Why You Should Hire Help When Moving Your Piano
If you have to move a piano to a new location, you may be wondering to make this move safely and securely. Even if you find your biggest, strongest friends to lend a hand, are they going to be as careful with your piano as they should? It is a delicate item for sure, and there is the chance they will do more harm than good.
When you aren’t sure what to do, leave it to the experts. While it might cost a bit extra, it’s worth it for the insurance alone. Is your friend going to pay for damages after he drops it down the front steps? Probably not. Even worse – what if that good friend of yours injures himself while hefting your piano into the moving truck, or even yourself? Yikes!
Here are a few things to consider before trying moving a piano on your own, which can lead to a broken piano (or broken friend!).
Value
Some pianos can be worth close to a half million dollars, others are only worth a few hundred dollars. If your piano falls into the pricier category, stop reading this and call Exodus Moving and Storage! Pianos that are worth a lot of money are hard to move and harder to replace – it’s worth the cost of professional movers.
Design
Is your piano sleek and plain, or is is intricately embellished with fancy legs and engravings? Is the finish delicate, or durable? These are important questions. Those fancy legs might need to be removed, and the piano with the delicate finish should be properly protected to guard against scratches and dings. A professional is going to take these precautions without requiring hours of research on the Internet, something you’ll likely have to do if you move it on your own (and you could wind up with the wrong information).
You also need to plan out the space that you’re moving in or out of. Think about this carefully to ensure the piano fits through the entryways you plan on taking it through. Measuring all the dimensions of the piano and doorways is crucial to a successful move. Don’t forget to factor in any sets of stairs and their associated elevation.
Safety
It doesn’t matter if it’s a grand piano or a baby grand piano – pianos are heavy instruments! If you’ve ever tried to lift a piano, you probably noticed how incredibly top-heavy they are. So moving the piano requires attention to detail in order to keep those moving the giant instrument are safe. However, you also need to watch out for the legs of the piano as well. Too much stress or strain on a leg, and it spells disaster!
If there are stairs involved at any point, you’re better off calling full service moving companies to do the heavy lifting. Do you really trust yourself to lift that beast of an instrument up a set of stairs, no matter how small? Remember that it’s bulky as well, which means it’s going to be up in the air longer than a smaller piece of furniture would be while you manipulate it around corners or through doorways.
Floor Care
Is the piano on casters? You need to make sure they aren’t locked into place to protect against accidental gouges. Once the piano is in place in the new room, employ the use of caster cups to protect the floor, wood or carpeted area.
Whatever you do, don’t rely on casters to move the piano throughout a house. These teeny metal wheels can scratch the floor, and, even worse, can cause the actual leg to break. To use the casters properly, lift up a bit on the piano before rolling it into position.
Take Great Care
You must ensure that your piano is jostled as little as possible. This means taking it easy while it is en route and while carrying it. If you are to drop the piano, it may never play again.
Wrapping the piano is a great way to guard against dings and scratches when you’re moving it, especially when carrying it up any number of stairs. Also, when in transit, never place a piano on its legs, which can result in broken legs.
The Right Tool For The Job
If you’re thinking of doing it alone, there is a special piano dolly that will certainly come in handy. Just place the piano on its side on top of the four-wheeled dolly, and push it where you want it to go. This is probably the very best way to move a piano from one place to another.
The Verdict
Moving a piano is tough work. So tough, in fact, you might find yourself saying, “I wish I had hired professional movers for this piano!” If you’ve assessed your situation and feel that it would be safe to move it yourself, go for it. Take all necessary safety precautions and protections, and take your time to make sure nothing bad happens.
If you find yourself cringing thinking about moving the piano yourself, there is no harm in contacting a professional moving company. This is especially true if your piano is worth thousands of dollars. It will cost you far less to hire a moving company than it will to replace or repair a damaged piano!
