So you want to move your piano. Maybe you are moving house or creating a music studio. For whatever reason, you have found yourself trying to understand whether or not to use a piano removalist to transport your piano. On the one hand, a movers company can sometimes be costly. On the other hand, moving a piano by yourself is a complicated process. There is heavy lifting, protective packaging, and physical transport to think of. Is it worth using removalists just to lift this stress from your shoulders? Well, that’s for you to decide. But the more you learn about what a professional moving company does, the more you realise the benefits of hiring a moving company to move your piano from one location to another.
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Can you move a piano yourself?
Technically, yes, you can move a piano without movers. But, though it might save you some money, you are taking a greater risk. Without the help of professionals, you are more likely to injure yourself and cause damage to your piano. You don’t want your piano broken in transit – imagine the repair costs! Therefore, though it might cost a bit extra, hiring professional piano movers is the best way forward.
To explain the difficulty that comes with moving a piano by yourself, have a read of all the steps you’ll need to take to move alone.
Measure your piano
Essential to a smooth move is taking accurate measurements. First, you need to measure your piano, then measure the area through which it needs to be transported. This might include hallways, doorways, and stairwells. By doing this measuring beforehand, you can ensure your piano will be able to fit through your pathway. This will save you time in the long run.
Get protective materials
To keep your piano safe in transit, you need to buy protective materials. Don’t forget: you need to protect yourself as well as the piano. Some items of protection you will want to buy are:
- Plastic wrap or a dense cloth
- Heavy-duty tape
- Van or truck
- Four-wheel dolly and dolly straps
- Ramp
- Moving or weightlifting straps
Wrap your piano
Once you’ve got your protective materials, the next job is to wrap your piano. The process you should follow will be different depending on the type of piano you have. An upright piano will need to be moved differently from a grand piano.
Recruit strong volunteers
Pianos are heavy, no matter what size. You won’t be able to move it yourself, so calling in some strong volunteers to help will be essential. You’ll need four people to do the heavy lifting, then a couple extra to guide the direction of the piano.
Drive
The driving itself is the most nerve-wracking part of the process. Be careful taking corners or going over bumps, as pianos are very sensitive to movement and can break if the journey isn’t gentle enough.
What are the benefits of using a piano removalist?
Moving a piano by yourself is extremely difficult and carries a high risk of damage to the piano itself. Piano movers will ensure quick, safe transportation of your piano without you having to do any work yourself. But what are the specific benefits of using a piano removalist?
- Quicker moving
Moving a piano by yourself can take longer than you expect. This is because there are several stages to go through, from packing and protection to loading to the actual move. However, movers are professionally trained in these areas and so can complete them quickly and efficiently. Plus, movers will do all the stages for you, so you don’t have to lift a finger.
- Keep your piano safe!
Moving a piano yourself is difficult for the sole reason that pianos are very heavy. Smaller pianos are still around a few hundred pounds, and larger ones can get to weights of over one thousand pounds. This is incredibly difficult to lift yourself safely, so it is easy to damage your piano. However, a piano removalist is well trained in lifting and moving without incurring damage. So if you want to ensure your piano is kept safe, working, and undamaged, piano movers are the way forward.
- Keep your piano protected
Piano movers or professional piano removalists will have access to specific materials and tools that will keep your piano safe in transit. Pianos are very sensitive to movement and temperature and so need a bit of extra care. Movers will have specialist padding equipment. This could include but is not limited to dollies, ramps, and skid boards. All of these should work together to ensure that your piano is kept safe during the moving process.
- Cost
Though it has been suggested that moving a piano yourself will be cheaper throughout this post, this isn’t guaranteed. Moving a piano yourself will require you to buy some things yourself. This could include padding materials, hiring a van, and the cost of any repairs needed afterwards. Doing this yourself could make it cheaper, but it might add up to more than the cost of a piano mover if you can’t find good deals.
Should you use piano movers or move your piano yourself?
Overall, professional piano removalists might cost a bit more, but the extra money is worth the peace of mind. You know your piano will be kept safe, and the whole process is made much easier for you. All you have to do is call and book, and they will do all the rest of the work. If you are moving your piano due to a whole house move, hiring professional piano movers will take one weight off your shoulders. To ensure you hire a great, reliable company in Australia, look to Dream Movers for fine furniture and antique moving.