Piano removals, done with the right kit
A piano is heavy, top-heavy and expensive to get wrong, and plenty of removal crews will decline one if it is sprung on them. Tell the firms about the piano up front and compare quotes from crews equipped to move it — upright or grand, across town or across the country.
Prices
How much does it cost to move a piano?
Moving an upright piano locally typically costs £75–£200, and £200–£600 over a long distance. Grand pianos, stairs and tight doorways cost more, and those are priced after a survey because the access decides the crew and the kit.
Source: published 2026 piano-moving price guides (Moving Compared, AnyVan, specialist piano movers) (2025–26) — upright pianos; ranges span the published guides
Why no grand-piano figure? Published prices for grands disagree by hundreds of pounds, because a baby grand on a ground floor and a concert grand up a staircase are different jobs. A survey, often by video, gives you a fixed price. For the rest of your move, our removal costs calculator gives a range in about a minute.
Grand pianos and stairs: what sets the price
The cost of moving a piano rises with three things: the type, the stairs and the route. A grand weighs roughly 300–600kg and needs a crew of three or more, as does any piano going up or down a staircase.
So the piano transport cost for a grand, a stairs job or a move needing a hoist is quoted once the firm knows the model and the access. Tell them the make, whether it's upright or grand, the floor and the narrowest doorway on the way out.
Upright or grand
Why are pianos hard to move?
Weight, mostly, and where it sits. An upright weighs roughly 175–350kg, a grand roughly 300–600kg, and in both the heavy iron frame makes the load top-heavy and easy to tip.
Source: Petrof (piano maker) (2026)
Upright piano removal
Uprights travel standing, strapped to a piano board or dolly. Two experienced people can move one on the flat; stairs need more hands.
Grand piano removal
A grand usually comes apart before it moves: legs and lyre off, the body turned on its side onto a padded skid board. Expect a crew of three or more.
On the day
What happens when a piano is moved?
- The kit. A piano dolly, a board or skid, straps and ramps — and padding over every surface the piano touches.
- The crew. At least two people for an upright; three or more for a grand or any staircase.
- The route. Doorways, turns on the stairs and the path to the van are measured before anything moves.
- The cover. Tell the firm what the piano is worth and get the insurance limit in writing — a standard removals policy may not cover it fully.
Afterwards, leave it a few weeks before tuning. The piano needs time to settle to its new room's temperature and humidity, and a tuning done straight away drifts.
The rest of the house
Moving a piano as part of a house move
Most pianos move with everything else. Mention it in your quote request and the removal company sends the right crew for the day, rather than a separate trip. Our house removals page covers the rest of the job, and if your new home isn't ready, a firm offering removals and storage can hold the piano with the furniture.
Free, no obligation, about two minutes.
Good to know
Piano removals: FAQs
How much does it cost to move a piano in the UK?
Moving an upright piano locally typically costs £75–£200, and £200–£600 over a long distance, based on published 2025–26 guides. Grand pianos, stairs and tight access cost more and are priced after a survey.
How much does a piano weigh?
An upright piano weighs roughly 175–350kg and a grand roughly 300–600kg. That weight sits high and off-centre, which is why pianos need proper equipment and at least two experienced people.
Should I get my piano tuned after moving it?
Yes, but wait a few weeks first. The piano needs time to settle to the temperature and humidity of its new room; tune it too soon and it drifts again.
Will my home insurance or the removal policy cover the piano?
Not always in full. A standard removals policy may not cover a valuable piano, so tell the firm its value and get the cover limit in writing before moving day.
Can a normal removal company move my piano?
Some can and some will decline. Mention the piano, its type and the stairs when you ask for quotes, so only firms with the right kit and crew take the job.