A piano is the only piece of household furniture that can be permanently damaged by a careless move. They are heavy (300 to 1,200 pounds), top-heavy when tilted, and the action and soundboard are sensitive to shock and humidity. Here is what a real piano move costs in 2026 across Seattle, Tacoma, and the South Sound, and what a careful one actually looks like.
Typical price ranges in 2026
- Spinet or console upright (300 to 400 lb), ground floor to ground floor, same city: $275 to $425.
- Studio or full-size upright (400 to 600 lb), ground floor: $375 to $550.
- Baby grand (500 to 650 lb), ground floor or single flight: $475 to $700.
- Full grand or concert grand (700 to 1,200 lb), single flight: $625 to $1,200.
- Stairs surcharge: add $50 to $125 per flight beyond the first.
- Long carry (more than 75 feet from door to truck): add $50 to $150.
- Tight access (narrow stairwells, sharp turns, roof-deck pianos): quoted on site after a walk-through.
What actually drives the price
Three things, in order of impact:
- Type and weight of the piano. Uprights move on a piano dolly with two crew. Grands need a skid board, the legs come off, and the lyre detaches — three crew, longer prep, more equipment.
- Access at both ends. Stairs, doorways, turning radius, and elevator availability all add labor time. Most Seattle condos with elevators are easier than older Tacoma craftsmen with three steps and a porch turn.
- Distance and drive time. Local moves (within a city) are flat-rate. Cross-city moves (e.g., Tacoma to Seattle) add drive time on both ends and may add a per-mile charge for very long routes.
How a careful piano move actually goes
For an upright:
- Pre-move walk: confirm the path, measure doorways and stair turns, check humidity at both ends.
- Wrap the piano in moving blankets and secure with stretch wrap. Pad the corners and the keyboard area.
- Tilt onto a heavy-duty piano dolly. Two crew take the weight; one steers and one stabilizes.
- Roll out, navigate stairs with stair-climbing technique (one crew below, one above, controlled descent).
- Strap into the truck against the wall, padded against shifting.
- Reverse the process at the destination. Set in place, remove wrap, do not unwrap until the piano has acclimated for 30 to 60 minutes.
For a grand piano:
- Detach the lyre (pedal assembly), the legs (3), and any accessory fittings. Each piece is wrapped separately.
- Tip the piano onto its bass side and slide onto a piano skid board (a padded board sized to the piano).
- Strap the piano to the skid board. The piano now lifts and rolls as one unit.
- Navigate to the truck — three crew minimum on a baby grand, four on a full grand.
- Reassemble at the destination on a clean, level surface. Tune the piano 2 to 4 weeks after the move once it has settled.
Insurance and humidity matter more than crew speed
Most piano damage during a move is not from drops — it is from temperature and humidity swings during transit. We move pianos with the truck climate-controlled when humidity is below 30% or above 70% outside. We also recommend insuring the piano specifically (most homeowners policies cap at $1,000 to $2,500 for high-value items, which is well below replacement for a quality grand).
FAQ
- Can you move a piano alone if I help?
- No. Piano moving requires two-to-four trained movers depending on size. The leverage required for stair work and doorway turns cannot be safely managed by a homeowner without injury risk. We do offer hands-on labor-only crews for general moving, but pianos are quoted as a specialty service.
- Do you take pianos that are being disposed of?
- Yes. End-of-life pianos (water damage, irreparable action, no longer wanted) can be disposed of. Disposal fee is similar to a regular piano move because the work is the same, ending at the transfer station rather than a new home.
- How far in advance should I book?
- A week or two is usually enough for Tacoma, Puyallup, and Federal Way. Seattle proper and Bellevue benefit from 2 to 3 weeks of lead time, especially for grands or buildings that require elevator reservations.
- What about stairs in older Capitol Hill buildings?
- Common job. Pre-war brownstones in Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, and First Hill regularly have steep wooden stairs with sharp turns. We do a pre-move walk to confirm the path and adjust the crew size before quoting.
- Does the price include re-tuning?
- No. Tuning is best done 2 to 4 weeks after the move once the piano has settled in the new room. We can refer a piano tuner in any of our service cities.