| Moving can be a very stressful time in a person's life, | | | | Insurance, you are accepting full liability for any |
| especially if he or she has not hired appropriate help to | | | | employees who are injured while working for you. |
| move their furniture. Piano moves can be especially | | | | Your liability will extend to medical bills, lost wages and |
| stressful, because the mover needs to have special | | | | possibly civil law suits. A company who is covered for |
| knowledge and skills to safely move the piano. In this | | | | Workman's Safety Insurance will take care of most of |
| article I have outline a few frequently asked questions | | | | these problems for you. Some companies do not pay |
| about piano moving in order to help understand what is | | | | their required insurance premiums and are therefore |
| involved in moving a piano and prepare you with the | | | | not covered for all injury insurance claims. You may |
| information to choose the right mover. At the end of | | | | ask the company that you are hiring to provide you |
| the article, I have listed some questions that you can | | | | with an up-to-date workman's safety insurance |
| ask to help you choose your piano mover, as well as | | | | clearance certificate, in order to ensure that you are |
| the information that you should have ready in order for | | | | properly covered. To be absolutely sure that the |
| the mover to be sufficiently prepared for your move. | | | | moving company's coverage is up to date, you can |
| Why do I need to hire a professional piano mover? | | | | contact your local Workman's Compensation or |
| Many of you may be wondering why you would need | | | | Workman's Safety Insurance board to check on the |
| to hire a professional piano moving company to move | | | | company's status. |
| your piano, rather than using the household mover who | | | | Does moving the piano affect the sound of my piano? |
| is moving the rest of the contents of your house. The | | | | The actual move of the piano does not affect the |
| main reason for hiring a professional piano mover is | | | | sound or tuning of a piano. Generally piano tuning is |
| that many household movers do not have adequate | | | | affected by changes in temperature and humidity |
| training or equipment to properly move a piano. | | | | which cause the wooden and steel parts of your piano |
| The average upright piano weighs between 400 and | | | | to expand and contract. You will probably need to tune |
| 900 pounds. Grand pianos can weigh between 650 | | | | your piano a few weeks after moving it, after it |
| and 1300 pounds. The value of a piano can vary from | | | | acclimatizes to its new location. Other factors that |
| a few hundred dollars to 500,000 dollars depending on | | | | may affect the sound of your piano are the size and |
| the make, model, age and condition of the piano. The | | | | acoustics of the room in which the piano is located. |
| majority of piano moves involve moving the instrument | | | | Carpet absorbs sound, while hardwood reflects it. |
| through a tight space such as a small door frame or | | | | Sound reinforces in small spaces, seeming louder, while |
| staircase. In some cases, the piano may need to be | | | | in large spaces the sound gets lost, seeming quieter. |
| dismantled in order to get it out of your house. Using | | | | How much does it cost to move a piano? |
| and experienced professional piano mover will | | | | Piano moving is generally billed in one of two ways: 1. |
| drastically minimize the risk of damage to the | | | | The household mover way - hourly rate, with a |
| instrument and to your home. | | | | minimum number of hours (usually min. = 3 hours) 2. |
| As a piano mover, I have come across many cases | | | | The professional piano mover way - flat rate based |
| where a customer has hired a household piano mover | | | | on the following factors: a. Type (upright, grand) and |
| to move their piano and has had to make an | | | | size of piano b. Distance being moved c. Difficulty level |
| emergency call to us because the household mover | | | | due to stairs, grass pulls, tight turns etc. d. Time |
| could not get the piano out of his or her house. In other | | | | restraints place on the move e. Waiting time that might |
| cases, I have received calls from customers who had | | | | be incurred. The advantage of a flat rate system is |
| hired a non-reliable piano mover because their price | | | | that, barring any unforeseen events, you be able to get |
| was much lower, and had to book an emergency | | | | an accurate idea of what the move will cost you |
| move with us, because that piano mover did not show | | | | before the movers arrive at your house and it is often |
| up to move their piano or call to explain why they | | | | less expensive than the hourly rate. |
| were not there. | | | | How much notice do I need to give the Piano Mover? |
| How are pianos moved? | | | | The amount of notice needed will depend on when |
| When you hire a professional piano mover, you can | | | | and where you need the piano to be moved. Most |
| expect 2-3 people to come to your home equipped | | | | piano movers book their deliveries on a first come, first |
| with piano skids, moving pads, ramps, slings, and the | | | | served basis. If it is a high traffic time of year, you may |
| knowledge of how to move your piano safely. They | | | | need up to one month's notice. In a lower traffic time |
| will use special techniques to maneuver the piano out | | | | of year, you may only need one or two day' notice. |
| of your house. When the piano is put on the truck, it will | | | | Generally, if you need your piano moved on a specific |
| be safely secured to the vehicle in order to avoid | | | | day, you should book the delivery well in advance to |
| damage during transport. In the most difficult moves, | | | | make sure it's available to you. |
| 4-6 people may be used. Generally when a piano is | | | | Below are listed some recommended questions to ask |
| moved by someone other than a professional piano | | | | when you are looking to hire a piano mover: |
| mover, this equipment, knowledge and these safety | | | | 1. How long have you been moving pianos? |
| precautions are not employed. While hiring a | | | | 2. Do you have any references? |
| professional piano mover does not completely | | | | 3. Do you have full-time, trained staff moving pianos |
| eliminate the risk of damage, it will drastically reduce | | | | for you? |
| this risk. Furthermore, a good piano mover will assess | | | | 4. How do you charge for moving, and what are your |
| the situation and inform you if there is a chance of | | | | rates? |
| damage before he or she begins the move, and will | | | | 5. What days of the week do you move pianos, and |
| give you the option of proceeding or not. | | | | what is your availability? |
| Are all professional piano movers equal? | | | | 6. Are you covered for Commercial/automotive |
| Unfortunately, as in any trade, each piano moving | | | | insurance, Cartage/content insurance, and workman's |
| company varies in their level of quality and experience. | | | | safety insurance? |
| Some piano movers are better equipped and more | | | | 7. Will you provide me with a copy of your workman's |
| prepared than others and act with more care and | | | | safety insurance clearance certificate? |
| integrity than others. The best way to find a good | | | | 8. What amount will my piano be insured for during the |
| piano mover is to call around to your local piano stores, | | | | move? What does this insurance cover? |
| piano technicians and piano teachers to find out which | | | | 9. What are your terms of cartage? Will you provide |
| company they use. Piano stores in particular have a | | | | me with a copy? |
| high stake in ensuring that they use reliable, high quality | | | | 10. Will I be provided will a bill of lading when my piano |
| piano movers who have the least risk of damaging | | | | is moved? |
| their instruments and are properly insured in the event | | | | Listed below is the information that you should have |
| that the unforeseen does happen. | | | | prepared when you book your piano move: |
| Are all piano movers similarly insured? | | | | 1. What type of piano is it that you require to be |
| Sadly, the answer to this question is no. | | | | moved? (Upright or Grand Piano) |
| There are 3 types of insurance to consider when hiring | | | | 2. What size of piano is it? (upright pianos are |
| a piano mover: 1. Commercial/automotive insurance: Is | | | | measured by height [floor to lid] and grand pianos are |
| the company insured against damage to property and | | | | measured by longest length [keyboard to curve in bow |
| or vehicles? 2. Cartage/content insurance: Is the | | | | end]) |
| company insured against damage to the piano? 3. | | | | 3. Where is it being picked up from? (Have full address |
| Workman's Safety Insurance: Is the company insuring | | | | including postal or zip code) |
| its workers against injury? Some piano moving | | | | 4. Where is it being delivered to? (Have full address |
| companies are insured for 1 or 2 of these types of | | | | including postal or zip code) |
| insurance, but not all 3. It is the buyer's responsibility to | | | | 5. Are there any stairs that the piano needs to go up |
| make sure that he/she is properly insured, not the | | | | or down (inside and outside)? If so, how many? Are |
| moving company. It is a good idea to ask about these | | | | they straight, spiraled or curved? Based on what you |
| 3 types of insurance when you are phoning piano | | | | tell the piano mover, he/she will tell you how many |
| moving companies, and also to ask what amount of | | | | people they believe it will accomplish your move. |
| insurance your piano will be covered for. A properly | | | | Missing important details or difficulties, or |
| insured moving company should provide you with a Bill | | | | miss-estimating your move based on the information |
| of lading, which is a legal document stating what is | | | | you have provided could mean that your piano move |
| being moved, the names of all parties involved in the | | | | might not happen that day, and could incur you more |
| move, where the piano is being moved from and to, | | | | charges. |
| and the full declared insured value of the instrument. | | | | 6. When are you looking to have the piano moved? |
| The Bill of lading should also include the moving | | | | 7. Are there any time restraints involved? (As |
| company's terms of cartage. As a legal document, a | | | | time-restraints tend to hamper the efficiency of the |
| proper bill of lading helps to ensure that the piano | | | | mover's day, placing a time-restraint on the mover |
| mover will repair any damages that were incurred | | | | could more than double your cost.) |
| during the move (unless a damage waiver was | | | | 8. Inform the piano mover of any problems that you |
| signed). It is also important to note that any damage | | | | can foresee ahead of time. |
| caused to your piano or your property must be noted | | | | The more information you can provide the piano |
| on the bill of lading to ensure that you have proper | | | | mover, the more accurate your quote will be. If you |
| recourse if any action is needed. | | | | are vague and provide few details, do not be surprised |
| Why is worker injury important to me? | | | | if you incur extra charges for your move. A good, |
| You may be wondering why it is important that you | | | | reputable piano mover will make the process as |
| ensure that the piano mover you hire has Workman's | | | | painless as possible for you and usually be the highlight |
| Safety Insurance. When you contract a moving | | | | and most stress-free part of your whole moving |
| company, they are considered your employee for the | | | | process. They key is ensuring that the mover meets |
| time that they are working for you. If you hire a moving | | | | all of your requirements and providing them with the |
| company that is not covered for Workman's Safety | | | | information they need to help you properly. |