Moving a piano: weight, fit, preparation and whether it is worth moving at all
A piano move is decided by three things, in this order: what the piano weighs, whether it fits through the narrowest point on the route, and whether it is worth moving in the first place. An upright usually weighs between about 190kg and 250kg and a grand between about 260kg and 485kg, going by Yamaha's own published specifications. The Pianoforte Tuners' Association recommends a professional mover for any piano and says a grand should not be moved by fewer than three people. Our rates are the standard move rates, £100 for the first hour with two men and a van then £55 an hour, and a grand is surveyed first so the crew size is right before we quote. If the piano is old and unplayable, piano disposal from £130 may be the honest answer instead of a move. The rest of this section explains each of those points properly.
How heavy is a piano? Real figures from the manufacturer
Most piano weights quoted online are guesses. These are not. Yamaha publishes the weight and size of every model it sells, and because Yamaha is one of the most common makes in UK homes, its range is a fair guide to what sits in a Leeds front room. Older Victorian and Edwardian uprights with a full iron frame are often heavier than a modern compact of the same height.
Published weight and size of common piano types (Yamaha specifications)| Piano | Type | Weight | Size (W x H x D) |
|---|
| Yamaha b1 | Compact upright | 193kg | 149 x 109 x 54cm |
| Yamaha b3 | Upright | 237kg | 152 x 121 x 62cm |
| Yamaha U1 | Upright, the classic school and home model | 228kg | 153 x 121 x 62cm |
| Yamaha U3 | Tall upright | 246kg | 153 x 131 x 65cm |
| Yamaha GB1K | Baby grand | 261kg | 146 x 99 x 151cm |
| Yamaha C3X | Grand | 320kg | 149 x 101 x 186cm |
| Yamaha CFX | Concert grand | 485kg | 160 x 103 x 275cm |
Sources: Yamaha UK specifications for the b series, U series, GB1K, CX series and CF series, checked 30/09/2026.
Two things follow from those numbers. First, even the smallest upright is heavier than most people guess, which is why a piano is not something to move with a couple of friends and a borrowed van. Second, the weight is not spread evenly, which matters more than the total.
Why uprights tip and grands must be lifted
The Pianoforte Tuners' Association explains it plainly on its piano moving page. An upright has a heavy iron frame that puts the centre of gravity very near the back, so it can be dangerously unbalanced and tip over easily. The small castors under many uprights are there for decoration and small adjustments, not for wheeling the piano across a room, and the PTA says an upright should be lifted and moved on a trolley.
A grand is different again. The PTA says a grand ought to be lifted and supported while it is moved, not pushed across the floor on its legs, and that this should not be attempted with fewer than three people. In practice a grand usually has its legs and pedal lyre taken off and travels on its side on a padded piano board. That is why the FAQ above says grands are surveyed first. The survey is how we set the crew size before the price is fixed, rather than finding out on the doorstep that the job needs another pair of hands.
Will it fit? Measure the route, not the piano
The number that decides a piano move is the narrowest point between where it stands and the van. That is usually an internal door, a turn at the top or bottom of a staircase, or a hallway with a radiator on one wall.
Typical measurements to compare, not a standard| Measurement | Typical figure | What it means |
|---|
| Standard UK internal door opening | roughly 68cm to 76cm | Hinges and the open door leaf take a few centimetres off the real gap |
| Upright piano depth | 54cm to 65cm (Yamaha range above) | An upright goes through a doorway front first or back first, so the depth is what has to clear |
| Grand piano on its side, legs off | stands about as tall as the piano is wide, roughly 146cm to 160cm for the Yamaha grands above | Needs the doorway height and the turning space at the stairs, not just the width |
Measure the door opening with the door standing open, not the frame. Then measure the piano depth including any moulding on the back. Send us both numbers when you ask for a quote, with a photo of the stairs at each end if there are any. Tight Leeds terraces and Victorian semis with a turn at the top of the stairs are exactly where this matters, and a photo lets us plan the route before moving day instead of on it.
Getting the piano ready the day before
There is very little a customer needs to do, and most of it is about the room rather than the instrument. Close and lock the keyboard lid if it has a key. Clear everything off the top of the piano, including photos and metronomes, and take any music out of the stool. Clear the route from the piano to the front door, move rugs that could slide, and check where the van can stop. If a radiator, a banister end or a door stop sits at the narrowest point, tell us so we can bring extra padding for it. Do not try to move the piano a little way yourself to make room. That is how castors break, floors get marked and uprights tip.
After the move: placement and tuning
Where the piano goes in its new home matters. Keep it away from radiators, fireplaces and direct sun. The PTA notes on its buying advice page that manufacturing changed from the 1960s to cope with modern central heating, so an older piano is more exposed to the damage that heat and dry air cause. Most pianos will want a tune after a move because the instrument settles into a new room. We do the moving, not the tuning, so we will not pretend otherwise. Ask a tuner when to book the visit. The Pianoforte Tuners' Association has a search to find a member near you, and it does not set tuning prices, so ask for a quote.
Is it worth moving? Sometimes it is not
This is the question we would rather answer honestly than profitably. The PTA says the auction sites are full of cheap pianos at the end of their life and that its members have seen many bought that way which are untuneable and virtually unplayable. If you are paying to move a piano nobody plays, ask a tuner to look at it first. A tuner can tell you whether it will hold a tune, and that tells you whether a move is money well spent.
If the answer is no, piano disposal starts from £130 and takes it away properly. If it is a fine instrument, a concert grand or an antique that needs climate controlled storage, a dedicated piano specialist with its own storage may suit you better than a general removals crew, and we would say so on the phone. For everything in between, the uprights and baby grands in ordinary homes across Leeds, Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Wakefield, Harrogate and Barnsley, this is our standard work.
What a piano move costs with Kruze
A piano move is priced on the normal hourly rates, not a separate piano tariff. Two men and a van is £100 for the first hour then £55 an hour, and a van and driver is £75 then £40 an hour. A ground floor upright going across Leeds is usually a short job, while stairs at either end, a long carry from the van or a grand that needs its legs off all add time. We agree a fixed total before you book, with no deposit, and a grand is surveyed first so the crew and the price are set before the day. If you are moving the whole house, the piano can go on the same job as a home removal. If it is the only thing moving, it is a single item move. For other heavy specialist items, see pool table removals, and if the piano needs to wait somewhere between homes, storage and removals covers that.
Common questions about moving a piano
How much does an upright piano weigh?
Going by Yamaha's published specifications, a modern upright weighs roughly 190kg to 250kg depending on height. Older uprights with full iron frames can be heavier.
Can two people move an upright piano?
Two trained movers with a piano trolley, straps and the right technique is the normal way an upright is moved. Two people without the kit should not try, because the weight sits at the back and an upright can tip. A grand needs at least three people according to the Pianoforte Tuners' Association.
Can I wheel my piano on its castors?
No. The PTA says the small castors on many uprights are not designed for wheeling the instrument. Lift it onto a trolley instead, or leave it for the crew.
Do you tune the piano after moving it?
No, we are movers, not tuners. Book a tuner once the piano is in its new room. The Pianoforte Tuners' Association lists members by area.
