, for example, and understand that by wrapping each in bubble wrap, and tightly fitting them together in the box, they will most likely make the move in perfect condition. The same does not apply with out of the ordinary things. A grand piano cannot fit in a box, and bubble wrap will have little effect. A proper piano mover has access to the right equipment and the right protection to make sure your piano is moved safely from location to location.

What if it breaks?

A grand piano can be worth thousands of dollars. A grand piano may have sentimental value, or have been in the possession of one of the greatest piano players of our time, making its value priceless. Regular movers don’t understand that as they are trying to “heave-ho” it through a small doorway. And in many cases, they won’t offer full value when mistakes are made and your piano is damaged. Regular movers may say they “cover” and insure whatever is on their list to move, yet you may think twice about the likelihood of your prized possession actually making it to its final destination in one piece.

Safety

Imagine two guys lifting a grand piano onto its side and trying to wedge it around a corner, down the stairs, and through tight doorways. That’s a lot of stress on a piano. It’s even more stress on the bodies of the people moving the piano. Moving is a high risk job, with injury potential at every turn. And when you add in out of the ordinary items, risk and injury is almost guaranteed … unless you have the skills and the tools necessary to do the job the right way.

Moving day

When moving day arrives, the day stretches on and most often takes far more time than anticipated. Now add in additional time for moving a large, bulky piano. What if it gets wedged in around a staircase? What if it simply won’t go down? A move can increase from a day to several days if you don’t have the proper resources in place. And calling in an expert with emergency expectations is always far more stressful than having it planned from the beginning.

Storage

What if you are moving into a rental until your new house is complete? What if you downsize into a home and your piano simply doesn’t fit? Where will you store your piano until further accommodations can be made? A general mover may recommend a storage unit out by a warehouse. A piano mover can guide you to proper placement to keep your piano in the safest conditions until decisions can be made.

Generalists are rarely the answer when doing out of the ordinary things. If you are planning a move in your future, start by calling an experienced piano mover first, and reduce your stress immediately by having one less thing to worry about on moving day.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With: ,
24 June 2015 Why Hire A Piano Mover?

Why Hire A Piano Mover?

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I was visiting a friend over the weekend, and took notice of the neighbor’s moving out of their home. They had hired a moving company to help with the furniture. Two men quickly went back and forth between the home and the truck, loading up the belongings.Why Hire A Piano Mover?

After a short while, they exited the home with a large upright piano between them. Huffing and puffing, they pulled, pushed, wiggled and shoved this poor instrument until it made its way out of the door. Needing a rest, they leaned it up on end, balancing it on its weakest, most fragile legs. And from there, they banged and bumped it down a flight of stairs, rocking it as they made their way down to the ground level and out to the truck. Then not so carefully, they wedged it between a dresser and a table, and threw a blanket over the top. On to the next piece of furniture.

Unfortunately, that is a common scenario.

Pianos – both uprights and grand – are not furniture. And moving like it is just another piece of furniture can have its costs.

  • Imagine breaking a leg off the front.
  • Imagine breaking a pedal.
  • Imagine a heavy dresser or table smashing and breaking through the frame.

Your valuable instrument can have extensive damage in a matter of moments.

Piano uprights can be moved intact. Grand and concert pianos must be carefully dismantled and moved in pieces. These parts must be wrapped in special blankets, with a board fastened around it with straps.

Once a piano is secured, only then should it be moved from its location to the truck. A piano moving company will have a special dolly to help move it across surfaces. Great control is needed as a piano is moved down stairs and through tight corners and doorways. A professional piano mover also understands that it is sometimes easier to hoist a piano rather than move it up or down stairs.

A piano is a refined instrument that is highly sensitive to moisture, heat and cold. Imagine what happens to a piano that spends several day in below zero weather during transport. Or a piano traveling across desert climates in the middle of July. Without a properly equipped truck to handle varying levels of temperatures and humidity levels, a piano can quickly be damaged from the inside out. It’s not just the bumps and bruises that have impact.

While movers are invaluable for getting you into your new home, rely on them for your furniture, and rely on professional piano movers for your piano. You won’t be disappointed.

Filed Under: Owning a Piano, Piano Moving Tagged With: ,
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