What is the cost of a "free" piano?

[keyslover]

Like on CL-

Neither DH or I play the piano, but he thinks it would be cool for the girls to take lessons eventually.

How much does it cost to move a piano?  What about tuning?

[cinnamoncox]

Aug 22, 2014 10:21:44 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

It cost us 100 dollars to have dh's aunt's piano moved from her home to ours across town, and put in the basement family room. It cost another 90 to have it tuned yearly.

That's it?!

Wow. I know it's common to give them away than sell them because it's so costly to have moved. I never would've imagined only $100

[gault]

If it is free on craigslist, there could be a number of things wrong with it. It could get pricey

[cinnamoncox]

Aug 22, 2014 10:25:59 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

Aug 22, 2014 10:24:13 GMT -5 cinnamoncox said:

That's it?!

Wow. I know it's common to give them away than sell them because it's so costly to have moved. I never would've imagined only $100

I looked up Piano Movers in the yellow pages. Most music stores have numbers for people who move pianos, as well. 
We did this twice with free pianos; one an upright grand, another a small spinnet, both the same price. 

I wonder if it's regional (lol).

I see so many pianos in houses here (Boston) and I wonder how they even got them in. It looks like the house was built around the piano. They're huge and the doorways aren't.

[thedude]

We are getting my grandma's piano soon so I actually just called for quotes this week. In our case, piano is located about three hours away, so we have a couple options. To hire a company to make the round trip, move piano out of aunt's basement (stairs) and into first floor of our house (again, stairs), it would be in the neighborhood of $400-500.

My uncle volunteered to transport it in his truck/trailer thing if we pay to have people move it into and out of the trailer. That will cost $125-150 at each location, so $250-300 overall. Pretty sure we are going w first option bc then it's on the transport company if it gets damages en route.

No idea about tuning cost.

[Deleted]

It could also have vermin living in it. I'd need to see it.

[aprilsails]

My Mom got a 'free' piano a number of years ago. Please do a thorough check on it. We wound up having to strip 10 layers of paint off of it and it became a 4 year project.

While it looks beautiful now, it cannot be fully tuned. There are 3 notes that are way off. It would take significant $$$ to fix the issue.

It was probably not the best investment.

[sherbanator]

It cost me 150.00 for piano movers to move my piano 100 ft.

[shell24]

I paid about $350 to have my piano moved approx. 10 miles from my moms house to mine. They charge for stairs, etc. My tuner is about $100.

[thedutchgirl]

My tuner in Minneapolis is $140 annually.

Depending on weight, you might be able to move it yourself with a truck or U-Haul.

[shell24]

Do not move it yourself! Even uprights are very heavy and you could do serious damage to the piano if you don't know how to move it properly.

[MWOS]

you can't tuna piano but you can tuna fish

[Marmee]

Here I was quoted $300 to tune & it needs 2 turnings the first year (I think). Plus moving & any repair costs. I've turned down 2 free pianos (my MILs & my Uncles) & my kid is learning piano just fine on a keyboard. Now that I've done the keyboard, I may never buy a piano (I was planning to buy a new one). I love the volume control & headphones. Lol.

[spidervain]

We paid a moving company to move it about 7 miles. Took about 2.5 hours and cost us about $300. It was on a second story and too 3 very large men lots of time with lots of swears and left 1 hole in the lady's wall.

[Deleted]

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

[speckledfrog]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

Most people I knew growing up had them in their family/living room.  When we get one it will probably go in the office or the playroom.

[cjeanette]

We inherited my moms when we moved. We found someone on CL to move it for $100. Money well spent.

It seems to cost about $125 to tune it.

[cjeanette]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

Our is in a main level room that was intended to be an office.  I'm not crazy about my office being the first thing people see when they walk in so we use the 4th bedroom upstairs for that.  So we have a "parlor" with a piano, an old school trunk, our record player and book shelves.  

[keyslover]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

We do not have a big house, under 1200 sft, we do not have a dedicated room for anything

I would much rather have a treadmill, but apparently it is more socially acceptable (per DH) to have piano in the front room of your house than a treadmill.  

[keyslover]

Aug 22, 2014 12:41:30 GMT -5 cjoy said:

You're in the Twin Cities, right? I used Econo Piano Movers and spent $125. They were awesome - on time and super friendly. There may be cheaper movers out there but I liked their flat fee set up.

So does anyone play piano or have lessons?
My fear is it would just sit there and collect crap.

This is a DH thing, I am not sure a piano is a good idea because neither of us play. 

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

Welcome to my crazy.  LOL.

To address the original question, we recently paid $250 plus $2 per mile traveled to move a grand piano.

It cost $150 to tune and voice.

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2014 15:59:01 GMT -5 oceanspray said:

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

When we looked at the house we ended up buying there was a piano in the living room, the big black kind.  It literally took up the entire room. I have no idea how they got it out.

You remove the legs and carry it out sideways.

[hisno1girl]

Whatever it would cost to add on a soundproof room to my home,

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2014 11:12:43 GMT -5 shell24 said:

Do not move it yourself! Even uprights are very heavy and you could do serious damage to the piano if you don't know how to move it properly.

Good advice. Plus you could do serious damage to YOURSELF moving it.

[cereal K]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

i want to get one for our living room. it was one of the reasons i looked for a house with a formal living/dining room space - to have a piano. 

the room will also have two club chairs and a settee, and the piano will be visible from the front window. 

[cereal K]

Aug 22, 2014 17:05:05 GMT -5 @courtneyloves said:

Aug 22, 2014 11:12:43 GMT -5 shell24 said:

Do not move it yourself! Even uprights are very heavy and you could do serious damage to the piano if you don't know how to move it properly.

Good advice. Plus you could do serious damage to yourself moving it.

i third this! you could break/warp the sound plate, rendering the whole thing useless. it's worth getting professional movers!

[isabel]

Aug 22, 2014 13:06:35 GMT -5 elle said:

I always wonder where people put them. We have a pretty big house and I can't imagine where it would go. I guess I shoved an elliptical in the family room . . . you make room for things you care about . . . but a whole room for a piano seems crazy to me.

We ended up buying something significantly smaller than DH would have liked. When we were looking, he was intentionally looking at spaces with the idea of sound proofing a room for a baby grand. Our next house will absolutely have a music room for him. Of course, he legitimately plays the piano. But, yes, people definitely make room for things they care about. My H is hardcore about it.

[Deleted]

Aug 22, 2014 17:09:56 GMT -5 cereal K said:

Aug 22, 2014 17:05:05 GMT -5 @courtneyloves said:

Good advice. Plus you could do serious damage to yourself moving it.

i third this! you could break/warp the sound plate, rendering the whole thing useless. it's worth getting professional movers!

Honestly, I'd be more worried about my BACK.

[cereal K]

Aug 22, 2014 17:43:19 GMT -5 @courtneyloves said:

Aug 22, 2014 17:09:56 GMT -5 cereal K said:

i third this! you could break/warp the sound plate, rendering the whole thing useless. it's worth getting professional movers!

Honestly, I'd be more worried about my BACK.

well, yeah - there's that, too!!

[adhdfashion]

My free piano cost $250 in parts and I got it tuned free from of our music friends. My h and my teenage brothers moved it.