A piano is the item people most often try to move themselves and most often regret. They are heavy, top-heavy, surprisingly delicate inside, and they have a habit of getting stuck on the second turn of a staircase. A proper piano removal is mostly planning, and very little of it happens on the day itself.
This guide explains how we approach piano moves across Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Teesside from our Birtley yard, what we need from you, and why we will occasionally say that a route is not safe before you book.
Upright or grand: why it matters
Upright pianos are tall and narrow, with most of their weight low in the frame. Baby grands are wide and shallow and usually travel on their side on a board, with the legs and lyre removed. The type decides the crew size, the equipment and whether a doorway that looks wide enough actually is.
The route survey comes first
Before anyone lifts anything we look at the route from where the piano stands to where the van parks, and the same at the delivery end. That means door widths, hallway turns, stair turns and landings, whether a bannister needs removing, the floor surfaces that need protection, and where the van can sit.
Photos and measurements from you are often enough for a straightforward ground-floor move. A first floor flat, a tight Victorian terrace or a split-level house is where a proper look pays for itself.
Crew and equipment
Some items should never be a two person lift with a blanket and hope. We bring the crew size the job needs and the straps, skates and boards to go with it, plus floor protection for the route. Our Luton vans have tail lifts, which removes the most dangerous lift of all: getting the piano up into the van.
Stairs, steps and narrow access
Stairs are where piano moves go wrong. Straight flights are manageable with the right crew; turning stairs, narrow landings and outside steps need careful planning. Garden steps up to a front door and rear lane access are common in North East terraces, and both are factored into the survey rather than discovered on the day.
When we will say no
If we do not think a piano can be moved safely by the route available, we will tell you before you book, not halfway down a staircase. Sometimes the answer is a different route, such as a patio door, and occasionally it is that the move needs a different approach altogether. Saying so up front protects the instrument, your house and our crew.
Preparing for the day
- Clear the route: rugs, small furniture, pictures near corners.
- Close and lock the lid if it has a key; remove anything from the top.
- Keep children and pets out of the way while the piano is moving.
- Plan a place for it at the new home, away from radiators and direct sun.
- Book a tuner for a few weeks after, once the instrument has settled.
Piano as part of a house move
Many piano moves happen as part of a full house removal. In that case we plan the piano as its own item within the move, often loading it first or last depending on the route. Our guide to moving pets, plants and pianos covers the other awkward members of the household.
All piano and specialist item work is carried out under goods in transit and public liability insurance.
Common questions
Related services
- Piano and Specialist Moves in Newcastle — Pianos, safes, antiques and awkward heavy items moved with the right crew and the right kit.
- Removals in Newcastle — Small or large home moves over short or long distances — fully insured.
Areas this applies to
- Newcastle — NE1 / NE2 / NE3 / NE4 / NE5 / NE6 / NE7
- Washington — NE37 / NE38
- Gateshead — NE8 / NE9 / NE10 / NE11