Updated Jan 10, 2023
Updated Jan 10, 2023
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If you’ve ever moved in the past, you already know that getting into your new home involves much more than just throwing your things into boxes and driving to the property. Depending on the size of your home, you could spend up to a week just packing up your household goods. Any large or bulky items that you’re moving with you increase the complexity of your move. This is especially true when you’re moving a piano, as these classic instruments require careful packing and loading in order to arrive at your home safely.
Thinking about moving your piano along with you when you head to your new property? Don’t take on this monumental task on your own. Trusting professional piano movers doesn’t only help you rest with the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing that amateurs won’t be lifting your expensive instrument — it can also help prevent serious injury. But with so many piano moving companies operating across the country, which one should you trust with your instrument? We’ve created a list of the best piano moving companies to help you choose how to move this tricky item.
Our top recommended piano moving companies for 2023:
Company | Website | Our Take | Our Rating | BBB Rating | Cost |
International Van Lines | Click here | Best Full-Service Mover | 9.8 | B | $600 to $4,900 |
Allied Van Lines | Click here | Most Vehicle Shipping Options | 9.4 | A+ | $750 to $4,500 |
American Van Lines | Click here | Most Transparent Pricing | 9.7 | N/A | $500 to $5,300 |
Moving APT | Click here | Most Moving Partners | 9.6 | B | $2,500 to $4,800 |
JK Moving Services | Click here | Most Customizable Moving Experience | 9.5 | A+ | $2,500 to $5,500 |
North American Van Lines | Click here | Best Pricing Options | 9.2 | A+ | $750 to $4,500 |
International Van Lines is one of the biggest names in long-distance moving for both residential and commercial moves. They can move you to every state in the country as well as to 150 different countries. If you require help moving your baby grand piano or upright piano, they have the experience and know-how to accomplish that move for you.
IVL has qualified movers who can disassemble and reassemble your piano, all while making the moving process as smooth and problem-free as possible. You can get a free quote without even doing an in-person walkthrough with a representative. International Van Lines has developed software called MoveOne so that you can do a virtual walkthrough of your home and get a quote, all through your phone. This mix of professionalism and convenience makes International Van Lines a top choice for piano movers.
Pros
Cons
As a full-service moving company, you have access to a wide selection of convenient services to make your move easier. You can currently book the following add-ons and specialty moving processes through the team at International Van Lines.
Moving companies like International Van Lines price your move based on two major factors: the distance you’re traveling and the size of the home that you need to move. Estimate what you might pay for your move with International Van Lines using the table of customer pricing below.
<250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
Two-bedroom home | $1,400 to $4,400 | $1,900 to $4,900 | $2,100 to $5,100 | $2,400 to $5,400 |
Four-bedroom home | $3,200 to $6,200 | $5,100 to $8,100 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $6,200 to $9,200 |
State Availability: All 50 states
Get a quote from IVL here.
American Van Lines has some of the best piano movers in the moving industry. No matter the type of piano you have, American Van Lines’ professional piano movers are trained to move your beautiful instrument safely and efficiently. They pride themselves on their expertise in the disassembly of all types of pianos, packing up each component securely and then reassembling your piano at your new home with each and every piece back where it belongs, leaving your piano ready to adjust to its new environment. American Van Lines has binding estimates and doesn’t charge any extra for last-minute moves, so if you’re moving anywhere in the lower 48 states, American Van Lines is an excellent option for a piano moving company thanks to their employee training, which requires specialized instruction on piano moving.
Pros
Cons
You can currently book the following add-ons and specialty moving processes through the team at American Van Lines.
Estimate what you might pay for your move with American Van Lines using the table of customer pricing below.
<250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
Two-bedroom home | $1,700 to $4,700 | $2,300 to $5,300 | $2,600 to $5,600 | $4,200 to $7,200 |
Four-bedroom home | $4,800 to $7,800 | $5,600 to $8,600 | $7,400 to $10,400 | $10,800 to $13,800 |
State Availability: 48 States
Get a quote from American Van Lines here.
Moving APT is a moving broker that can connect you with the most affordable piano movers in your area. If you’re moving locally, cross country, or between states, Moving APT can use its extensive network of moving companies and specialty service providers to find you the perfect company or combination of companies to fit your needs.
Connecting with Moving APT and booking your unique moving processes is easy. You simply tell Moving APT what your moving date is, your origin and destination, the services you’re looking for, and your budget. They have 2,500 partners all over the country, and within those partners, they can help connect you with companies who do professional piano moving, crating, and even piano storage. Moving APT even offers binding estimates and a price matching policy to help you save as much as possible on your piano move.
Pros
Cons
Some of the most popular services booked through Moving APT’s brokerage operation include the following.
Remember that Moving APT is not a moving company itself — it operates as a moving broker, which means that it partners you with local moving teams that have the resources you need. This means that the specific add-ons and services you’ll have access to may vary depending on your location.
Moving APT does not currently offer online pricing estimates because it takes a personal approach to creating the perfect moving package for each of its customers. As a general idea of pricing, homeowners who are moving a four-bedroom home a total distance of 1,000 miles can usually expect to pay around $7,800 for their moving services. Don’t forget to click on the link below to get your free, no-obligation quote from Moving APT.
State Availability: All 50 States
Get a quote from Moving APT here.
JK Moving Services is a moving service company well-known for its great customer service and highly customizable moving plans, as well as its customization options. Each and every member of staff is drug-tested and background-checked, and they are all annually trained in new methods and developments in the moving industry. You’re even assigned a personal moving coordinator when you begin planning the moving process. These policies allow you to rest with the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing that your move will be handled only by trained professionals.
JK Moving Services offers full-service moves, fragile-only moves, and even help with DIY moves; they also offer piano moving services. They take great care with your valuable and heavy items, and they offer storage solutions should you need them, complete with video surveillance. When you download JK Moving Services’ mobile app, you can even track your moves in real-time.
Pros
Cons
JK Moving Services is best known for its diverse range of add-on services and specialized moving packages. You can currently book the following add-ons and specialty moving processes through the team at JK Moving Services.
Like Moving APT, JK Moving Services takes a more personal approach to pricing than most moving companies. In order to get your estimate, you’ll need to request a free custom quote using the link below. As a general idea of pricing, homeowners who are moving a two-bedroom property a total distance of 500 miles can usually expect to pay between $2,500 and $5,500 for their moving services.
State Availability: All lower-48 states.
Get a quote from JK Moving Services here.
Allied Van Lines is a full-service moving company with a long list of services they provide for your move, including packing services, fragile-only packing, debris removal, custom crating, vehicle shipping, and even a moving container service, among many other things. With almost 90 years of experience, Allied Van Lines is a trusted name in the moving industry, providing quality services you can count on.
Allied’s team has the tools and expertise to disassemble your concert grand piano or spinet and safely pack it away so that it arrives at its destination without incident. If all you need to move is the piano, you can use Allied Express, the moving container service Allied has come up with to facilitate smaller-scale moves. Allied professionals will still load, transport, and unload your piano, so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting. This can be an affordable option for anyone moving a smaller piano or a large keyboard.
Pros
Cons
You can currently book the following add-ons and specialty moving processes through the team at Allied Van Lines.
Estimate what you might pay for your move with Allied Van Lines using the table of customer pricing below.
<250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
Two-bedroom home | $1,800 to $4,500 | $2,400 to $5,400 | $2,700 to $5,700 | $4,400 to $7,400 |
Four-bedroom home | $3,300 to $6,000 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $7,500 to $10,500 | $10,900 to $13,000 |
State Availability: All 50 states
Get a quote from Allied Van Lines here.
North American Van Lines has made a name for itself in the moving industry over a 90-year career. They were the first moving company to traverse the Alaska Highway, and they’ve even developed their own driver simulator so that drivers can be prepared for any type of road condition. North American has predictable pricing so that when you sign up for a moving plan and the services you need, you won’t have any surprises when the bill is due.
For most moving plans, North American does a thorough inventory of all of your items and labels each box carefully so that unloading and unpacking is a breeze. Because they do fragile-only packing, disassembly, and reassembly, you can count on North American Van Lines to make your piano moving experience a smooth one. North American can also be a top choice for customized pricing, as the mover offers quote choices like single-item billing and not to exceed pricing.
Pros
Cons
You can currently book the following add-ons and specialty moving processes through the team at North American Van Lines.
Estimate what you might pay for your move with North American Van Lines using the table of customer pricing below.
<250 miles | 500 miles | 1,000 miles | 2,000 miles | |
Two-bedroom home | $1,800 to $4,500 | $2,400 to $5,400 | $2,700 to $5,700 | $4,400 to $7,400 |
Four-bedroom home | $3,300 to $6,000 | $5,700 to $8,700 | $7,500 to $10,500 | $10,900 to $13,000 |
State Availability: All 50 States
Get a quote from North American Van Lines here.
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When you’re looking to hire a company for piano moving services, it’s always best to see what is included in the piano move. Piano movers will reassemble your piano after arrival at its destination, but will they tune it, or do you have to hire piano tuners for that? That is just an example of some things to look for when making your choice. You’ll also want to consider the following before you choose the company you want to work with.
The costs that come along with piano moving aren’t very different from typical moving services. Distance, weight, and level of expertise all contribute to the cost of moving your piano. The following factors will also come into play when your moving company prices your piano move.
Moving a piano can be an extensive and expensive endeavor — especially if you own a fragile or exceptionally valuable instrument. One area where you don’t want to skimp when planning a move is your piano movers. While you can do things like pack your home and book storage services on your own, attempting to move a piano by yourself can be hazardous to both you and the instrument. The best way to lower the cost you’ll pay for piano moving is to explore all of your options by getting a free quote from each of the service providers listed above.
For a grand piano, the movers first remove the legs and then move it onto its side. They then cover the piano’s surface with moving blankets and tape them to each other to secure them, carefully avoiding the finishing on the piano. They also remove the pedals and any other protruding parts so that they don’t get bumped and jostled during the process.
For upright pianos, the movers may remove the pedals, or they may simply tape them up like they do with grand pianos. The entire upright piano will be taped up with moving blankets around it like the grand piano, but the movers will likely use a piano board to move the upright piano all in one piece into the moving vehicle. Once inside the moving vehicle, all pianos will be secured so that they don’t slide or tip over during transport.
The short answer is yes, but it’s not recommended. Unless you have experience moving pianos, it’s best to leave it to the professionals. If you do decide to undertake a DIY piano move, you will need at least one other helper and a piano board or dolly to aid in moving the piano into a moving vehicle.
Absolutely not. Due to changes in the air conditions and humidity in a new place, it’s best to leave your piano alone for about two weeks after it’s reassembled and in place. You can then hire a tuner after the strings have had time to settle and adjust, and then you can resume playing your piano.
“CPM” stands for “Certified Piano Mover.” These are movers who have taken an online course with the Piano Technician Academy and have passed the course with a score of at least 80%.
The average moving cost of an upright piano in the United States is between $300 and $400. This means that if you’re moving a baby grand or grand piano, your process will likely cost a few hundred dollars more.
At House Method, our primary goals are to be a reliable source of information and to be totally transparent to our readers. With that in mind, we’ve developed the following formula to render objective ratings – on a scale of 10 points – for the moving companies we review.
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