Your piano is likely one of your most prized possessions. It’s also one of the most sensitive, like many musical instruments tend to be. Since pianos are susceptible to damage, they should only be moved with professional-level care.

It may be tempting to avoid hiring a professional Houston piano moving crew and its associated costs. However, whether the instrument is being moved across the country or just across town, there are several reasons why it makes sense to bring in an experienced moving team.

Four reasons to hire professional Houston movers for a piano include:

1) Professional Piano Movers Can Save Clients Money

Yes, it may sound counterintuitive, but a professional moving company can actually save their client money while moving a piano. This is true even if the instrument is just going to another part of the house.

Think of it this way – if you’re going to move a piano without professional assistance, you’ll need plenty of hands for the job. Many pianos weigh more than 1,000 pounds – well beyond the capabilities of two or three people. Just gathering enough people for the move can be time-consuming, assuming they’re willing to work for free.

Beyond the logistics, you’ll probably need specialized equipment to manage the process. The typical furniture or appliance dolly isn’t going to cut it. Piano dollies are the choice for professional teams and are designed to safely distribute the instrument’s weight during the task. They’re built with heavy duty casters designed to take a piano’s considerable bulk. Unsurprisingly, it’s far easier (and safer) to move piano using a dedicated dolly. Finding and renting out this equipment is another cost to keep in mind.

There are other potential costs that may be encountered during the job, too. Any damage to the instrument or building will come out of the owner’s pocket, obviously, as well as any medical costs should an injury occur. If the piano is damaged during the move, or the instrument is jostled extensively, chances are that the instrument will require some repairs and tuning to restore its sound quality. That’s another cost to consider.

In summary, the cost of professionals moving a piano is invaluable for the peace of mind owners will have knowing that the instrument will be handled properly and safely.

2) Professionals Have the Resources and Skill to Move Pianos Safely

Experienced piano movers have been through it all. They’ve carried full grands down narrow staircases. They’ve extracted studio pianos out of tight classrooms and through impossible doorways. They’ve even used specialized cranes for those times where the instrument would only fit through an open window.

There can be major difficulties during a piano move, in other words, especially if the instrument must be removed from the house. When this is the case, the moving team may need to disassemble parts of the piano (usually the legs) before it can be moved to another place. If this step isn’t handled properly, there is a high risk of damage to the piano. The legs may warp or snap as they’re subjected to additional weight. The piano body may be dinged. If the instrument is dropped, it may badly damage the floor and the piano.

Pianos aren’t just delicate, they’re difficult to move without the right resources in place. Those resources include adequate manpower, the aforementioned equipment, and everything needed to safely transport the instrument to another location. If this is another building, professional piano movers will have a truck well-designed for taking a piano (i.e., large enough and wide enough). Professionals will also have tie-downs and other items needed for adequately securing the piano.

With these measures in place, professionals are ready for any piano moving job.

3) Hiring a Professional Piano Mover Means No Risk of Injury

The heavier and bulkier the item, the more likely it will cause injury while being moved. And again, we’re talking about something that weighs half a ton. It takes considerable coordination between everyone involved to smoothly move something that weighs so much. If one person lifts while another is resting, they may throw their back out or slip in the process. If someone loses their grip, all 1,000 pounds of piano may come crashing down on someone else’s foot.

When moving, DIYers may justify the injury risk to themselves, but it’s harder to justify that risk on the behalf of other people. And as the property owner, you may be responsible for any accidents that occur during the job.

This is a good reason to hire a licensed, insured professional for your piano move. Insured movers assume responsibility for accidents or damages that occur during a project, while uninsured movers, friends and family do not.

Given the risk of injury involved, many piano owners decide it isn’t worth putting their body on the line – especially if there are other moving tasks to take care of. Leave the piano to the professionals and you’ll be physically ready for less risky jobs.

4) Professionals Speed Up the Piano Moving Process

With their equipment and experience, expert piano movers are able to tackle a job as soon as they know what they’re dealing with. There’s no delay in getting the instrument disassembled and loaded up on the dolly. And there’s no delay in getting the piano underway to the new location. In all, piano moving professionals offer a degree of efficiency that untrained movers cannot – efficiency that can shave a lot of time off the project. If time is a critical priority, the best way to save as much of it as possible is to hire a professional piano moving crew.

Moving a Piano Can Be Worry-free with a Professional Moving Company

There are many considerations when moving a piano. There’s the size of the piano to consider, the equipment needed to safely move it, the potential for accidents and injury, the time and energy required to accomplish the job, the experience needed to anchor the piano securely inside the truck, and more.

With so many challenges to overcome, the most convenient approach for most homeowners is to bring in a professional Houston moving company. With a reputable, experienced Houston moving team providing the know-how and muscle, your piano will sound just as sweet on the other side of the move.