Moving a Piano: The Complete Guide to Getting It Done Safely and Without Damage

There are very few household items that command as much respect — and cause as much anxiety — during a move as a piano. It is heavy, it is fragile in ways that are not immediately obvious, and it is almost always awkwardly shaped relative to the hallways, staircases, and doorways it needs to pass through. Get it wrong, and the consequences can range from a damaged instrument worth thousands of dollars to a serious personal injury.

Moving a piano is one of those tasks where the instinct to save money by doing it yourself — or hiring whichever removalist is cheapest — can end up costing far more than the price of a professional specialist service. This guide explains why, walks you through what the professional process looks like, and helps you find the right piano movers near you to handle the job properly. 

If you want a deeper sense of how carefully a piano should be looked after more generally, the Australasian Piano Tuners and Technicians Association publishes useful guidance on piano care that reinforces why professional handling matters.

At Jake Removals, piano moves are a dedicated part of our service offering — not an occasional add-on. Here is everything you need to know before the big day.

Credit: Truck Stock photos by Vecteezy

Why Moving a Piano Is Not Like Moving Other Furniture

At first glance, a piano might seem like a heavy but manageable piece of furniture — not entirely different from a heavy bookcase or a large fridge. In practice, it is a uniquely challenging item to move for several reasons that go beyond sheer weight.

First, the weight. An upright piano typically weighs between 150 and 300 kilograms, depending on the model and age. Baby grand pianos start at around 200 kilograms and can exceed 500 kilograms for a full concert grand. This is not weight that a couple of people can manage with a standard furniture trolley and a bit of determination.

Second, the internal mechanism. A piano contains thousands of moving parts — strings under tension, hammers, dampers, keys, a cast iron frame, and a soundboard. This mechanism is sensitive to shock, vibration, improper tilting, and temperature changes. You cannot treat a piano like a box of books. How it is handled during transit directly affects whether it will work and sound correctly when it arrives.

Third, the shape. Upright pianos are tall, top-heavy, and often wider than standard doorways will easily accommodate. Grand pianos are even more challenging — they are large, oddly proportioned, and require partial disassembly before they can be moved at all. The geometry of moving a piano through a real house with narrow corridors, tight turns, and staircases is a genuine physical puzzle that requires experience to solve.

Upright Piano Transport: What the Professional Process Looks Like

Upright piano transport is the most common piano move, and while it is more straightforward than moving a grand, it still requires specialist handling and equipment throughout. Here is what a professional move looks like from start to finish.

Site Assessment

Before the crew even touches the piano, an experienced piano mover will assess both properties. At the origin, they look at how the piano is currently positioned, what the path to the front door looks like, whether there are stairs, and how tight the turns are. At the destination, they confirm where the piano needs to end up and plan the most practical route to get it there.

This assessment is not just logistical — it is also about protecting the property. Heavy items moving through narrow spaces can damage floors, walls, and door frames if the approach is not carefully planned. Good piano movers near you will take this step seriously before beginning any physical work.

Preparation and Protection

Once the route is planned, the piano is prepared for transport. The keyboard lid is locked or secured, the fallboard is closed, and the entire instrument is wrapped in heavy-duty moving blankets and secured with straps to prevent the external case from being scratched or dented during the move.

Floor protection is also placed along the route — felt pads, floor runners, or similar materials — to ensure that the weight of the piano being moved does not damage the flooring at either property.

Loading Using Specialist Equipment

Upright piano transport requires a professional piano trolley — not a standard furniture dolly. Piano trolleys are purpose-built to distribute the instrument’s weight evenly and allow the crew to control the movement precisely. Paired with appropriate ramps, this equipment allows a piano to be moved from its current position onto the truck without any point at which the weight is being managed manually without support.

This is the stage where inexperienced or underequipped movers typically cause damage — either to the instrument, the property, or both. The right equipment is not optional; it is the difference between a safe move and an expensive mistake.

Securing for Transit

Once the piano is on the truck, it needs to be secured against movement during the drive. A piano that shifts during transit — even slightly, even at low speed — can sustain internal damage to its mechanism. Professional piano movers will use straps to anchor the instrument firmly against the truck wall or a fixed point, with padding around any contact points to prevent vibration damage.

Delivery and Placement

At the destination, the entire process is reversed. The crew uses the same equipment and approach to get the piano safely from the truck to its new position. Once it is in place, the protective wrapping is removed, the keyboard is unlocked, and the crew confirms the instrument is sitting level and stable before completing the job.

Grand Piano vs Upright: Key Differences When Moving

Moving a grand piano is considerably more involved than upright piano transport, and understanding the difference helps you appreciate why specialist expertise matters.

Grand pianos cannot be moved intact. The legs must be removed, and the body of the instrument needs to be carefully tilted onto its side onto a purpose-built grand piano skid board. 

This process requires at minimum three experienced people working in coordination — one managing the keyboard end, one the opposite end, and one stabilising the instrument during the tilt.

The pedal lyre — the assembly that connects the pedals to the internal mechanism — must also be removed before the legs. Each leg, the lyre, and the lid are transported separately from the main body of the instrument and reassembled at the destination.

Attempting to move a grand piano without the correct disassembly process risks catastrophic and irreparable damage to the legs, the lyre, and the soundboard. It is not a job for general removalists regardless of how experienced they are with other furniture.

The Real Cost of Moving a Piano Without Specialists

The most common reason people attempt to move a piano without professional piano movers near them is to save money. It is worth understanding what the actual cost of that decision can be.

• A damaged soundboard can cost thousands of dollars to repair — and in older instruments, may be impossible to source parts for
• A broken leg on a grand piano can be impossible to replace exactly, affecting the instrument’s value and appearance permanently
• Scratched or dented external casework is expensive to refinish, particularly on timber or lacquered finishes
• Damaged flooring from an unsecured piano slipping or being dragged is a significant cost at both ends of the move
• Personal injury from a piano tipping on a staircase is a risk that cannot be quantified
• A piano moved incorrectly will almost certainly require tuning, but may also need internal adjustment by a piano technician if the mechanism has been disturbed

When you compare the cost of professional piano movers near you against any one of these outcomes, the maths is not close.

How to Prepare Your Piano for Moving Day

Clear the Route Before the Crew Arrives

Remove any furniture, rugs, or obstacles along the planned route from the piano to the front door. The crew will do a walkthrough on arrival, but having the path clear from the outset saves time and allows the move to begin immediately. The same principle applies if you are placing items into storage — our checklist for moving items into storage has useful pointers on preparing access routes in advance.

Lock the Keyboard Lid

If your piano has a locking keyboard lid, lock it before the crew arrives. An unsecured lid that swings open during movement can be damaged and can also expose the keys to impact damage.

Mention Any Existing Damage

If your piano has any existing cosmetic damage — chips in the casing, a stiff pedal, a key that does not fully return — point this out to the crew before the move begins. This protects both you and the removalist by establishing a clear baseline of the instrument’s condition before it is moved, and it supports any insurance process if needed.

Wait Before Tuning

Every piano needs tuning after moving a piano to a new location. Changes in humidity and temperature during transit affect the tension of the strings, and the pitch will shift as the instrument settles into its new environment. Wait at least four to six weeks before having the piano tuned, to allow it to stabilise. Tuning too soon may require a second tuning a short time later as the strings continue to settle.

Finding the Right Piano Movers Near You

Not all removalists are equipped or experienced enough to handle pianos. When you are searching for piano movers near you, here is what to specifically look for:

• Explicit mention of piano moving on their website, not just ‘we move everything’
• Purpose-built professional piano trolleys and ramps — not improvised equipment
• Experience with the specific type of piano you have — upright vs grand vs baby grand
• Insurance that specifically covers specialty items
• Reviews from customers who have had pianos moved, not just general furniture
• Transparent pricing that accounts for the piano as a specialty item

Jake Removals has specialist equipment for both upright and grand piano moves, trained and experienced crews, and a transparent pricing structure for specialty items. We have moved hundreds of pianos across Melbourne and have the reviews to back it up. We are not a general removalist that occasionally handles a piano — piano moves are a dedicated part of our service offering.

Book Melbourne’s Piano Moving Specialists

If you are moving a piano and want it handled by a team that does this every week, contact Jake Removals today. We provide upright piano transport and grand piano moves across Melbourne with the right equipment, the right crew, and the experience to get your instrument to its new home safely. 

Call 1300 766 658 or get a quote at jakemove.com.au — and tell us about your piano when you enquire so we can bring exactly the right equipment on the day.

What to Expect When You Hire a Furniture Removals Company

Whether you are moving for the first time or the fifth, hiring a furniture removals company raises the same set of questions every time. What exactly do they do? What should be included in the price? How do you know if the company you are looking at is actually as good as they say they are? And when you are searching for a cheap removalist near you, how do you find someone affordable without sacrificing quality or care?

This guide answers all of those questions clearly and honestly. We will walk you through what a professional furniture removals company does, how to evaluate your options, what questions to ask before you book, and what the moving day experience should actually look like when it is done right. For broader context, Victoria’s consumer affairs body publishes a useful summary of your rights when moving house that is worth a quick read alongside this guide.

Jake Removals has been operating as a trusted furniture removals company in Melbourne for over 20 years. We have moved thousands of households and businesses — small studio apartments and large family homes, local jobs and interstate relocations — and this guide reflects everything we have learned about what makes a move genuinely smooth.

What Does a Furniture Removals Company Actually Do?

At its core, a furniture removals company is responsible for the physical movement of your belongings from one location to another. But what that covers in practice varies enormously between providers, and understanding exactly what you are booking for is important before you commit.

A standard removal service typically includes a crew arriving at your property, loading your belongings carefully onto a truck, transporting them to your new address, and unloading and placing them in the correct rooms. It sounds straightforward, but the quality of execution varies significantly depending on the company you choose.

A professional furniture removals company goes beyond just moving boxes. At Jake Removals, our standard service includes carefully wrapping all furniture items in heavy-duty moving blankets, securing loads properly in the truck with straps and padding, handling heavy or awkward items with appropriate equipment, and placing items exactly where you need them in your new home. We also assist with the disassembly and reassembly of beds, desks, and flat-pack furniture at no extra charge — a detail that saves hours on moving day and is often overlooked in cheaper quotes.

What to Look for in a Furniture Removals Company

Melbourne has no shortage of removalists advertising online. The challenge is not finding options — it is distinguishing the genuinely professional companies from the ones that will cause you more stress than they relieve. Here are the key things to evaluate.

Full Insurance Coverage

Any legitimate furniture removals company should carry two types of insurance as standard: Goods in Transit insurance, which covers your belongings against damage while in the truck, and Public Liability insurance, which covers any damage caused to your property — floors, walls, door frames, and fixtures — during the move.

Jake Removals provides Goods in Transit insurance up to $50,000 and Public Liability insurance up to $20 million on every job. Before booking any company, ask for written confirmation of both policies. If a company is hesitant or vague about insurance, that tells you something important.

The Right Truck for the Job

The quality and suitability of the truck matters more than most people realise. A good truck removalist will match the vehicle to the volume of your move — not send a small van to a four-bedroom house, or a full-size truck to a studio apartment that will leave your items rattling around unsecured during transit.

A well-maintained truck removalist fleet includes hydraulic tailgate lifts for safe heavy-item loading, internal tie-down points and load-rated straps, and sufficient padding and protective materials. Ask specifically about the truck that will be used for your job and confirm it is appropriate for your volume.

Real, Verified Reviews

In the removals industry, reviews are the most reliable way to understand what the actual experience is like. Star ratings alone tell you very little — read the detail. How did the crew handle the heavy items? Were they on time? Was the final bill in line with the quote? Were there any damages, and if so, how was it handled?

Jake Removals is rated 4.9 stars across more than 670 verified reviews on Word of Mouth and Google, with consistent feedback about crew professionalism, speed, care, and value. We encourage you to read those reviews before booking — not as a sales pitch, but because they reflect the genuine experience of real customers.

Honest, Itemised Pricing

Hidden costs are one of the most common complaints about removalists. A quote that seems competitive suddenly looks very different once fuel levies, credit card surcharges, call-out fees, stair charges, and parking levies are added at the end. Always ask for a written quote that itemises every component of the price before you book.

Jake Removals charges on an hourly rate basis with transparent pricing and no depot-to-depot charges. You are billed door to door — from the moment we arrive at your property to the moment we leave your new one. Pricing varies by crew size and truck, and any applicable surcharges for specialty items like pianos or pool tables are disclosed upfront.

Finding a Cheap Removalist Near You Without Compromising Quality

Credit: Truck Stock photos by Vecteezy

The search for a cheap removalist near you is something most people go through, and understandably so — moving is already expensive when you factor in bond, stamp duty, legal fees, and the cost of setting up a new home. Saving money on the removal itself is a reasonable goal.

The problem is that the removals industry, like many service industries, has a tier of operators who compete on price by cutting corners on insurance, equipment, crew training, or all three. A removal that costs $100 less but results in a scratched floor, a broken wardrobe, or a no-show on moving day is not actually cheaper.

The way to find a genuinely good cheap removalist near you is to compare hourly rates among companies that also have strong reviews, verified insurance, and clear pricing. Jake Removals keeps our rates competitive by operating efficiently — we charge by the hour rather than padding a fixed price, we right-size the truck to your job, and we do not add unnecessary services to inflate the bill.

We are not the cheapest removalist in Melbourne and we do not claim to be. But we are consistently rated among the best value, because our customers know they are getting professional service at a fair price — with no nasty surprises on the day.

What Jake Removals Includes on Every Job

When you book Jake Removals as your furniture removals company, here is what every job includes as standard:

• Experienced, trained moving crew — no day labourers or subcontractors
• Heavy-duty moving blankets and protective wrapping for all furniture
• Trolleys, dollies, and load-rated securing straps
• Right-sized hydraulic tailgate truck matched to your volume
• Door-to-door billing — no depot-to-depot fees
• Goods in Transit insurance up to $50,000
• Public Liability insurance up to $20 million
• Free furniture disassembly and reassembly assistance
• 7-day-a-week availability including public holidays (rate variation applies)

Specialty Items: Pianos, Pool Tables, and Heavy Furniture

Not all furniture is created equal, and not all removalists are equally equipped to handle the full range. Pianos, pool tables, large marble tables, and antique pieces require specialist handling that goes well beyond standard moves.

A piano, for example, cannot simply be carried. An upright piano typically weighs between 150 and 300 kilograms. Moving one safely requires a professional piano trolley with appropriate ramps, a crew that knows how to distribute the weight and control the movement, and a truck that can accommodate the instrument without it shifting during transit.

Jake Removals has the specialist equipment and training to handle all of these items professionally. An additional charge applies for pianos, pool tables, and large marble tables to account for the extra equipment, time, and care required. If you have specialty items, mention them when requesting a quote so we can bring the right tools and allocate appropriate crew time.

Making Moving Day Go Smoothly

Even with the most professional furniture removals company on the job, how well you prepare your home directly affects how smoothly moving day proceeds. Here are some practical steps that make a genuine difference.

Have Everything Packed Before the Crew Arrives

This sounds obvious but is one of the most common causes of moves running over time and over budget. On an hourly rate, every extra minute the crew spends waiting for you to finish packing is a minute you are paying for. Have all boxes sealed, labelled, and in accessible locations before the crew sets foot inside. If you are weighing up DIY packing or hiring movers to do it for you, that decision is worth making well in advance of moving day.

Be Clear About Access Challenges

Does your current home have narrow stairs? A tight hallway that will require furniture to be carried a particular way? Parking restrictions on the street that mean the truck needs to park a distance from the door? All of these factors affect how long the move takes and how it needs to be planned. Mention them at the quoting stage — not on the day.

Label Every Box With Its Destination Room

A simple but effective way to speed up unloading is to label every box clearly with the room it belongs in at the new property. When the crew arrives at the destination, they can place everything directly without asking questions — and you save hours of shuffling boxes after they leave.

Decide in Advance What Goes Where

Have a plan for where your major furniture pieces will be placed in the new home before the crew arrives. Moving a heavy sofa or a king-size bed frame once the crew has left is a significant undertaking. Use the crew while they are there to position everything correctly the first time.

Storage Solutions for Between Moves

Sometimes the timing of a move does not align perfectly — your settlement date shifts, the new property is not ready, or you are downsizing and need time to decide what to keep. Jake Removals offers flexible mobile and self-storage solutions for exactly these situations.

Our storage facility is fully secured with 24-hour alarm monitoring and video surveillance. Storage units are available in various sizes to suit the volume of your belongings, and we can pack and move your items into storage as part of the same booking — so you are not dealing with multiple companies and multiple sets of logistics.

Get a Free Quote From Jake Removals Today

Ready to book Melbourne’s most trusted furniture removals company? Whether you are looking for a professional service at a competitive rate or searching for a cheap removalist near you that you can actually trust, Jake Removals has the right option. Call us on 1300 766 658 or get in touch online for an instant quote at jakemove.com.au. We operate seven days a week and can accommodate last-minute bookings when availability allows.