Is the Piano Worth Moving?

A great many households contain a piano nobody plays. It came from a grandparent, it has been there for years, and moving it costs real money because it is one of the heaviest things anybody owns.

We move pianos for a living and we would still rather tell you the truth than take a booking you regret.

Just-In-Time Moving is locally owned and works across West Valley City and Salt Lake County.

The uncomfortable part about value

Most old upright pianos have little resale value. This surprises people, because they are large, they were expensive when new, and they look substantial.

The market is genuinely difficult. Free uprights are widely advertised and often go unclaimed, because the recipient has to pay to move it. That is the whole economics of it.

Grands, quality names, and instruments in good playing condition are a different matter and can hold real value. If yours might be one, have a technician look before deciding anything.

Condition matters more than age

Age alone tells you little. What matters is whether the soundboard is sound, whether it holds a tune, whether the action works evenly, and whether the pin block still grips.

An instrument that cannot hold a tune needs work that frequently exceeds what the piano is worth. A technician will tell you this in one visit, and it is money well spent before a move rather than after.

The questions worth asking yourself

Does anybody in the household play, or realistically intend to? Will there be a suitable place for it in the new house, on an interior wall, in a heated room? Would the space be more use to you than the instrument?

And separately: does it matter to you because of who it belonged to? That is a legitimate reason on its own and does not need justifying in resale terms. Plenty of pianos are worth moving for exactly that.

If the answer is no

Try to place it with somebody first, particularly if it plays. Schools, churches and community groups sometimes take instruments, though they are selective and will need it delivered.

If it is beyond use, disposal is a hauling job, and it is a considerably better outcome than paying to move it and paying again in five years.

If the answer is yes

Then it deserves doing properly. Send photographs and the make and model, and we will quote it accurately.

Call (435) 862-3080 or email office@movingjustintime.com.