skip to content link

How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano in Virginia?

Most local piano moves cost about $150 to $650, and long-distance piano moves run from about $500 to $2,500 or more, based on national cost guides from HomeAdvisor and Extra Space. HomeAdvisor puts the national average at $426. Where your move lands in that range depends on the piano, the stairs at each end, and how far it is going.


This guide breaks down those costs for Virginia moves, from a spinet in a Williamsburg apartment to a grand piano headed out of state. The figures below are published national ranges, not The Other Moving Company's prices. For an exact number, we walk through the move with you in person or by video and give you an estimate.

Piano Moving Costs by Type

The type and size of the piano drive the price more than anything else, because they decide how many movers, how much equipment, and how much time the job needs.

Piano type Typical weight Local move Long distance move
Spinet or console 200 to 450 lbs $150 to $300 $500 to $700
Upright 500 to 800 lbs $150 to $350 $500 to $1,200
Baby grand 500 to 600 lbs $250 to $500 $800 to $2,000
Grand (living room to concert) 600 to 1,200 lbs $300 to $650 $1,200 to $2,500+

 

Cost ranges combine HomeAdvisor (updated June 2026) and Extra Space (updated December 2025). Weights come from HireAHelper (updated July 2025). These are national planning figures, not quotes.

What Changes the Price of a Piano Move

Stairs and Steps

Stairs at either home add to the price. Cost guides list $40 to $100 per flight of stairs, or $5 to $10 per step, and HomeGuide adds $25 to $80 for each turn in a staircase. In flood-prone parts of coastal Virginia, the stairs may be outside. In Poquoson alone, 567 homes were raised above flood level after Hurricane Isabel, according to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. Count every step at both homes, inside and out.

Driveways, Doorways and Access

If the truck cannot park close, the piano has to travel farther on a dolly. Extra Space lists $40 to $240 for gravel, grass or steep driveways and $40 to $150 for tight doorways or narrow hallways. A long gravel drive on a rural Gloucester County property is the kind of detail to mention up front.

Distance

Cost guides list roughly $1.50 to $3 per mile for local piano moves and $2 to $10 per mile for longer ones. On a local move the drive is short, so the piano and the access at each end account for most of the price. On a long distance move, the miles take over.

Disassembly, Crating and Special Equipment

Grand pianos usually have their legs and pedal lyre removed for the move, which Extra Space prices at $80 to $100 for disassembly and reassembly. Custom crating for a long-distance move runs $700 to $1,200, and a crane or pulley for an upper-story window can cost $500 to $1,700.

Timing

Extra Space notes that peak season, May through September, and weekend moves can cost 10 to 15 percent more, and a rush job can add $300 to $700. If your date is flexible, a weekday outside the summer rush is the easiest place to save.

Local and Long Distance Piano Moves in Virginia

A local move covers trips like Williamsburg to Yorktown or Hayes to Gloucester Courthouse. On these moves, the type of piano, the stairs, and the path to the truck matter more than the miles.

A move out of state is a different job. Interstate household goods movers must be registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and ours are US DOT 915026 and MC 396031. As a North American Van Lines agent, we handle long distance moves from Virginia, and the piano can travel with the rest of your household. If your new home is not ready when the truck arrives, ask about storage so the piano is not left in a garage or shed.

Protect the Piano's Value

For interstate moves, federal rules set a basic level of mover liability called Released Value Protection. According to the FMCSA, it covers no more than 60 cents per pound per article. At that rate, a 500-pound upright would be covered for $300 at most, no matter what it is worth. Full Value Protection makes the mover responsible for replacement value instead. Ask which option your quote includes and what an upgrade costs, and see our Virginia moving insurance guide for the details.

After the Move: Tuning and Humidity

Plan to tune the piano after the move, but not right away. Piano Buyer notes that a new room’s humidity affects a piano over several days to several weeks, and a piano tuned right after a move will probably drift out of tune within a couple of weeks. Cost guides put a post-move tuning at about $100 to $200.

Where the piano sits helps it settle. The Piano Technicians Guild recommends keeping it away from heating and cooling vents, doors, windows, and direct sunlight, and notes that a piano stays in tune only while the humidity around it stays steady. In-piano humidity control systems aim for about 42 percent relative humidity.

Can You Move a Piano Yourself?

An upright can weigh 500 to 800 pounds and a concert grand up to 1,200, so a do-it-yourself move puts people, floors, and the instrument at risk. Grand pianos also need their legs and pedal lyre removed before they leave the room. If you are moving other instruments too, our guide to moving musical instruments has tips for those.

How to Get an Accurate Piano Moving Quote

The more the movers know before moving day, the closer the estimate will be to the final bill. Have these ready when you call.

  • The make, type and size of the piano: height for an upright, length for a grand.
  • Every step and stair turn at both homes, inside and out.
  • How close the truck can park, and whether the path crosses gravel, grass, or a slope.
  • Doorway widths and any tight hallways along the way.
  • The distance and your preferred date, and whether a weekday or a date outside summer works.
  • Whether you need storage in between or a tuner lined up afterward.

Photos or a short video of the path from the piano to the street help us give you an accurate estimate.

FAQs About Piano Moving Costs

1

How much does it cost to move a piano locally?

Most local piano moves cost about $150 to $650, according to national cost guides. Uprights sit at the low end, grands at the high end, and stairs or tricky access add to the total.

2

How much does it cost to move a piano long distance?

Long-distance piano moves usually run from about $500 to $2,500 or more. Uprights start near $500, and grand pianos sit at the top of that range.

3

Do movers charge extra for stairs?

Usually, yes. Cost guides list $40 to $100 per flight of stairs, or $5 to $10 per step, and some movers add a charge for each turn in the staircase.

4

How long should I wait to tune a piano after moving it?

Wait until the piano has adjusted to its new room, which can take several days to several weeks. A piano tuned right after a move will probably drift out of tune again within a couple of weeks.

Get a Piano Moving Quote in Virginia

Our piano movers in Williamsburg and Hayes handle local piano moves on the Peninsula and in Gloucester County, and long-distance moves as a North American Van Lines agent. Call (866) 482-6683 or request a quote, and we will set up a walkthrough in person or by video.