A piano is usually the heaviest, best-loved and most awkward thing in the house. Get the move wrong and you can wreck the instrument, the staircase and your back in one afternoon. Here's how to move a piano safely, what it costs in London, and when to hand the job to a specialist crew.
What Makes a Piano So Hard to Move
Start with the weight. A modern upright weighs somewhere between 180kg and 270kg. A baby grand sits around 250kg, and a full concert grand can pass 450kg. For comparison, the Health and Safety Executive's manual handling guidance works from a guideline figure of about 25kg per person for lifting at waist height. Four people carrying an upright are each well past double that, on a load with nowhere sensible to grip.
Weight is only half the problem. Most of an upright's mass sits in the cast-iron frame at the back, so the instrument is top-heavy and wants to tip towards you. Those little castors underneath are mostly decorative too. Roll a piano any distance on them and they'll dent timber floors or snap off mid-push.
Treat a piano as a specialist load, not a big bit of furniture.
Can You Move a Piano Yourself?
Sometimes, and only just. Shuffling an upright a few metres across a flat, level floor is possible with three fit adults and furniture sliders. Moving one between properties is a different job altogether. You'd need a piano skate (a padded board on wheels that the piano straps onto), proper lifting straps, a tail-lift van and a measured route with no surprises.
The failure list is depressingly predictable. Backs go. Banisters and plasterwork get gouged. Fingers end up underneath. Worst of all, a dropped piano is usually beyond economic repair because the frame cracks, and no tuner can fix that.
If your route involves stairs, steep steps or a doorway with millimetres to spare, don't chance it. Is saving a couple of hundred pounds worth gambling an instrument worth thousands?
How a Professional Piano Move Works
Preparation does the heavy lifting. A good mover starts with questions: which model, which floor, how many stairs, where can the van stop? For trickier jobs we'll do a free video survey rather than guess. On the day, a two to four person crew wraps the piano in thick blankets and stretch film, straps it to a skate and keeps it upright wherever possible.
Grands get partly dismantled. The legs, pedals and music stand come off, then the body travels on its side on a padded piano board. At the van, a ramp or tail-lift takes the strain, and the piano rides strapped against the side wall so nothing shifts in transit. Our piano and specialist items crews do this every week, with goods-in-transit cover and £5m public liability behind every move.
Whoever you book, check their insurance and experience first. Membership of the British Association of Removers is a good sign that a firm works to a proper standard.
Stairs, Basements and Tight London Hallways
London homes don't make it easy. A Victorian terrace often has a winder staircase that turns twice before the first floor. Basement flats add steep external steps with low head height. Plenty of ex-council blocks have lifts, but many are too small for an upright, which means a stairwell carry instead.
Measure before you book. Note the narrowest point of the route, the height of each doorway and any turn tighter than a right angle, then send those numbers with your quote request. The crew arrives with a plan instead of working one out on your doorstep. It's the same approach our flat removals teams use in no-lift buildings every day.
Parking matters as well. A suspended bay or a van right outside can save a fifty-metre carry with a quarter-tonne instrument. We sort permits and the congestion charge as part of the job, so none of that lands on you.
What It Costs to Move a Piano in London
Less than a new piano, and far less than a dropped one. As a rough guide, moving an upright between ground-floor properties across London tends to start at around £150 to £250. Stairs add to the price because they add crew and time. A grand usually runs from £300 to £600 or more, depending on size, access and distance.
Every piano job is different, which is why guessing from a price list is risky. Tell us the model, the floors at both ends and the parking situation, and you'll get a fixed figure before you book. The price we agree is the price you pay, with no extra charges for stairs, mileage or wrapping on the day.
After the Move: Settling In and Tuning
Don't book the tuner straight away. Pianos react to changes in temperature and humidity, and a new room is a new climate. Give the instrument two to three weeks to settle before its first tuning, then expect a second tune within the year as it adjusts fully.
Where you put it matters too. Keep the piano away from radiators, direct sunlight and damp external walls, all of which push the soundboard out of shape over time. If there's a gap between homes, or the new music room is mid-renovation, clean and dry secure storage keeps the instrument stable until you're ready for it.
Piano Moving Questions, Answered
Can a man and van move a piano?
For a small upright on the ground floor with easy access, sometimes. A standard man and van booking isn't kitted out for stairs or grands though. Tell us it's a piano when you book and we'll send the right crew and equipment instead.
Does a piano need tuning after a move?
Almost always, yes. The move itself rarely knocks a piano out of tune; the change in temperature and humidity in its new room does. Wait two to three weeks after moving day, then book a tuner once the instrument has settled.
Can you move a piano along with the rest of the house?
Yes. Pianos travel as part of full house removals all the time. The instrument goes on the same van with its own wrapping, skate and strapping, and your quote covers everything in one fixed price.
How far in advance should I book a piano move?
A week or two is comfortable for most piano moves in London. Tricky access or long distances need a little longer to plan, so get your quote in early. We work 7 days a week, so weekend slots are there if you need them.
A piano deserves better than crossed fingers and a borrowed trolley. Tell us what you've got, where it's going and what the stairs look like, and we'll come back with a free fixed quote, usually within the hour. Call 020 4525 2039 or request your quote today, and your piano arrives ready to play.