I'm moving from the Cambridge/Huntingdon area to a second floor flat in South London! I'm getting quotes from Removal Companies - apparently the quote will be higher because they need a 3rd man just for the piano - a very nice, but heavy, Rippen upright which needs to go up 4 small flights of stairs (on it's side).

I'm wondering whether it would be worth getting a piano removal company to do a 'part-load- for the piano only, so the removals companies don't need to move it.

Does anyone have any experience or advice?

Thanks

Yes - we moved to our present house back in 1995 and had to shift a small grand piano. We chose a removal company with a claim to 'specialist' piano moving. Everything was fine but it was a close thing. I had to call them back as they didn't fit the lyre back on properly and I nearly had a fit when the dampers didn't work! It was a scary, heart-stopping moment.

Last month we wanted to move same piano into another room. I didn't take any chances this time and called in a company which only moves pianos. I can't give their name here - but they were fantastic. I found them in a piano journal and also by recommendation. A bit pricey but well worth it.

They organised the visit by combining it with another, more major, piano move in the same area.

I guess it depends on how much care you need and an upright might be easier.

Good luck

I too have used a specialist piano removal company to move my treasured Steinway upright and can't recommend them too highly - I wouldn't trust it to anyone else, no matter how "specialist" they claimed to be! PM me if you want the details (not sure if I can post them on here?!)

Are any of these companies nationwide or are they local? (might need to move a piano in the near future)

I think they are mostly based in London but they network all over the country. Actually, the company I used are branching out towards Ireland (I think I heard correctly) and so will cover the Northern areas.

PM me too if you want the name of the company. It could well be the same as sbpiano's firm.