The most important things you should know about piano moving

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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:

1. How long have you been moving pianos?
2. Do you have any references?
3. Do you have full-time, trained staff moving pianos for you?
4. How do you charge for moving, and what are your rates?
5. What days of the week do you move pianos, and what is your availability?
6. Are you covered for Commercial/automotive insurance, Cartage/content insurance, and workman's safety insurance?
7. Will you provide me with a copy of your workman's safety insurance clearance certificate?
8. What amount will my piano be insured for during the move? What does this insurance cover?
9. What are your terms of cartage? Will you provide me with a copy?
10. 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:

1. What type of piano is it that you require to be moved? (Upright or Grand Piano)
2. 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])
3. Where is it being picked up from? (Have full address including postal or zip code)
4. Where is it being delivered to? (Have full address including postal or zip code)
5. 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.
6. When are you looking to have the piano moved?
7. 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.)
8. 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.

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