Moving can be a very worrying time in a person's life, especially if he or she has not hired suitable help to move their furniture. Piano moves can be particularly stressful, because the mover needs to have special knowledge and skills to safely move the piano.
Why do I need to hire a professional piano mover?
Many of you may be wondering why you would need to hire a professional piano moving company to move your piano, relatively than using the household mover who is moving the rest of the contents of your house. The main reason for hiring a professional piano mover is that many family movers do not have sufficient training or tools to properly move a piano.
The average upright piano weighs between 400 and 900 pounds. Grand pianos can weigh between 650 and 1300 pounds. The value of a piano can differ from a few hundred dollars to 500,000 dollars depending on the make, model, age and condition of the piano.
The majority of piano moves involve moving the instrument through a tight space such as a small door frame or staircase. In some cases, the piano may need to be dismantled in order to get it out of your house. Using and experienced professional piano mover will radically minimize the risk of damage to the instrument and to your home.
How are pianos moved?
When you hire a professional piano mover, you can imagine 2-3 people to come to your home equipped with piano skids, moving pads, ramps, slings, and the knowledge of how to move your piano carefully. They will use special techniques to maneuver the piano out of your house. When the piano is put on the truck, it will be safely protected to the vehicle in order to avoid damage during transport. In the most difficult moves, 4-6 people may be used.
usually when a piano is moved by someone other than a professional piano mover, this equipment, knowledge and these safety defense are not employed. While hiring a professional piano mover does not completely reduce the risk of damage, it will drastically reduce this risk. Furthermore, a good piano mover will assess the situation and inform you if there is a chance of damage before he or she begins the move, and will give you the choice of proceeding or not.
Are all professional piano movers equal?
Unfortunately, as in any trade, each piano moving company varies in their level of excellence and experience. Some piano movers are better equipped and more prepared than others and act with more care and honesty than others. The best way to find a good piano mover is to call around to your local piano stores, piano technicians and piano teachers to find out which company they use. Piano stores in particular have a high stake in ensuring that they use reliable, high quality piano movers who have the least risk of harmful their instruments and are properly insured in the event that the unforeseen does happen.
Are all piano movers similarly insured?
Sadly, the answer to this query is no.
There are 3 types of insurance to consider when hiring a piano mover:
1. Commercial/automotive insurance: Is the company insured against harm to property and or vehicles?
2. Cartage/content insurance: Is the company insured against damage to the piano?
3. Workman's protection Insurance: Is the company insuring its workers against injury?
Why is worker injury important to me?
You may be wondering why it is significant that you make sure that the piano mover you hire has Workman's Safety Insurance. When you contract a moving company, they are considered your employee for the time that they are working for you. If you hire a moving company that is not enclosed for Workman's Safety Insurance, you are accepting full liability for any employees who are injured while working for you.
Your liability will extend to medical bills, lost wages and possibly civil law suits. A company who is covered for Workman's Safety Insurance will take care of most of these problems for you. Some companies do not pay their necessary insurance premiums and are therefore not covered for all injury insurance claims.
You may ask the company that you are hiring to provide you with an up-to-date workman's safety insurance clearance certificate, in order to ensure that you are properly covered. To be completely sure that the moving company's coverage is up to date, you can contact your local Workman's Compensation or Workman's Safety Insurance board to check on the company's status.
Does moving the piano affect the sound of my piano?
The real move of the piano does not affect the sound or tuning of a piano. Generally piano tuning is exaggerated by changes in temperature and humidity which cause the wooden and steel parts of your piano to expand and contract.
You will maybe need to tune your piano a few weeks after moving it, after it acclimatizes to its new location. Other factors that may affect the sound of your piano are the size and acoustics of the room in which the piano is located. Carpet absorbs sound, while hardwood reflects it. Sound reinforces in small spaces, seeming louder, while in large spaces the sound gets lost, seeming quieter.
How much does it cost to move a piano?
Piano moving is generally billed in one of two ways:
1. The family mover way - hourly rate, with a minimum number of hours (usually min. = 3 hours)
2. The professional piano mover way - flat charge based on the following factors:
a. Type (upright, grand) and size of piano
b. Distance being moved
c. Difficulty level due to stairs, grass pulls, tight turns etc.
d. Time restraints place on the move
e. Waiting time that might be incurred.
The advantage of a flat rate system is that, barring any unexpected events, you be able to get an accurate idea of what the move will cost you before the movers arrive at your house and it is often less expensive than the hourly rate.
How much notice do I need to give the Piano Mover?
The quantity of notice needed will depend on when and where you need the piano to be moved. Most piano movers book their deliveries on a first come, first served basis. If it is a high transfer time of year, you may need up to one month's notice. In a lower traffic time of year, you may only need one or two day' notice. Normally, if you need your piano moved on a specific day, you should book the delivery well in advance to make sure it's available to you.
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