Piano Moving
A piano is one of the heaviest and most delicate things in a home at the same time. An upright can run well past 400 pounds and a concert grand past 1,000, and inside that weight sit thousands of moving parts that a single awkward lift can knock out of alignment. Oakley Relocation has been moving pianos across San Diego since 2008, and our crews are trained specifically for them - not treated as another heavy piece of furniture.
Pianos We Move
Our piano movers are trained to move uprights, baby grands and concert pianos using heavy-duty equipment, secure straps and padded protection.
- Upright and spinet pianos - console, studio and full upright models
- Baby grand and parlour grand pianos - legs and lyre removed, body boarded and wrapped
- Concert and semi-concert grands - crew-of-four handling with a purpose-built piano board
- Digital and stage pianos - crated where the finish or electronics need it
- Organs and harpsichords - handled under the same specialty process
How We Move a Piano
Most piano damage happens before the instrument ever reaches the truck. The work is in the preparation and the route, so that is where we spend the time.
- We survey the route first. Doorway widths, stair turns, thresholds and the destination placement are measured before move day, so nothing is improvised with 600 pounds in the air.
- The instrument is prepared, not just wrapped. Lids and keyboards are secured, grand legs and pedal lyres come off, and every surface is padded before a strap goes on.
- It stays upright. A piano is never tilted onto its side - grands travel on their edge on a piano board, which is the position the frame is built to take.
- Weight distribution is planned for. A piano's weight is not even; on a grand most of it sits toward the back, so the lift is balanced around that rather than the middle.
- It is secured for transit. Padded, strapped and braced inside the truck so it cannot shift, with climate-controlled transport available where humidity is a concern.
How Much Does Piano Moving Cost?
Every piano move is quoted individually, because the instrument and the building both change the job. As a general guide:
| Move type | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Local move within San Diego County | $200 - $500 |
| Long-distance or interstate move | $1,000 - $3,000 |
Four things move a quote within those ranges:
- Type of piano. A grand needs more crew, more disassembly and more equipment than an upright.
- Distance. Local work is priced differently from a long-distance move crossing state lines.
- Access. Stairs, tight hallways, narrow doorways and difficult parking all add time and crew.
- Extras. Climate-controlled transport, post-move tuning and storage between homes are priced on top.
These are guide figures rather than a quote. The only way to price a piano move accurately is to tell us the instrument and see the access at both ends - which costs you nothing. Request a free estimate and we will give you a real number.
Why Piano Moving Is Not a DIY Job
It is tempting to save the money with friends and a rented dolly. The arithmetic rarely works out. A dropped or mishandled piano damages the soundboard, the action or the case - repairs that routinely cost more than the move - and the injury risk with that much weight on a staircase is real. Professional movers carry the equipment, the technique and the insurance for exactly this.
If you want the detail behind the process, our guide to piano moving walks through what is involved step by step.
Piano Moving Across Southern California
We move pianos throughout San Diego County and into Orange County and the Inland Empire - and anywhere in the country as part of a long-distance relocation. Pianos are one of several specialty items we handle, alongside antiques, fine art and safes.
Get a Piano Moving Quote
Tell us the make, model and where it has to go, and we will put together a no-obligation estimate. Contact us or call 1.858.360.1569 to speak to someone who moves pianos for a living.
