Specialty gear on every job, as standard.
Piano boards & skid platforms
Reinforced piano boards for uprights, baby grands and full grands. Corner-padded, ratchet-locked, 4-mover rated.
Heavy-duty dollies & skates
600 kg-rated furniture skates, 4-wheel piano dollies and appliance sack trolleys for hot tubs, safes and gym rigs.
Crane, hoist & window lifts
External crane and pulley-hoist options for tight staircases, listed buildings, and upper-floor apartments without a lift.
Padded, insulated trucks
Insulated tail-lift lorries with load-bars, corner protection and blanket-wrap on every specialty item — no rattles, no rubs.
A four-step process built around not-a-scratch outcomes.
- STEP 01
On-site or photo assessment
Send us photos or book a free 15-minute video walk-through. We measure doorways, count flights of stairs and confirm the exact model — so nothing is a surprise on the day.
→ - STEP 02
Custom padding & wrapping
The instrument is wrapped in heavy quilted covers, corner-boarded, keyboard-locked and (for grands) partially disassembled — legs, lyre and pedal box packed separately in fitted cases.
→ - STEP 03
Secure ramp loading & strapping
Loaded via tail-lift onto piano board with 4 ratchet straps to the lorry's dedicated load bars. Never side-loaded, never wheeled onto its castors up a ramp.
→ - STEP 04
Precision placement at destination
Positioned exactly where you want it — reassembled, levelled, foot pedals refitted, everything checked. We can recommend a tuner for 2–4 weeks after the move.
Your instrument. Insured to the hilt.
Every specialty move is covered by £2 million public liability and £50,000 goods-in-transit as standard — with bespoke uplift available for concert-grade instruments, antique pianos and high-value collections. Certificates issued in advance for freeholders, block managers and concert venues on request.
In 20+ years and 60,000+ moves we've built a reputation for turning up on time, wrapping properly and placing precisely. If the worst does happen, you're covered — but the point is we plan the job so it doesn't.
- Public liability
- £2,000,000
- Goods-in-transit
- £50,000
- Employer liability
- £10,000,000
- Bespoke uplift
- On request
One crew, one price, one careful move.
Piano & specialty movers, answered.
Can you move a piano up or down stairs?+
Yes. Every Apex piano crew is trained on stair-work using piano boards, spider straps and 4-wheel skates. Upright pianos are usually a 3-person job on stairs; baby grand and grand pianos are stripped down (legs, lyre, pedals) and moved on a padded piano board with 4 movers. Tell us the number of flights, whether there's a half-landing, and the narrowest doorway width when you enquire.
What if my doorway or hallway is really tight?+
We measure everything before we lift. Grand pianos come apart into a board, legs, lyre and pedal assembly and go through standard 76cm doorways vertically. Upright pianos typically need 72cm+ clearance. If access is genuinely too tight, we'll advise on window / crane options at the quote stage rather than turning up and failing.
Are pianos sensitive to temperature during a move?+
Yes — sudden temperature or humidity swings can affect tuning and, in extreme cases, the soundboard. Our trucks are insulated and closed to the elements, we wrap pianos in heavy quilted covers with corner protection, and for long-distance or winter moves we can arrange climate-managed transport. Plan to have the piano professionally tuned 2–4 weeks after the move once it has settled.
How much does it cost to hire piano movers near me?+
Upright piano moves in the UK typically start from around £180–£350 for a straightforward ground-floor local move, rising to £450–£900 for baby grand and grand pianos, stairs, or long-distance work. Every Apex quote is one fixed written price — no hourly meter, no fuel surcharge on the day, no overtime.
Can you move hot tubs, safes and gym equipment too?+
Yes. We regularly move hot tubs (up to ~500 kg), gun and document safes, commercial gym rigs, snooker and pool tables, and heavy statuary. All handled with the same skates, boards and 4-strap technique — and covered by the same insurance.
Are my items insured while your team moves them?+
Yes. Every Apex specialty move includes £2 million public liability and £50,000 goods-in-transit cover as standard, with the option to uplift for high-value instruments and antiques. Certificates issued in advance for building managers and concierge teams on request.