Moving A Piano
Moving a piano is not a task to be undertaken lightly. Piano's are sensitive instruments with fragile cases that can easily be damaged, not to mention the damage one can do to your walls and floors if it is mishandled.
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Piano's are heavy and bulky!
Moving a piano without the help of a professional can be a logistics nightmare. Depending on the type of piano, one can weigh anywhere from 500 to over 1000 pounds! And it's an awkward shape to maneuver around doorways and up and down stairs. Sure, you could get a bunch of strong guys to help you lift it, but can you really get it down the hall and out the door?
Professionals have special tools to use when moving a piano. One of these is called a piano board.
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This is a special pallet that the piano is strapped to to protect it and make it a bit easy to grasp.
It can then be loaded onto a dolly for an easier move.
Sometimes, moving a piano requires a hoist and crane to move it out bhrough a window. Obviously, you wouldn't want to try this yourself so a professional must be called in. They know how to rig it up and can insure that your piece does not get damaged.
If you do decide to hire a professional for moving a piano, make sure you get a written contract. Take good photos of the piano before the move. This is in case of damage during the move, you will have proof that it was not damaged prior to the move. Go over the piano with a fine tooth comb with the mover before he even touches it. Make sure you take note of any parts that are removed from the piano for the move. Sometimes they will remove pedals or other parts and you want to make sure they don't forget to give them to you and drive off in the truck with them!
You may have to have the piano tuned after moving it, but it is more likely that it will need this after it has acclimated to it's new home. Differences in humidity and temperature can effect any instrument so it's not unusual to see a difference after a couple of weeks.
Generally, moving a piano to a new place whether it be the house next door or across the country should be done by a professional. It is expensive, but attempting to do it yourself could actually end up costing you more in the long run!
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