I am moving two hours away from home out of my parents house. I have an upright petrof piano. I am curious as to the cost of moving the instrument, or if I should just leave it at my parents house. I am moving out into an apartment near where I go to school out and they have pianos there, but it is always convenient to have yours available to you.

To do it right (= moving company that specializes in moving pianos) I'm guessing it would run in the avenue of a couple hundred bucks. But you'd need to call around and see what the going rate in your area is.

To do it wrong (= pickup truck, several buddies) it would cost you gas money and beer/pizza for the buddies.

And the very real risk of someone getting injured. Do it right = smart!

+ possible fees paid to chiropractors and orthopedists for strained muscles, backs and broken bones. It's not worth the beer & pizza. Save the beer & pizza for your buddies while you entertain them with your expert playing abilities.

If you value your instrument, have someone experienced move the piano for you.

Call a piano mover and get an estimate. Do not lie about the distance or the steps.

Not to mention the cost of repairing the stairs, railing, porch, floor, walls etc at either your parents' home or the apartment you are moving into, especially if they drink the beer first !

There is this moment in everyone's life in which one tries to move the piano without calling the pros. In this moment, you suddenly realize that you are not young any more and will begin requiring lifelong back care!

jdhampton, trying to move an acoustic around during one's college years is rarely a good idea; if you're like the typical student, you're moving quite frequently. Besides, if you moved your piano, you wouldn't have anything to play when you go back home for holidays.

How about taking the $$ you would've used for the movers and buying a digital piano or keyboard instead? You could move it anywhere, your apartment mates will thank you for it, and it would serve as a satisfactory backup for when you get the deep urge to play late at night and don't want to head out to the practice rooms.

I wouldn't attempt to move a piano. The couple hundred you pay a mover is money well spent. If you are at the point in your life when your moving a lot, invest in a nice digital piano until you are more established.

Monica, you just mentioned two of the reasons why I got myself a digital piano. I had loads of opportunities to get a free used piano by taking care of the moving costs. Actually I think I wouldn't have been able to get any of them into my room, because of the narrow corridor.

I wonder if the sound advantage of an acoustic piano over most of the digital ones is worth the price difference, unless maybe you know you won't be moving in the next ten years.

Been there, JD. Dragged my piano around myself (yes with buddies; yes, in a pick-up truck; and yes, up to the second floor), in my young years. Learned what a bad idea it was, wouldn't touch this kind of project again, for the very same reasons everyone else gave.

On the other hand, I had a real piano to play, and hiring piano movers and tuning it still cost less than a decent DP would have... up to a point.

These days I have both kinds of piano. Monica has a point that is easier to move a DP, and easier to handle roommates and neighbors, etc. Since you have access to the practice pianos at school, if you can swing it financially you could have the best of both worlds.

And BDB is absolutely right--- do not try to hoodwink the movers.