I can't get my piano in my house!

[WelshMoth]

I'm rather distraught tbh. It's been with me my whole life. We're moving soon and we've just realised that while we can get the piano (an upright) into the house via some bifolds, it's really unlikely that we'll get it around the hallway corner and into the room we've designated for it.

I can't not take it. I play daily, my DC play and it was bought for me as a baby by my favourite Aunt. She died 10 years ago.

What are my options? I've tried to Google but not got very far - I can't seem to find any threads about this online.

I just can't leave it - it would break my heart

What room do the bifolds lead into?

Talk to a piano mover, ours got one up 3 flights of impossible stairs with sharp turns when we thoughts we’d have to remove a window to get it in. I have rarely been more impressed.

I've seen pianos being craned into windows where the glass panes have been removed before...!

We (well the piano movers) got ours round quite a tight corner so it could be possible. Or can it go in the room with bifolds?

Can you get it I the window of the room it us destined for (window might have to come out).

You probably need to talk to a professional piano mover. Cost you a bit but it will be worth it.

Window will need to come out. You'll get it in somehow x

Talk to specialist piano movers. They are stone cold magicians.

Not a piano but a bit of furniture that couldn't fit in, we got a none load bearing stud wall ripped out and then put back in afterwards. Is something like that an option

Speak to your movers now. They can take doors off, windows out, etc to get furniture in. They angled my piano round angles I never thought they could - although there is a limit unless you want to take part of a wall down. Check now.

You need a specialist mover anyway. Contact one near you and send photos and measurements. I bet they can do it. If you get the right guys they'll get it in anywhere. Sofas are bigger, often, and people manage them. Do not despair.

Surely you just redesignate the rooms?

Get some wafty voiles for the bifolds and you can go all John Lennon every time you play (and it's not pissing down outside).

Specialist piano movers first, see if they can sort it, otherwise you'll need a rethink about your rooms and what goes where

As long as it's insulated, weatherproof and you can control the temperature.

But honestly OP you would be surprised. If you're having trouble finding a specialist mover just ring any removal company and ask if either they do it or if not do they know who does.

People move pianos all the time for concerts, events etc so there are firms up and down the country who keep going with a steady stream of such requests.

Yep, piano movers. They got ours through a very tight kitchen unit/door frame angle.

Or: ask your tuner. They will know who to contact.

Pianos can come apart!! Believe me it’s entirely possible to move it.. Find a reputable mover via a local tuner or alternatively a music shop.

I agree with others, you need specialist piano removers.

It might come apart a bit, mine does.
It could go on end rather than upright.
You could take out a wall or large window.

As others have said, specialist movers can do the impossible. My childhood piano went up, and many years later down, a narrow twisting staircase with the bannisters removed.

I know someone who had a bay window removed to get the piano in. They replaced it with patio doors to make moving out easier if needed.

Good luck, a treasured piano is part of the family.

Take up the triangle.

Mine went into our first house on its end. It had to get down a quite narrow hallway and round a tight corner through a doorway and is a BIG (old) piano - so to check it would fit, I ended up measuring and making an exact replica of the side of it out of cardboard, laying it on the floor and testing manoeuvring it round the corner 😂It fitted, but with millimetres to spare (if that), so had to go very slowly and carefully! Also it would fit if turned one way round, but not the other way so had to make sure it went in the front door the right way round!

When we moved house I thought they could bring it round the back and through the patio doors - but they were worried about the slippery decking so ended up taking some of the internal doors off their hinges so they could bring it in the front. So just talk to some piano movers and they can probably sort it!

Another vote for talk to a professional piano mover. They are fab. My piano teacher had a similar problem and the solution was to strip the piano down and move it in it’s constituent parts (heavy cast iron upright). A piano restorer was involved!
I’ve heard of others doing the window removal thing and winches etc. So definitely doable, just might need to be a bit creative… and book a piano tuner after she’s settled in her new home. They are a part of the family.

What sort of house are you in? Could some woodwork in the hallway be temporarily removed to make some space?

Wow! I feel hopeful now!

The bifolds lead into a kitchen. The house is small so a kitchen piano would look awful. There is no other place for it apart from the room out back.

I have a specialist piano team in my local town - I'll give them a bell.

Love the idea of wafty lightweight curtains blowing gently as I sit, poised and playing Debussey. The reality is me and DC having an out of tune singsong to the barking of next door's whippet.