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PIANO MOVING, PIANO MOVING TIPS

Strike any key on a piano and you’ll get an inimitable, resonant sound. Try to move the piano though and you’ll probably get an inimitable headache. They may make beautiful music, but pianos are heavy (even light pianos weight around 300 lbs.), they’re large and awkwardly shaped. If you happen to drop one while you’re moving it, a replacement will cost you thousands. Packing up a piano correctly and making the effort to move it safely can add a lot of time (and a few torn ligaments) to a residential move.

If at all possible, you should hire a professional piano mover to handle the job. Piano movers are moving companies that specialize in getting these unwieldy instruments from point A to point B. Some garden variety residential movers have the experience and tools necessary to safely move your piano. However, if you’re serious about moving your piano right, it’s best to go with a professional piano mover; these are the companies that move pianos between factories and showrooms.

Regardless of who you pick to handle the job, the most important part of moving a piano is packing it. In a nutshell, this means wrapping the piano in a series of blankets and pads so that the surface of the piano isn’t scuffed or gouged (refinishing a piano can be almost as expensive as replacing it). In many cases, a piano’s delicate, internal moving parts will need to be secured as well. Making sure the piano is moved in a way that avoids damaging bumps and scrapes is a piano mover’s second most important task. Any professional piano mover worth their salt will have special tools for the job: like a piano dolly, a heavy duty handcart that can support a piano’s weight and a piano board, a small, indoor bodyboard that can ease big loads down stairs with minimum turbulence.

All this, though, is just the tip of iceberg. Unfortunately, even if you’re feeling like trading in your baby grand for a Kawasaki keyboard, there’s no backing out of it now: you’d still have to get it out of the house. To move your piano as simply and easily as you play it, check out the following tips:

Either Way:

Make sure the place you’re moving too can even fit a piano. What would happen if you moved your piano to your new house and it didn’t fit in any corner of any room? So to reduce a possible migraine, check the measurements of your piano and cross reference them with the measurements of the room you plan to have your piano in.
Make sure your piano is accessible from all sides. Have you ever tried to move a piano before? If you have, then you know it’s easiest if you can push, pull, or lift the piano from any angle.

If You’re Hiring a Piano Mover:

To find a piano mover, try searching like Moving Company Orange County .com for a residential mover who can handle your job or check your local yellow pages. If you want a piano moving specialist, try calling your local piano dealer and asking them who they deal with.
As with any moving company, be sure to ask prospective piano movers about their insurance coverage. In the vast majority of cases, the amount of insurance they carry will be more than enough to cover your instrument. If it doesn’t, or if you’d like additional coverage, contact your homeowner’s insurance agent and ask about arranging for a rider to your policy that would insure the piano while it’s being shipped.
Occasionally, piano movers may attempt to “keyboard” a piano in order to move it: this entails removing the keyboard so that the piano can fit through tight spots. Let your mover know at the outset that you don’t want this done.
Bear in mind that some long distance piano movers won’t come to your home. Instead, you’ll be responsible for getting your instrument to your local piano dealer, and then the mover will transport it from there to a piano dealer near your destination.
When your piano arrives at its destination, make sure that the movers place it somewhere where it won’t be subject to major shifts in temperature - somewhere away from heating ducts, windows and doors. Even minor warping, caused by small temperature changes, can affect a piano’s sound.

If You’re Doing it Yourself:

You’ll realize pretty soon you can’t do it alone: when you get help, make sure your assistants (you’ll need at least four – two in front of the piano and two in back) are wearing gloves and that none have a history of back problems.
Before you start moving the piano make sure the lid is down and locked. Also make sure that there are no obstacles along your planned move route.
Be sure to lift with your legs, not your back.
If you can, place the piano on a heavy duty dolly before moving it. If you don’t have a heavy duty dolly, don’t lift the piano more than a few inches off the ground and don’t move it more than a few inches forward at a time.
Move the piano endways, not sideways.
If you’re moving the piano outside, wrap it in plastic so as to prevent any potential water damage.
When rolling the piano, be extra careful when rolling over thresholds or doorjambs. Even little bumps can put expensive dents in a piano.

Movers like to tell stories like this one:

A young woman asked her father to help her move a piano from one place to another in her house. Her father got a couple of his friends to come along and they brought a dolly. While they were lifting the piano - a full-size vertical -- it tipped back too far and got away from them. While it was falling, its upper corner dug down through the wall. The trench it made was deep enough to sever an electric conduit, which shorted and began to burn. The "movers" were unable to stop the fire, which also spread to the floor below, another person's apartment. After the fire department was done, there was little left of the two apartments .... and the piano.

Obviously, this is an extreme example of the damage that can be inflicted when moving a piano in do-it-yourself fashion. Even if you don't burn down your house, there is a substantial risk of personal injury, not to mention damage to the piano.

Pianos are very heavy. The average spinet or console weighs in at from three hundred to five hundred pounds, full-size uprights at about seven hundred, but sometimes as much a thousand.

Grands vary from about five hundred to a thousand pounds, though a concert grand may weigh as much as thirteen hundred pounds! If it were simply a matter of weight, though, all it would take would be enough strong people to do the job. Unfortunately, along with the weight come problems of balance and inertia, knowledge of which can make all the difference in doing a moving job safely and efficiently. Piano moving may conjure up images of men with monstrous arms and huge torsos, but actually two or three people of average build can do most piano moving jobs - even grands if they have some brains, experience, the right equipment, and a knowledge of just when and where to apply a little force.

So, the task of moving a piano is not just a matter of weight. The asymetric shape, the fragility of the outer cabinet and inner mechanics, the uneven distribution of parts -- all this and more demands not only proper equipment, but also an understanding of the unique dynamics of balance and inertia that pianos pose.

Attempting to move a piano by yourself may easily result in a costly trip to the doctor for both you and your piano.

Don't take chances, hire a professional!

Unless the piano is very small and light, it is almost always placed on a special skid called a piano board. The piano is covered with blankets and strapped to the board. If the piano is to be moved over a level surface for any distance, the piano board is put on a dolly- a small platform on wheels- and rolled to its destination, such as a truck or stairway. At the stairway, the dolly is removed and the piano is slid in a very slow and controlled manner up or down the stairs.

A grand piano is moved on its side, straight side down. First the lid and the pedal lyre are removed. Then the leg at the straight side of the piano is removed and the piano is carefully lowered down to the piano board. After the remaining 2 legs are removed, the piano is covered with blankets and strapped to the board. Stripped down in this manner, a grand piano is quite thin and will actually fit through a door or other opening very easily.

When a piano must be moved to or from a floor other than the first, many movers prefer to hoist or rig it rather than move it up or down stairs. Believe it or not, moving a piano by stairs is actually more dangerous, both to the piano and to the movers, than hoisting it through an upper-story window with a crane. Most movers will consent to moving by stairs when only one flight is involved, or when no other alternative is possible. Of course, if the building has a freight elevator that can support the piano, that method is preferred over all others.

Basically, it is the customer's responsibility to make sure the piano will fit in its new location. This means not expecting a piano to be hoisted in a window that's too small, or carried down a stairway with too low an overhang, or moved around a corner that's too tight.

Corners are the hardest to judge because they can't be easily measured. An experienced mover can usually judge these situations pretty accurately by eye and may prefer to visit the moving sites prior to moving day if there is any question about the difficulty of the job. This probably won't be possible if the move is a long-distance one. If the piano won't fit in its intended location, the customer will have to pay for its delivery back to its point of departure, to an alternate destination, or to storage.

MOVING A PIANO AROUND THE ROOM

It's understandable that you might not want to hire a mover just to move a piano around a room, but these small moves can be surprisingly dangerous. With both grands and verticals, it's primarily the legs you want to watch out for. Breaking a leg on a vertical may just be an inconvenience, but on a grand it can be disastrous. For example, a leg could get caught on an uneven floor or the grate of a heating duct and come crashing to the floor, breaking the legs as well as the pedal lyre.

Dragging a piano across carpeting can also be too much for the legs to handle. If you insist on moving a grand piano yourself, 3 to 5 strong people should gather around its circumference and lift while moving. Don't actually try to lift it off the floor; just relieve the strain on the legs of the piano.

At least 2 people should always move a vertical piano. Smaller, apartment sized verticals with free-standing legs should have their legs protected by lifting or tilting the piano back ever so slightly while moving. But remember that most of the weight of the piano is in its back, so be sure you have a firm grip on it and don't tilt so far that the piano is in danger of falling over. Larger verticals and smaller ones without legs can simply be rolled, although this may be hard to do on carpeting. Piano casters can sometimes get stuck unexpectedly, so move slowly with one person on each end of the piano. When making turns, keep the back of the piano on the inside of the turn. And be careful not to push a stubborn vertical piano over your helper's foot!

Casters, Trucks & Dollies
If you're going to be moving a piano around a room or stage, or from room to room often, be sure the piano is properly equipped.

Grand pianos should be mounted on a piano truck/dolly or fitted with special casters. Small verticals are best not to be moved around much, but there are special trucks for them, too. See pictures below. Larger verticals often come with heavy-duty casters, but casters that are too small or old cast-iron casters can be replaced by your piano technician with double rubber-wheel ones that move easily and don't mar the floor.

Tuning
A piano is hoisted out of a third-story window, trucked across the province, and later that day hoisted into a fifth-floor apartment. After the movers leave, the pianist sits down to play and is surprised to find the piano in very good tune. Two weeks later, the piano sounds terrible. This common scenario is due to the fact that it is not generally the physical moving of the piano that puts it out of tune- it is the change in humidity from one location to another, and this change takes anywhere from a few days to a few weeks to show its effect. For this reason, you should wait at least 2 weeks after moving before having the piano tuned. Only with some of the cheaper and smaller apartment size pianos will the actual physical moving affect the tuning directly.

Pedals
Grand piano pedals are frequently out of kilter after a move. Shims of leather or cardboard used to take up slack in the trapwork often fall out when the lyre is removed. Also, less careful movers sometimes mix up the order of the pedal rods that rise from the back of the pedals. These rods are not always equal in length and so may not be interchangeable. Pedal dowels in verticals also sometimes fall out of place. It is a fairly simple matter for your piano technician to correct. Special note: If your grand piano has lyre braces (which it should), be sure the movers remember to put them back on. Movers often forget and leave them in the truck, never to be seen again.

Other Effects
The effects of moving, except those mentioned above, are very unpredictable, especially if there is a large difference in humidity between the old and new locations. Warning: A piano that has been in a damp or unheated place for many years should never be moved to a dry or well-heated location. Such pianos are known to self-destruct in a short time. One additional item to check on a grand piano before moving: Because a grand is placed on its side to be moved, a narrow wooden rail called a key stop rail is mounted on top of the keys, behind the fallboard, to prevent the keys from falling off the key frame during moving. If the key stop rail is missing or not securely installed, as sometimes happens, the keys will be in terrible disarray and completely unplayable after moving. A technician can fix this, but it may take awhile to remove the action from the piano. If you know you're going to be moving, have your technician check the key stop rail before you move.

PIANO MOVING FAQ'S - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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, rather 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 household movers do not have adequate training or equipment 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 vary 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 drastically minimize the risk of damage to the instrument and to your home.

As a piano mover, I have come across many cases where a customer has hired a household piano mover to move their piano and has had to make an emergency call to us because the household mover could not get the piano out of his or her house. In other cases, I have received calls from customers who had hired a non-reliable piano mover because their price was much lower, and had to book an emergency move with us, because that piano mover did not show up to move their piano or call to explain why they were not there.

How are pianos moved?

When you hire a professional piano mover, you can expect 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 safely. 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 secured to the vehicle in order to avoid damage during transport. In the most difficult moves, 4-6 people may be used. Generally when a piano is moved by someone other than a professional piano mover, this equipment, knowledge and these safety precautions are not employed. While hiring a professional piano mover does not completely eliminate 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 option of proceeding or not.

Are all professional piano movers equal?

Unfortunately, as in any trade, each piano moving company varies in their level of quality and experience. Some piano movers are better equipped and more prepared than others and act with more care and integrity 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 damaging 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 question is no.
There are 3 types of insurance to consider when hiring a piano mover: 1. Commercial/automotive insurance: Is the company insured against damage to property and or vehicles? 2. Cartage/content insurance: Is the company insured against damage to the piano? 3. Workman's Safety Insurance: Is the company insuring its workers against injury? Some piano moving companies are insured for 1 or 2 of these types of insurance, but not all 3. It is the buyer's responsibility to make sure that he/she is properly insured, not the moving company. It is a good idea to ask about these 3 types of insurance when you are phoning piano moving companies, and also to ask what amount of insurance your piano will be covered for. A properly insured moving company should provide you with a Bill of lading, which is a legal document stating what is being moved, the names of all parties involved in the move, where the piano is being moved from and to, and the full declared insured value of the instrument. The Bill of lading should also include the moving company's terms of cartage. As a legal document, a proper bill of lading helps to ensure that the piano mover will repair any damages that were incurred during the move (unless a damage waiver was signed). It is also important to note that any damage caused to your piano or your property must be noted on the bill of lading to ensure that you have proper recourse if any action is needed.

Why is worker injury important to me?

You may be wondering why it is important that you ensure 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 covered 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 required 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 absolutely 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 actual move of the piano does not affect the sound or tuning of a piano. Generally piano tuning is affected by changes in temperature and humidity which cause the wooden and steel parts of your piano to expand and contract. You will probably 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 household mover way - hourly rate, with a minimum number of hours (usually min. = 3 hours) 2. The professional piano mover way - flat rate 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 unforeseen 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 amount 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 traffic 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. Generally, 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.

Below are listed some recommended questions to ask when you are looking to hire a piano mover:

How long have you been moving pianos?
Do you have any references?
Do you have full-time, trained staff moving pianos for you?
How do you charge for moving, and what are your rates?
What days of the week do you move pianos, and what is your availability?
Are you covered for Commercial/automotive insurance, Cartage/content insurance, and workman's safety insurance?
Will you provide me with a copy of your workman's safety insurance clearance certificate?
What amount will my piano be insured for during the move? What does this insurance cover?
What are your terms of cartage? Will you provide me with a copy?
Will I be provided will a bill of lading when my piano is moved?

Listed below is the information that you should have prepared when you book your piano move:

What type of piano is it that you require to be moved? (Upright or Grand Piano)
What size of piano is it? (upright pianos are measured by height [floor to lid] and grand pianos are measured by longest length [keyboard to curve in bow end])
Where is it being picked up from? (Have full address including postal or zip code)
Where is it being delivered to? (Have full address including postal or zip code)
Are there any stairs that the piano needs to go up or down (inside and outside)? If so, how many? Are they straight, spiraled or curved? Based on what you tell the piano mover, he/she will tell you how many people they believe it will accomplish your move. Missing important details or difficulties, or miss-estimating your move based on the information you have provided could mean that your piano move might not happen that day, and could incur you more charges.
When are you looking to have the piano moved?
Are there any time restraints involved? (As time-restraints tend to hamper the efficiency of the mover's day, placing a time-restraint on the mover could more than double your cost.)
Inform the piano mover of any problems that you can foresee ahead of time.

The more information you can provide the piano mover, the more accurate your quote will be. If you are vague and provide few details, do not be surprised if you incur extra charges for your move. A good, reputable piano mover will make the process as painless as possible for you and usually be the highlight and most stress-free part of your whole moving process. They key is ensuring that the mover meets all of your requirements and providing them with the information they need to help you properly.

Moving Company Orange County .com - is fully licensed and insured and provides free estimates, 24 hour residential and commercial service, wrapping and packing, and of course, quality equipment. At Moving Company Orange County .com customer care and satisfaction is our primary goal. We make it our top priority to deliver efficient worry free moving at a very affordable price. Each move is planned and coordinated according to each individual's needs. We received the 2005 Silver Quality Agent Award for customer service from Paul Arpin Van Lines. We are a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB), the California Moving Assocation, and Paul Arpin Van Lines.

Moving Company Orange County.com - has clean, fully-equipped moving vans, trained, and courteous personnel, and a reputation for quality in our industry. We are a moving and storage company that can be trusted to handle your move quickly, efficiently, safely, and of course economically. Moving Company Orange County .com is licensed, bonded, and insured, for your peace of mind. Our insurance coverage spans from the starting point of your move to the final destination. A client representative will help you decide on the amount of protection you will need and explain the price structure for each plan. Our trucks have lifts and all our employees wear uniforms.

ESTIMATING YOUR MOVING COSTS - Ask for our Cash Discount Rates!
Whether you are moving across town or across the country, Moving Company Orange County .com wants to help you make your move as rewarding and stress-free as possible. Of course, no two moves are exactly the same, therefore, you can call us or fill out our free estimate calculator form in order for us to make a thorough assessment of your individual moving needs, and give you a comprehensive and accurate cost estimate. You can Call us at (949)252-0021

*** FREE USE OF WARDROBE BOXES WITH LOCAL MOVE!

WRAPPING AND PACKING
Moving Company Orange County .com - wraps all of your items securely in clean protective pads to prevent scratches and other incidental damage before they are moved. Special attention is dedicated in moving some of your extra fragile and delicate items, upon your request. Quality Equipment is meticulously maintained and operated by highly skilled professionals. Our modern, fully equipped trucks are specifically designed to help reduce the chance of goods being damaged in transit. We have a large fleet of clean, fully-equipped moving vans, trained, and courteous personnel, and a reputation for quality in our industry.

MOVING LOCALLY IN ORANGE COUNTY, SAN DIEGO, RIVERSIDE, SAN BERADINO OR LOS ANGELES
A local move can be an exciting, yet sometimes unsettling experience. However, with Moving Company Orange County .com by your side, there is nothing to it! We would like to help you understand the way local moving charges are determined. We want to help you get an accurate estimate so there are no surprises on your move day. If you have any questions before, during, or after the estimate, don’t hesitate to give us a call.

MOVING LONG DISTANCES OR INTERSTATE
You've probably already realized that there's so much to do and so little time to do it. However, Moving Company Orange County .com wants to help you plan your move properly to make your relocation as exciting, rewarding, and stress-free as possible. Whether you are moving across the state or across the country, Moving Company Orange County .com- is here to help you through your moving process. For any questions you may have regarding the preparation of your long distance move, please call us at any time. Our goal is to always provide you with personalized service on your important moving day!

MOVING INTERNATIONALLY
We really shine when it comes to international moving. Our expertise and know how are unsurpassed. Whether your destination is Europe, South America, Asia, or anywhere else, you can count on us for safe transportation and great customer service. When we come to your home to give you an estimate on an international move, we give you the bottom line cost, door to door including all packing and material. Our expert movers and packers have been professionally trained to prepare your things for their journey.

WE HAVE SMALL AND LARGE STORAGE SOLUTIONS AND STORAGE CONTAINERS
Because everyone has different storage needs, we have a customized storage system which is meant to accommodate any storage load, no matter how large or small. We are actually able to serve your needs equally, whether you need a place to store a few extra items or a whole house full of furniture awaiting your new home. We want your storage venture with us to be worry and stress free. We also have storage containers available.

BUSINESS MOVING - COMMERCIAL MOVING
Moving Company Orange County .com - are move specialist that not only gives you a competitive bid for your business's commercial move, but they also try and help you and your facilities department head plan the move itself. Prior to day of your businesses move, we would be in direct contact with your company's moving coordinator. Whether they be a facilities manager, office manager, relocation manager or whomever you assign to be your company's liaison, they would be contacted by the Moving Company Orange County .com Commercial Move Project Manager assigned to your move. The Commercial Move Project Manager would be happy to try and answer any concerns or questions you might have about your company's upcoming move. We also offer business storage solutions if for some reason there will be a delay period between moving out and moving in.

How much packing do you want your employees to do themselves? The Commercial Move Project Manager is available to meet with our customers employees to teach them how to pack anything you want the employees to pack themselves. Some businesses prefer Moving Company Orange County .com office movers to pack the entire business, thereby freeing up shier employees from this type of task. Other companies prefer to have their own employees pack only their own desks or work stations and still other businesses, have their employees do all the packing including packing their warehouses, libraries, file rooms, etc. If you decide to have your employees do the packing for some or all of your move, prior to the move, we can deliver the packing materials you'll require. Part of the Commercial Move Project Manager's job is to provide you with the tools to decide which is the best route for your business and best for your budget.

MOVING AN EMPLOYEE
Does your company need to have your employee settled into their new home so they are ready to get to work in their new location and that your company needs to control costs. We can help with employee relocation.