How to Prepare Your Piano (and Your Home) for Piano Movers

A professional crew brings the equipment and the know-how, but the person who knows the house best is you. A little preparation makes the quote more accurate, the move faster and the piano safer. Use this checklist in the days before your piano movers arrive, whether the piano is going across Nashville, out to Franklin or Murfreesboro, or just upstairs.

Gather the details for your quote

Start with what the mover needs to plan the job:

• The type of piano: spinet, console, studio, full upright, baby grand or grand.
• The brand and model, usually printed on the fallboard above the keys or inside the case.
• For a grand, the length from the front of the keyboard to the end of the tail.
• The full address at both ends, including floor or unit numbers.

If you are not sure which type you have, our upright vs. grand guide explains the differences.

Take photos for the quote

Photos answer questions that would otherwise need a visit. Send:

• The piano from the front and the side, showing the space around it.
• Every staircase on the route, from the bottom and from the top.
• Tight doorways, hallway corners and any steps at the entrance.
• The outside path from the door to where a truck can park.

Measure the path

Measure from where the piano sits now to the door, and from the door at the new address to the spot where the piano will go:

• The clear width of each doorway with the door fully open.
• Hallway widths, especially at corners.
• The number of steps, inside and outside, and any landings or turns.
• For a grand, the space available to turn in hallways and at the top and bottom of stairs.

Note anything unusual: a low ceiling over a staircase, a railing that cannot be removed, a step down into a sunken living room, a narrow gate.

Clear the route

Before the crew arrives, at both addresses:

• Move rugs, furniture, plants and decor out of the path.
• Take down pictures and mirrors on narrow hallway walls the piano will pass.
• Make sure doors can stay fully open, and plan to prop or remove storm doors if needed.
• Clear hoses, toys, ice or debris from outdoor steps and walkways.

Prepare the piano itself

• Remove everything from the top of the piano: photos, lamps, plants, metronomes and sheet music.
• Empty the bench and any storage compartment. The bench is moved separately.
• Close the fallboard over the keys and close the lid. If the piano has a lock and key, lock it and keep the key with you, not inside the piano.
• Do not try to remove the legs, lyre or pedals of a grand yourself. Leave that to the crew.

Plan for parking and access

Find out where a moving truck can park at both addresses, as close to the entrance as possible. In apartment and condo buildings, reserve the elevator and loading area and ask about building rules or time windows. In neighborhoods with HOA rules, including many newer subdivisions around Franklin, Spring Hill and Mt. Juliet, check truck parking rules before moving day.

Keep pets and kids clear

A piano in motion needs an empty path and the crew's full attention. Keep pets closed in a room or with a friend, and keep young children away from the route until the piano is set in place.

Choose the right spot in the new room

Decide where the piano will go before the crew arrives, so it is placed once and not dragged around later. As general guidance, a good spot is:

• Away from heating and cooling vents, radiators and fireplaces.
• Out of direct sunlight, which can fade the finish and heat the case.
• Away from exterior doors and drafty windows.
• On an interior wall when possible, since interior walls tend to stay at a steadier temperature.

Mark the spot with painter's tape so everyone knows exactly where it goes. Once the piano is in place, give it time to adjust before calling a tuner. Our guide to piano tuning after moving explains how long to wait.

Moving within the same house?

If the piano is only going to another room or another floor, most of this checklist still applies, because stairs and turns are what make those jobs demanding. See our in-home piano moving service and our guide to moving a piano on stairs.

Request your quote

Once you have the details and photos together, you are ready. Messolar moves upright and grand pianos in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, plans the route before moving day and gives you a written quote. Request a piano moving quote and attach your photos.