How Many People Does It Take to Move a Piano?

Moving bulky items such as pianos always requires special preparation and planning. The number of people involved in moving the piano varies depending on its weight and the presence of stairs in the building. The weight of a piano depends on the material it is made of. Our professional movers in Walnut Creek are specially trained to transport heavy items like pianos. With us, you don't have to worry about transporting your piano. However, if you choose to do it yourself, to discover how many people does it take to move a piano, you should know the piano type. As a rule, to move a piano, you need at least four people. Check out our article to find out how to move an upright piano and other piano types.

Piano Types

Before you move a piano, you need to determine its type to hire the necessary people to move a piano. The point is that by knowing the type of piano, it is possible to determine its weight, which makes it easier to count how many people to move a piano you need.

Main piano types:

• Spinet piano
• Console piano
• Studio piano
• Classic upright
• Horizontal piano
• Baby Grand piano
• Semi-Concert piano

Spinet piano

This piano type is one of the smallest. It is about 3 ft high and 4 ft 10 in long. The typical weight of the Spinet Piano is about 200-300 lbs. Moving a Spinet Piano is quite easy; it requires only two strong people.

Console Piano

This type of instrument is a little taller. The height of Console Pianos ranges from 3 ft 4 in to 3 ft 7 in. The weight does not greatly exceed the weight of a standard Spinet Piano. Usually, two strong people are enough to handle a Console Piano in case there are no stairs or obstacles. Consider that if there is even one flight of stairs, you will need at least one extra person for help.

Studio Piano

Studio type is already of such a size that to move it, you need at least three people from the start. This type is considered one of the most common upright piano types due to the great compromise between size and tone. All Studio Pianos are about the same length - from 3 ft 9 in to 4 ft tall. Usually, they weigh up to 400 pounds.

Classic Upright

If you need to move an upright piano, you should consider the fact that this type is one of the heaviest. Classic models are the largest in the upright group. Classic Upright instruments can weigh 500lb or more, depending on the used material. How to move an Upright Piano if it is so heavy? You will need at least four people for the process. Moreover, if you plan to move an upright piano upstairs, it is better to have one or two extra movers. Of course, moving such a heavy piano costs more. If you are interested in how much to move an upright piano, consider the cost from $500 to $1,000.

Horizontal Piano

Due to the difficult shape of horizontal pianos, it is usually necessary to disassemble them before the move. This, of course, requires the service of experts with special equipment. The moving of one of the smallest horizontal models, Petite Grand, requires at least three movers. The weight of a typical Horizontal Piano is about 200-300 pounds.

Baby Grand Piano

Baby Grand type is the next generation of horizontal models. Typically, Baby Grand is up to 5 ft 7 in and weighs 500lb or more. To move such a piano, it is better to remove the legs and pedals first. The moving process will require three-four people.

Semi-Concert Piano

Semi-Concert Piano moving requires at least six strong movers. This type weighs up to 900 pounds and is about 7 ft in size.