The Short Answer
On our estimates, moving an upright piano locally costs about £80 to £200, or £200 to £450 over a long distance. A grand or baby grand is £150 to £500 or more. Stairs can add £100 to £300.
I'd use a crew that moves pianos regularly. Even a compact upright weighs over 200kg, and the hard part is usually the route through each house rather than the journey.
Piano moving prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Upright piano, local | £80 to £200 |
| Upright piano, long distance | £200 to £450 |
| Grand or baby grand, local | £150 to £500 |
| Extra for stairs | £100 to £300 |
Why it needs the right crew
Pianos are heavier than most people expect. Yamaha's current U1 and U3 uprights weigh 228kg and 246kg, and its CX grands 290kg to 415kg.
Britannia Bradshaw, a BAR-member remover, describes the difficult part as the route through each property, not the road journey: weight distribution, castors, delicate finishes and awkward dimensions make improvised lifting a poor plan. The British Association of Removers runs a two-day course for removal crews that includes the theory and practice of moving upright and grand pianos safely. I'd ask whoever quotes whether the crew moving yours moves pianos regularly.
What makes one piano move dearer than another
The same remover lists what decides the price, and says there's no useful flat price for every piano move:
- The piano: its type, size and condition. With a baby grand, the body, legs, pedal assembly and where it's going all need thinking about before it moves.
- Access: floors, steps, tight turns and whether there's a lift.
- Distance between collection and delivery.
- Parking, how far it has to be carried from the van, and any timed access.
- The preparation, team and equipment the job needs.
Getting an accurate quote
Give the mover:
- the type of piano, its make and rough dimensions if you know them;
- both postcodes, the floor at each end, and any steps or tight turns;
- where they can park and how far it is to each door;
- your preferred date and any fixed collection or delivery times.
They may ask for photos. Don't move the piano yourself to measure it. I'd then get a written, fixed price that says whether stairs are included, so nothing gets added on the day.
Moving house with a piano
A piano can be planned alongside your household move or handled as a separate specialist job. Either way, I'd mention it at the removals survey so it's priced in from the start. See house removals. For other heavy items, such as a safe or a large sofa, I'd ask a man and van with a bigger crew whether they can take it.
Getting rid of a piano
If the piano isn't worth moving, clearance firms list taking one away as a priced extra: see house clearance for the item prices.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to move a piano?
On our estimates, £80 to £200 for an upright piano locally and £150 to £500 for a grand.
Will a normal removal company move a piano?
Some removal firms offer piano moves as a specialist service. Ask whether the crew moves pianos regularly: the British Association of Removers trains removal crews specifically in moving uprights and grands.
How much extra do stairs add to a piano move?
Often £100 to £300 on our estimates. Ask whether stairs are in the quote.
How heavy is a piano?
Yamaha's current U1 and U3 uprights weigh 228kg and 246kg, and its CX grands 290kg to 415kg.
How we priced thisView sources (4)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- IndustryU Series upright pianos: specifications, Yamaha UK. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryCX Series grand pianos: specifications, Yamaha UK. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustryPiano removals Manchester, Britannia Bradshaw Removals & Storage (BAR member). Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- IndustrySpecialist packing and transporting pianos (training course), British Association of Removers. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
