How Much Does It Cost to Move a Piano in Glasgow?
Moving a piano in Glasgow typically costs £220 to £350 for an upright on ground-floor access, £300 to £500 where tenement stairs are involved, and £450 to £900 for a grand depending on size and access. Distance matters far less than stairs do.
A piano is not furniture. An upright weighs 200 to 350kg with the weight sitting unevenly toward the back, and a concert grand can exceed 500kg. That is why it is priced and crewed separately from a general move — see our piano moving service.
Piano moving prices
| Instrument | Ground floor | Stairs / no lift |
|---|---|---|
| Upright, small to medium | £220 – £300 | £300 – £420 |
| Upright, full size or overstrung | £260 – £350 | £350 – £500 |
| Baby grand | £400 – £600 | £550 – £800 |
| Concert grand | £700+ | Survey-based |
| Digital piano | £80 – £150 | £100 – £200 |
Add to this if the instrument is being moved as part of a wider house move — it is usually cheaper combined than booked separately.
What actually drives the price
- Weight and type. Grands must be partly dismantled, with legs and lyre removed and the case moved on a piano board.
- Floor level and stairs. The single biggest factor in Glasgow — see moving a piano up tenement stairs.
- Stair turn geometry. A tight half-landing turn can rule out a route entirely.
- Door and close widths. Measured at the narrowest point, not the doorway.
- Parking. A long carry with 300kg is a genuine cost, not a detail.
- Crew size. Three to four movers minimum for an upright on stairs.
Upright or grand changes everything
An upright travels on its castors and a piano trolley, tipped and strapped, and can usually be handled by three movers on reasonable access. A grand has to be lowered onto its bass side on a padded board, with legs and pedal lyre removed and packed separately, then re-assembled and levelled at the other end.
That difference is why a grand costs roughly twice an upright even over the same distance. More detail in upright versus grand piano removals.
Insurance and tuning
Check the single-item limit on the removals policy, not just the total. Many policies cap individual items well below the value of a decent instrument, so a piano usually needs declaring in advance — our insurance guide explains how the limits work.
Separately, expect to have the piano tuned two to four weeks after the move rather than immediately. Instruments need time to settle to the humidity and temperature of the new room, and tuning before that settles is money spent twice.
Where we move pianos
We handle piano moves across Glasgow and the surrounding areas, including the West End, the Southside, Paisley and Renfrewshire, Bearsden and Milngavie and Newton Mearns.
Frequently asked questions
Can you get a piano down four flights of tenement stairs?
Usually yes, with the right crew and equipment. Send a photo of the stairwell and the half-landing turn and we will confirm before booking.
Do you move digital pianos?
Yes, and they are far cheaper — they are handled more like a furniture item than an acoustic instrument.
Should I tune it before or after?
After, and leave two to four weeks for the instrument to settle in the new room.
Is the piano insured in transit?
Yes, but declare its value in advance so the single-item limit is confirmed in writing.
Moving a piano in Glasgow? Send us a photo of the instrument and the stairs and we will quote it accurately the same day. Get a free fixed quote or call +44 7424 958288.
Moving in Glasgow?
Free, no-obligation quote — tenements, flats & houses.