How to move / dispose of a piano

[Josie1968]

Hi there

We have an upright piano but sadly I think we need to get rid of it. We’re getting new kitchen and flooring next week and the piano is in the kitchen/dining room. I thought we could just push it but the wheels don’t seem to work and it weighs a ton!!!

So now I’m worrying as time is short (work starts a week tomorrow) can anyone suggest how I can move it please?

It’s a shame as it has sentimental value but no one plays it.. I always wanted to learn but just never had the time :( and we don’t have a lot of space.

Thank you

Josie

I've previously hired two of something like these to move a cheap piano a short distance, you still need enough people to be able to lift it on though. www.hss.com/hire/p/rubber-topped-dolley
If you're not keeping it, usual practice is put it on Facebook marketplace /gumtree as free to collector, it can take time to find someone to take it though so probably not an option in a week.

Otherwise you can pay a removal firm probably at least a couple of hundred pounds from one address to another.

Agree with PP about putting it on marketplace for free, but you may have a bit of a wait. I know someone who volunteers with a charity that does house-clearances and they say they have a real problem with pianos. My local council won't touch them in their (chargeable) 'bulky-item' collection service.

We have the same problem - need to get rid of our piano before we move house. British Heart is where we got ours from but they don't seem to want it back. I've googled and found some professional firms that will move or dispose of a piano near me - don't know whether there are any near you or how much they charge.

Thanks everyone I’ll look into putting it on social media and see if anyone wants it, and will get a quote from specialist removal company too :)

This thread on a non-mumsnet website has a whole barrage of suggestions.

I believe the questioner is US-centric but you might find an idea there.

I've moved heavy stuff by lifting each end on to a rug /carpet laid pile side down, and sliding it

We had to break one up I'm afraid. They are hard to give away and it was untunable - we had already paid £100 to have it moved once.

The mechanism is the horribly heavy bit - if you can lift that out, the rest of it is basically just wooden furniture. They make decent garden planters, although it feels so sad to dispose of something made with care in that way. Better than the skip though.