Piano Removals

Piano Removals in Hackney by Experienced Local Specialists

Moving a piano is very different to moving ordinary furniture. At Hackney Movers, we provide a dedicated piano removals service across Hackney and the surrounding areas, using specialist equipment, trained teams and carefully planned methods to keep your instrument safe from door to door.

Specialist Piano Removals in Hackney

We handle everything from compact uprights in flats to full-size grand pianos in period houses and performance spaces. Our teams are trained in safe lifting techniques, stair work and complex access, and we use piano skates, protective covers, ramps and securing systems designed specifically for heavy, delicate instruments.

Every move is covered by goods in transit insurance and public liability cover, giving you confidence that your piano is protected throughout the removal.

Local Expertise in Hackney

Working across Hackney every day, we understand the realities of moving pianos in this part of London: narrow Victorian terraces, top-floor flats with tight staircases, controlled parking zones and busy streets. We plan your move around local traffic patterns, loading restrictions and building rules to minimise disruption and risk.

We regularly carry out piano removals in areas such as Dalston, Stoke Newington, Hackney Central, London Fields and Homerton, as well as nearby boroughs. That local knowledge helps us choose the right vehicle, access route and team size for your specific address.

Who Our Piano Removals Service Is For

Our specialist service is suitable for:

• Homeowners moving between properties or rearranging a piano within the home.
• Renters in flats and houses, including top-floor and basement properties.
• Landlords needing a piano removed, relocated or stored between tenancies.
• Businesses such as schools, music studios, venues, churches, hotels and theatres.
• Students at music colleges or universities who need reliable transport for their instrument.

Whether you are moving a single piano or combining it with a full house or office move, we can build a plan that suits your situation.

What We Move as Part of a Piano Removal

Included Items

As part of our piano removals service, we typically handle:

• Upright pianos
• Baby grand and grand pianos
• Digital pianos and stage pianos
• Organs and similar keyboard instruments (by prior arrangement)
• Piano stools, benches and music stands
• Associated accessories and small music equipment

Excluded or By-Arrangement Items

For safety and insurance reasons, some items are excluded or only moved with prior agreement:

• Extremely high-value concert grands (may require a bespoke service).
• Wall-mounted instruments that need specialist disassembly.
• Non-musical heavy machinery or safes.
• Hazardous or flammable materials stored near the piano.

If you are unsure whether your instrument or item can be moved, we are happy to advise and, where possible, arrange an appropriate solution.

Our Step-by-Step Piano Removals Process

1. Enquiry & Quote

You contact us with basic details: piano type, current and destination addresses, number of stairs, access issues and preferred dates. Based on this information we provide a clear, no-obligation quote explaining what is included and any likely additional costs (for example, difficult access or extra manpower).

2. Survey (Virtual or Onsite)

For many jobs, a detailed video call or photos are enough for us to assess access, staircases and door widths. For more complex moves, we may arrange an onsite survey. This lets us confirm the safest route, check parking arrangements and determine whether any partial disassembly is required.

3. Packing & Preparation

On the day, our professional team arrives with protective blankets, piano covers, straps, skids and dollies. We protect floors, walls and doors where necessary, secure lids and moving parts, and, for grand pianos, remove legs and pedals as needed. Everything is wrapped and secured before any lifting takes place.

4. Loading & Transport

The piano is carefully moved out of the property using the agreed route. We use team lifting techniques, ramps and specialist equipment to manage steps and tight turns. Once in the vehicle, the piano is securely strapped and braced. Our vehicles are equipped with appropriate suspension and fixings to minimise vibration and movement during transport.

5. Unloading & Placement

On arrival, we repeat the same careful process in reverse. We place the piano in your chosen room and position, reassemble legs and pedals where required, and remove our protective materials. We always recommend allowing the piano to settle and then arranging tuning with a qualified technician after it has acclimatised to the new environment.

Transparent Piano Removal Pricing

We price piano removals based on a few key factors:

• Type and size of piano (upright, baby grand, grand, digital).
• Distance between properties.
• Access at both ends – stairs, lifts, tight corridors or awkward turns.
• Parking availability and any special restrictions.
• Whether the move is stand-alone or part of a larger removal.

Your quote will clearly set out the cost, what is included, and any potential additional charges so you know exactly where you stand before you book. We do not add hidden fees on the day. For regular clients such as schools, venues and studios, we can discuss ongoing arrangements.

Why Choose Professional Piano Removals over DIY or a Basic Man-and-Van

Pianos are heavy, awkward and mechanically complex. Attempting to move one yourself, or using a casual man-and-van without the right skills and insurance, can lead to:

• Damage to the piano’s frame, legs, keys or internal mechanisms.
• Scratched floors, damaged walls and broken bannisters.
• Serious personal injury from incorrect lifting.
• No meaningful insurance cover if something goes wrong.

With Hackney Movers you benefit from trained teams, specialist equipment and full insurance protection. That combination sharply reduces risk and often saves money in the long run by avoiding costly repairs or replacements.

Insurance and Professional Standards

We operate to recognised industry standards for removals and handling of heavy items. Every move includes:

• Goods in transit insurance covering your piano while it is being transported.
• Public liability cover for any accidental damage to property or third parties.
• Trained moving teams with experience specifically in piano handling.

We carry out regular equipment checks, staff training and risk assessments. Our aim is to make your piano removal as safe, predictable and well-managed as possible.

Care, Protection and Sustainability

We treat every piano as if it were our own. That means careful planning, appropriate protection and respectful handling throughout. We use heavy-duty blankets and reusable covers rather than excessive single-use plastics wherever feasible, and we plan routes to reduce unnecessary mileage.

Where we provide additional packing materials, we favour recyclable or reusable products. We are always happy to discuss ways to minimise waste during your move while still giving your instrument the protection it needs.

Real-World Piano Removal Use Cases

Moving House

When you are planning a house or flat move, your piano is often the most complicated item to deal with. We can integrate your piano removal into a full home move, or handle it as a dedicated job on a separate day to reduce pressure and ensure maximum care.

Office, School and Studio Relocations

We regularly move pianos for schools, rehearsal spaces, churches, hotels and recording studios. We can work around lesson schedules, performances and business hours, and liaise directly with site managers about access, lifts, security and health and safety requirements.

Urgent or Time-Sensitive Moves

Sometimes a piano needs to be moved at short notice – for a completion date, an unexpected tenancy change or an event. Where our schedule allows, we can offer same-day or next-day piano removals in Hackney and nearby areas. We will always be honest about what is achievable and never rush a job at the expense of safety.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a piano removal in Hackney cost?

The cost of a piano removal depends mainly on the type of piano, the distance travelled and how straightforward the access is at both properties. Upright pianos on ground floors are generally cheaper than larger grands or jobs involving multiple flights of stairs. Once we know the key details, we provide a fixed, written quote so you can see exactly what you are paying for. There are no hidden extras; any potential additional charges for complex access are explained in advance.

Can you do same-day or urgent piano removals?

Where our schedule allows, we can often accommodate same-day or next-day piano removals in Hackney and nearby areas, particularly for local moves. Urgent jobs depend on factors such as team availability, vehicle size needed and access requirements. If you need a quick turnaround, let us know your deadlines and we will confirm honestly what we can do. Even for urgent moves, we still carry out basic checks and planning to ensure the removal is safe and properly insured.

Is my piano insured during the move?

Yes. Your piano is covered by our goods in transit insurance while it is in our care, as well as public liability cover for accidental damage to property or third parties. This protection applies from the moment we begin handling the instrument until it is placed in position at the destination. We are happy to explain the scope of the cover in plain terms before you book, and if you have a particularly high-value instrument we can discuss any additional requirements or documentation you may need.

What is included in your piano removals service?

Our service includes a pre-move assessment, planning of access routes, provision of specialist equipment, professional wrapping and protection of the piano, careful loading and unloading, secure transport and precise placement at the new location. For grand pianos, it also covers basic disassembly and reassembly of legs and pedals where required. We protect floors and key surfaces as needed and remove all our materials afterwards. Tuning is not included, but we advise arranging this with a technician once the piano has settled into its new environment.

How is a professional piano removal different from a standard man-and-van service?

A casual man-and-van may be fine for boxes and small furniture, but pianos need more than just muscle. Our teams are trained specifically in piano handling, we use dedicated equipment such as piano skids and covers, and we plan each move carefully with safety and protection in mind. Crucially, we provide meaningful insurance cover tailored to removals work. This greatly reduces the risk of injury or costly damage. In contrast, many basic man-and-van operators lack both the specialist knowledge and the appropriate insurance for such complex items.

How far in advance should I book a piano removal?

For the best choice of dates, we recommend booking at least one to two weeks in advance, especially if you need a specific time slot or are moving at a busy period such as weekends or month-end. That said, we understand that piano moves are sometimes tied to completion dates or tenancy changes, so we always try to help with shorter notice where possible. The more information you can give us early on, the easier it is to plan a safe and efficient removal.