Piano moves, route planned first
Piano Movers in Edmonton
A piano is heavy, top-heavy and delicate inside, and most of the risk is on the route out of the house, not in the truck. Good piano movers in Edmonton plan that route first: the stairs, the turns, the doorways and, for much of the year, the cold. Men In Trucks moves pianos on their own or with a home move, with a written quote before moving day.
- Local Edmonton crews
- Founded in Ottawa in 2010
- Written quote before moving day
- Pianos alone or with a home move
A blanket-wrapped, banded dresser (photographed in Ottawa): the same full cover a piano case needs.
Piano types and what moving each one involves
An upright and a grand are moved in different ways, so start with what you have. The maker's name is usually on the fallboard, the hinged cover over the keys.
| Piano type | Typical size | What moving it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Spinet | Under about 100 cm (39 in) tall | The smallest upright, still heavy for its size. It moves standing up, wrapped, on a padded dolly. |
| Console | About 100–110 cm (40–43 in) | Like a spinet, but some have free-standing front legs that can crack if it is dragged, so it is lifted, not pushed. |
| Studio upright | About 110–120 cm (44–47 in) | Taller, with the weight sitting high, so it is top-heavy on a dolly and on stairs. |
| Full upright | About 120 cm (48 in) or taller | The tallest and usually heaviest uprights, including many older ones. Stairs and door headroom decide the plan. |
| Baby grand | About 150–170 cm (5–5.5 ft) long | Lid, legs and lyre (the pedal assembly) come off. The body travels on its straight side on a padded piano board, strapped in place. |
| Grand | About 170–275 cm (5.5–9 ft) long | The same method with a longer, heavier body. Doorways, turning room and elevator depth are checked first. |
Typical ranges; makers vary, so measure yours.
Uprights vs grands: two different moves
Moving an upright piano
It travels standing up, lid closed and case fully wrapped, lifted onto a padded dolly rather than rolled on its own casters, which are not made for floors or door sills. The hard parts are tipping it onto the dolly and controlling it on stairs.
Moving a grand piano
A proper grand move is partly disassembly: the lid, music desk, legs and lyre come off, and the body is strapped on its side to a padded piano board. At the other end it is reassembled and checked for level.
For a grand, a player piano or an antique, tell us the make, type and size; we will confirm in writing.
What to ask piano movers in Edmonton before you book
Whoever you hire, a proper piano move uses:
- Padded blankets over the whole case, taped or banded so they stay put
- A low piano dolly with non-marking wheels for an upright
- A padded piano board, sometimes called a skid, and straps for a grand
- Straps to secure the piano inside the truck
- Floor and door-frame protection
- Enough people for the hardest part, usually the stairs
Men In Trucks mover with wrapped furniture (photographed in Ottawa).
Questions worth asking any piano mover
- How will the piano be wrapped, and what will it be carried on?
- Who takes a grand apart and puts it back together?
- Are the stairs at both addresses included in the quote?
- Is the quote in writing, and what could change it?
Men In Trucks Moving Inc. has moved families and businesses since 2010 in Ottawa and has now launched in Edmonton with local crews. Moving more than a piano? Browse our Edmonton moving services.
Stairs, basements, walk-ups and tight turns
About half of Edmonton's homes are single-detached houses and a third are apartments, mostly in duplexes or buildings under five storeys (Statistics Canada, 2021 Census). So a piano's route is often front steps, a basement stairway or a walk-up, not a level hallway.
Basements and walk-ups
Basement stairs often pair a landing turn with low headroom; in a walk-up, every flight adds carrying time. Tell us the floor, the steps and the tightest turn. Moving the whole house? See moving a family home.
Elevator buildings
Check the elevator's inside depth and posted capacity, because a grand on its board is long and heavy. Most condo and apartment buildings set their own move rules (elevator bookings, time windows, deposits or fees) through bylaws or building rules. Check with your property manager early, and see apartment and condo moves.
From the truck to the door
A piano dolly rolls badly on grass, gravel or snow, so a long or uneven path from the truck adds time and people. The City's Zoning Bylaw does not allow parking on a landscaped front yard (City of Edmonton). Edmonton's Traffic Bylaw lets commercial vehicles stop to load and unload with hazard lights on. We plan the truck position before move day.
Not sure it will fit? Take photos of the piano, the stairs and the tightest doorway, and email them to [email protected] or send them when we reply to your quote request; we will confirm the plan in writing.
Measure before you book: a piano checklist
Have these ready when you ask for a quote:
- Type and maker. Upright or grand, and the brand on the fallboard.
- Piano size. Height, width and depth for an upright; keyboard-to-tail length and width for a grand.
- Doorways. The clear width with the door fully open, at both addresses.
- Stairs. Steps, landings and turns, the narrowest width and the lowest headroom, inside and out.
- Elevator. Inside depth, width and height, door width and posted capacity. Then book it.
- Path to the truck. Driveway or street, any lawn, gravel or front steps, and likely ice or snow.
- New spot and photos. Where it goes (ideally away from heat vents and direct sun), plus photos of the piano and both routes. Clear the top and empty the bench.
Cold weather, settling in and tuning
The average January daily low is about −17.7 °C (Environment and Climate Change Canada 1981–2010 normals, Edmonton International Airport; the city centre runs slightly warmer), so keep a piano out of the cold as much as possible: wrapped, carried out only when the truck is ready, and left in a cold truck for as short a time as the load plan allows. Indoors, let it reach room temperature before anyone plays it. For ice and parking bans, see our guide to moving in an Edmonton winter.
Tuning after the move
Book a tuning once the piano has had time to settle into its new room; your piano technician can advise how long to wait. Pitch shifts with temperature and humidity, so the new room affects how well it holds its tune.
What sets the cost of piano moving in Edmonton
There is no one-size-fits-all piano price. Your quote is built from:
- Type and size. Grands add time to take apart and reassemble.
- Stairs and turns. Often the biggest factor, at both ends.
- Access. Elevator bookings, long carries, narrow doorways and outdoor steps.
- Distance between the two addresses.
- Alone or with a move. A piano added to a home move shares the truck and crew.
- Date and season. Winter access and busy dates shape the plan.
Your written quote shows the cost before anything is booked. For how prices are built and compared, see our Edmonton moving cost guide.
Leaving the province? On long-distance moves from Edmonton, the piano is part of the one written flat quote for your move. Have a safe or treadmill too? See moving a safe or home gym.
What never to do when moving a piano
Piano moves that go wrong usually involve one of these:
- Rolling an upright on its own casters
- Lifting by the lid, the keyboard ledge or the legs
- Tipping a grand onto its side with the legs still attached
- Taking stairs with too few people and no plan for the landings
- Leaving it in a cold truck, garage or driveway in winter
- Removing the action or keys to lighten it; that is technician work
The cheapest way to move a piano, honestly
Doing it yourself costs least on paper, but if someone strains a back or the piano tips on a landing, that cost is yours. If you are hiring, the lowest-cost option is usually to add the piano to a home move you are already booking, with the route measured in advance. If an old piano needs major repairs, ask a piano technician whether it is worth moving first.
Piano moving questions
How much does it cost to move a piano in Edmonton?
It depends on the piano and the route: the type and size, the stairs and turns at each end, the distance, and whether it moves alone or with the rest of your home. Share those details when you request your quote, and your written quote will show the cost before anything is booked.
Can a piano be moved up or down stairs?
Usually, yes. The number of steps, any landing or turn, the narrowest width and the headroom decide how it is carried and how many people it takes. Measure the tightest point, have photos ready to send when we reply to your quote request, and we will confirm the plan in writing.
Can you move grand and baby grand pianos?
Tell us the make, type and size, including the keyboard-to-tail length, and we will confirm in writing before anything is booked. A proper grand move takes off the lid, legs and lyre, carries the body on its side on a padded piano board, then reassembles it in the new room.
What is the cheapest way to move a piano?
Often it is adding the piano to a home move you are already booking and having the route measured and clear. Doing it yourself looks cheaper, but a piano is heavy and top-heavy, and a slip on the stairs can injure people and damage the piano, floors and walls.
Should I tune my piano after moving it?
Yes, but not right away. Book a tuning once the piano has had time to settle into its new room; your piano technician can advise how long to wait. Keep it away from heat vents and direct sun while it adjusts.
Ready to move your piano?
Tell us about your piano and get a written quote before moving day.
More Edmonton moving services
Men In Trucks Moving Inc. in Edmonton
Edmonton office: Suite 3400, 10180 101 Street NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 3S4 · Local Edmonton crews · Phone (587) 329-2113 · Email [email protected]
