A grand piano serves double duty as a musical instrument and an aesthetically pleasing focal point of a room. If you are lucky enough to own a grand, you must make sure that any time the piano is moved, even to another room, that you seek the help of licensed and insured piano movers or you risk damaging the majestic instrument.

While a grand piano is a huge piece of equipment, its parts are also delicate and the slightest error in moving the instrument can cause damage to precious wood and metal parts. The following primer on moving a grand piano can help you organize moving the instrument to another location.

Provide Specifications to Movers

While you may only need to hire a few movers to transport a small spinet or upright piano, a full-size concert grand piano will require several strong and experienced professionals in order to move the instrument safely. To help movers determine what type of manpower they will need, provide them with the measurements and model number of the piano when you call to get an estimate.

If you do not have the original paperwork from your piano, you can find the model number on the instrument. For a grand piano, the standard location for a model number is under the lid on the gold-colored cast iron plate above the keyboard in between the tuning pins.

Manufacturers of grand pianos can also provide you with the age, history and manufacturing background of your instrument based on the serial number. This information can be helpful to movers as they plan how to transport the device because they will know exactly how much the piano weighs, what type of materials were used to make it and if there has been any manufacturer-completed restoration work on the instrument.

Be Aware of the Challenges of Moving Grands and Make Special Arrangements

The process of getting your grand piano out of your home or apartment will be more complicated than moving a spinet or upright instrument. First of all, grand pianos are much heavier than other types of pianos. They are long and have a different center of gravity than other types of pianos.

Grands can range in length from five and a half feet to nearly nine feet. In addition, a full-size concert grand weighs nearly a half ton. A custom-made grand piano may be even longer and heavier. Liberace's famous rhinestone-covered concert grand is nine feet long and weighs more than 1,100 pounds.

Because of its odd size, a grand piano may not fit through doorways or on stairwells. This is another major reason why it is imperative to only hire movers that specialize in pianos to transport it.

If the instrument cannot fit through doorways, the movers will have to find an alternate way to get the instrument out of your house and onto a truck. It may be necessary for them to hoist the main parts of the piano out a window using a crane.

If you live in a high-rise building, you need to contact your landlord, co-op board or condo association to get permission for movers to move the piano out of windows. Arrangements to clear the sidewalk and side streets must also be made before you move the instrument. In addition, check with your local government to find out if you need to apply for a permit to cordon off the sidewalk.

Get Supplemental Insurance

In general, movers provide a certain level of insurance coverage in the final cost of transporting your piano. However, a concert or antique grand piano may be worth much more than what the mover's insurance covers.

Even a baby grand can be worth over $20,000. When it comes to concert grands, depending on the condition, model and brand of your instrument, an instrument can be worth over $80,000.

Make sure you protect your priceless instrument by buying supplemental coverage before the move. If you inherited the piano from a beloved relative, in your mind, the instrument may be priceless. Investing in supplemental insurance should be a no-brainer.

If you have a homeowner's insurance policy that covers moves, you may be able to add a rider to cover the piano. However, there are also insurance companies that specialize in coverage for musical instruments. For more information about moving a piano, contact a company like Christos & Christos Moving and Storage.

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