How long does a piano move take from start to finish?

Piano moves vary a lot in how long they take, and the difference is almost always access, not the piano itself. Here is an honest breakdown of each stage.

Booking: about two minutes

The online booking at book.pianospeed.com takes about two minutes. You enter the collection and delivery postcodes, describe the piano type and the access at both ends, and see an instant fixed price. You confirm your slot and the booking is done. No site visit, no callback, no waiting.

The collection

For a standard upright piano with good ground-floor access, a crew of two will typically wrap, load and be ready to go within 30 to 45 minutes of arriving. That time covers laying floor protection, preparing the transit cover, wrapping the piano, getting it onto the skid board, manoeuvring it through the building and securing it in the van.

A grand piano takes longer. Removing the legs and pedal lyre, stowing them in individual padded bags and the heavy-duty crate, wrapping the body and loading it upright onto the skid board is typically 45 minutes to an hour for a standard baby grand with good access. A concert grand or a move involving stairs adds time.

Stairs and difficult access

Stairs are the main variable. A ground-floor-to-ground-floor move with wide doorways is as fast as a move gets. Add a flight of stairs and a narrow hallway and the time roughly doubles. A crane lift adds several hours to the operation because the crane itself needs to set up, position and operate safely, which is a methodical process.

The drive

Drive time depends on the distance and the route. A local move within one London borough might be 20 minutes in the van. A longer run from London to Surrey or across to another city can be several hours. Our set weekly routes are planned to minimise road time, which is one reason the price is competitive for longer distances.

The delivery

The delivery mirrors the collection. Unloading, manoeuvring through the building and into the room, unwrapping and placing the piano in its final position typically takes the same amount of time as the collection. For a grand, the crew reassemble the legs and pedal lyre in the room of choice.

The day before: your time window

We confirm a 3-hour target time window the day before your move, so you know roughly when to expect the crew. You do not need to be available all day. The crew calls when they are on their way.

Total time, as a rough guide

• A local upright move, ground floor both ends: 2 to 3 hours from collection to delivery
• A local grand move, ground floor both ends: 3 to 4 hours
• A move involving one flight of stairs at either end: add 30 to 60 minutes
• A crane lift: add 2 to 4 hours for the crane operation itself
• A long-distance run: half a day to a full day, depending on the route

The fastest path to a confirmed slot is the online quote at book.pianospeed.com. Enter your details, see the price and book in two minutes. You can also call 020 7164 0000. PianoSpeed is rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 77 reviews.