Piano Moving Guides

Tips and checklists from our piano removalists on moving upright and grand pianos safely, whether you are planning the move yourself or getting a fixed-cost quote from us.

How to Use These Piano Moving Guides

Our piano moving guides are written by the crews who move pianos across Sydney every week. Each one explains what is involved, which equipment matters and where the real risks are, so you can decide whether to move the piano yourself or book a team. Start with the guide that matches your piano, then read the checklist before moving day.

Piano Moving Guides for Upright Pianos

Most home pianos are uprights. They look manageable, but they are heavy at the top and easy to tip on a step. Our guide on moving an upright piano on a dolly covers choosing the right dolly, tilting the piano safely and where a dolly stops being enough.

The upright piano moving tips guide adds the practical details: measuring every doorway, protecting the lid and keys, and why stairs are where most DIY moves go wrong. If you want it done for you, see our upright piano removals service.

Piano Moving Guides for Grand and Baby Grand Pianos

A grand piano is moved on its side on a padded piano board, with the legs, pedal lyre and lid removed first. Our guide on how to move a baby grand piano walks through each step, and steps in moving a grand piano explains stairs, balconies and when a crane is the safer choice. For a fixed price on the whole job, see grand piano removals.

Planning Your Move

Whatever the piano, the piano moving checklist keeps the week before the move on track: measuring, parking, clearing a path and booking a tuner once the piano has settled. If your new home is not ready yet, read about piano storage in Sydney, and if the piano has reached the end of its life, see piano disposal.

Apartment moves need a little more planning: check the lift size and weight limit, book the loading dock and tell the building manager the time. Terrace houses in the inner city often have narrow halls and steep front steps, so measure the tightest turn before choosing to do it yourself. Country and coastal homes can have long driveways or soft ground, which change how the piano reaches the truck.

Which Guide Should You Read First?

• Upright piano, flat floors only: start with the piano dolly guide.
• Upright piano with stairs: read the upright piano moving tips, then the checklist.
• Baby grand or grand piano: read the baby grand guide and the grand piano steps.
• Moving in the next few weeks: go straight to the checklist.

Safety First

Every one of our piano moving guides comes back to the same point: protect people first, then the piano, then the house. Upright pianos commonly weigh well over 200 kilograms and grands considerably more, and a piano that tips on a step can cause serious injury. Wear closed shoes, use enough helpers, never lift by the lid or the legs, and stop if a step or turn looks wrong.

When to Book Piano Removalists Instead

These piano moving guides are honest about the limits of DIY. More than a few steps, a tight turn, a grand piano or a long distance are all good reasons to book a crew with a piano board, stair straps and insurance. Our fixed cost piano removalists quote the full price before the day, so there are no surprises. You can read more about the instrument itself on Wikipedia.

New piano moving guides are added as we answer common questions from customers, so check back before your next move, or contact us with a question we have not covered yet.