Piano Movers in Boston, MA
Pianos are among the heaviest, most awkward, and most valuable items in any home. An upright piano weighs 300-500 pounds. A baby grand weighs 500-600 pounds. A full grand piano can exceed 1,200 pounds. Moving any of them through Boston's narrow doorways, tight staircases, and historic buildings requires specialized training, equipment, and experience that general movers don't have. Boston Best Rate Movers has been safely moving pianos across Greater Boston since 2002.
Why Choose Us?
Specialized Piano Moving Crews in Greater Boston
Piano moving is not the same as furniture moving. From Lexington to the Lynnfield area, our Greater Boston specialty movers handle the toughest items with care. A piano's weight is distributed unevenly, the legs and pedals are fragile, and the internal mechanisms (hammers, strings, soundboard) are sensitive to impact, temperature, and humidity changes. Dropping a piano on a staircase doesn't just damage the piano — it can destroy the staircase, the wall, and injure your movers.
Our piano crews are trained specifically for this work. They know how to tip an upright piano onto a piano board, strap it securely, and navigate it down three flights of stairs without scratching a wall. They know how to remove and wrap the legs of a grand piano, pad the body, and load it onto a specialized dolly that distributes the weight safely. And they know how to do all of this in Boston's tightest buildings — Beacon Hill walkups, Back Bay brownstones, and Allston triple-deckers where the staircases were never designed for anything this heavy.
Every piano move includes custom padding and blanket wrapping, climate-appropriate protection, floor and wall guards at both locations, and secure truck loading with straps that prevent any shifting during transport.
Get a Free Moving Quote in Under 2 Minutes
Tell us your move details. Our team will send a detailed estimate — no hidden fees, no obligations.
Types of Pianos We Move
Upright pianos (300-500 lbs). The most common piano move we handle. Whether in Medford or the Melrose area, our trained Greater Boston area crew ensures safe transport of every item. Uprights are tall, heavy, and top-heavy, which makes staircase moves tricky. Our crews use a piano board and heavy-duty straps to keep the piano stable and controlled on every step. Most upright piano moves within Boston take 2-3 hours.
Baby grand pianos (500-600 lbs). Baby grands require leg removal, lid securing, and body wrapping before they can be moved. The irregular shape makes doorway navigation challenging — especially in older Boston apartments where doors are 28-30 inches wide. We disassemble, wrap, transport, and reassemble at the destination.
Grand pianos (600-1,200+ lbs). Full grand piano moves are the most complex. The weight alone requires a larger crew (typically 3-4 movers), and the size often demands creative solutions: window removal, hoisting equipment, or specialized routing through service entrances. We assess every grand piano move individually and provide a detailed logistics plan before move day.
Digital pianos and keyboards. While lighter than acoustic pianos, digital pianos still need careful handling to protect electronics, screens, and weighted keys. We wrap and pad them with the same care as acoustic instruments.
Piano Moving Costs in Boston
Piano moving is billed at our standard hourly rate starting at $149 per hour. Most piano moves require a minimum of two movers, and larger pianos (baby grand, grand) typically need three or four.
Typical piano moving costs in Greater Boston:
Upright piano, ground floor to ground floor: 2-3 hours ($298-$447). Upright piano with stairs (2-3 flights): 3-4 hours ($447-$596). Baby grand piano: 3-5 hours with 3 movers ($447-$745). Grand piano: 4-6+ hours with 3-4 movers ($596-$894+).
Factors that increase piano moving time include the number of flights of stairs, narrow or turning staircases, long carries from the door to the truck, need for window removal or hoisting, and the overall weight of the instrument. We provide detailed estimates after understanding your specific situation. Request your free piano moving estimate.
Piano Moving in Boston's Toughest Buildings
Boston's housing stock presents unique challenges for piano moving that movers from other cities simply aren't prepared for:
Beacon Hill walkups. Narrow spiral staircases, low ceilings, and no elevator. Grand pianos in these buildings sometimes require window removal and exterior hoisting — a service we provide with the proper equipment and insurance coverage.
Back Bay brownstones. Many have interior staircases too narrow for grand pianos. We assess the building before move day and determine whether the piano can go through the stairwell or needs an alternative route.
Allston and Brighton triple-deckers. Third-floor units with outdoor wooden staircases that may not be rated for piano weight. Our crew leaders inspect staircase integrity before committing to a route and bring reinforcement equipment when needed.
Cambridge and Somerville multi-families. Similar staircase challenges to Boston proper, with the added complication of different parking permit requirements in each city.
Suburban homes. Newton, Brookline, Wellesley, and other suburban locations typically have easier access but may involve long walks from the front door to the truck, or basement stairs that are steep and narrow. We account for all of this in your estimate.
MDPU #31391, USDOT #1718049. Full cargo insurance and liability coverage on every piano move. 797+ five-star reviews.
Preparing for Your Piano Move
Clear the path. Remove rugs, shoe racks, small furniture, and anything in the hallway and stairwell between the piano and the front door. At the destination, clear the path from the entrance to the piano's final position. Every obstacle we have to work around adds time.
Know your piano's dimensions and weight. The make, model, and type of piano helps us determine the right crew size and equipment. If you're not sure, send us a photo and we can identify it.
Measure doorways and staircase widths. If your narrowest doorway is 28 inches and your baby grand is 58 inches long, we need to plan for leg removal and careful angling. Knowing these measurements in advance prevents surprises.
Tell us about stairs and elevation. How many flights? Interior or exterior stairs? Any tight turns? Is there a landing? These details directly affect the time estimate and crew requirements.
Don't move the piano yourself. Every year, we get calls from people who tried to move a piano with friends and damaged the instrument, their home, or themselves. Pianos require professional equipment and trained technique. The cost of a professional piano move is a fraction of what it costs to repair a damaged piano or patch a destroyed wall.
Get your free piano moving estimate or call (617) 787-3528.
Often paired with: furniture moving, specialty packing, and single item moving.
Box Bundles & Moving Supply Packages
For customers preparing for residential or commercial moves, we offer bundled box packages designed around common move sizes. These packages include combinations of small, medium, and large cartons along with protective materials to simplify preparation.
Bundled supply options help reduce guesswork and ensure you have adequate materials before moving day.
Buy What You Need – Return What You Don’t
We offer flexible purchasing options so customers can select the exact number of boxes and materials required. For qualifying orders within the Greater Boston area, unused boxes may be eligible for return according to current supply policies.
Please contact us for package details, availability, and delivery scheduling.
Moving Box Sizes & Recommendations
Choosing the correct box size helps prevent overloading and structural failure during transport. Smaller cartons are best suited for heavy items such as books and documents, while larger cartons are designed for lightweight bulk items like bedding and clothing.
Proper box selection improves stacking stability and reduces handling strain during loading.
Ideal for files and papers as well as other desk items. Professional Grade & Certified 32 ECT Qualities - 65 lbs. Maximum Gross Weight Capacity.
Ideal for packing many of your smaller heavy items such as books, CD's, collectibles, videos, canned goods, tools, small appliances, kitchen items and toiletries.
Ideal for packing most household items including books, kitchenware, clothes, linens, small appliances, toys and more.
Ideal for packing lightweight, bulky items such as lampshades, stereo speakers, electronic equipment, stuffed animals, clothing, comforters, pillows, bedding and towels.
Ideal for files and papers as well as other desk items. Professional Grade & Certified 32 ECT Qualities - 65 lbs. Maximum Gross Weight Capacity.
Ideal for large picture frames, paintings, mirrors. Typically, each heavy-duty frame box should handle two or three paintings, pictures or mirrors. Cover each corner with bubble wrap, secure the bubble with packing tape and place the item in a frame box. For extra security, fill the voids in the frame box with packing paper.
Ideal for hanging approximately 2 ft. of clothes. Our Wardrobe Box is constructed with Heavy Duty corrugated cardboard for added strength and stability with a convenient front access panel and integrated hand holes for increased ease of use.
Heavy Duty Packing Tape
Use to bind, bundle, and fasten various household items when moving or storing. Sticks to nothing but itself, with no adhesives or sticky residues, and no damage when removed.
Clean, white newsprint sheets are a fast and ideal solution to wrap and protect dishes, glasses and other breakable items.
Mattress bags provide protection from dust, dirt and stains for your mattresses and box springs. They are sealed on three sides and are vented to prevent "ballooning". They can also be used to protect large paintings and mirrors.
Designed to protect furniture during moving.
Packages
We can customize your order with additional items like Wardrobe Box, Mirror Box, and Mattress Cover etc.
You can place box delivery requests from your account page once your move is confirmed and scheduled.
Packing Tips
How to Choose the Right Moving Box Sizes
Selecting the proper box size is essential for safe transport and efficient loading. Using incorrect box sizes can lead to structural failure, overloading, or inefficient stacking inside the truck.
Small Boxes (1.5 cu. ft.) – Heavy Items
Small cartons are ideal for dense items such as books, documents, canned goods, and small tools. Limiting weight per carton improves safety during lifting and prevents box collapse.
Medium Boxes (3.0 cu. ft.) – General Household Items
Medium cartons are commonly used for kitchenware, décor, small appliances, and miscellaneous household goods. They provide balanced capacity without becoming too heavy.
Large Boxes (5–6 cu. ft.) – Lightweight Bulk Items
Large cartons are best suited for bedding, pillows, clothing, and other lightweight but bulky belongings. These cartons should not be overloaded with dense items.
