Are you the proud owner of an heirloom piano? Are you planning to move to a new home soon? If you're still trying to figure out the best way to get your beloved piano to your new residence, here are some questions to ask any prospective piano moving service:

How is the piano going to be moved? Not all piano moving services are created equal. Some regular moving services may claim that they can move pianos, but will simply treat it as another large piece of furniture. However, a piano is a delicate instrument. While your grandmother's armoire may be able to stand being jostled about, this same treatment could severely impact your piano and result in costly repairs. A good piano mover will be able to explain in great detail how they plan to move the piano out of your old home and into the new house. If there are stairs, narrow doors, or other obstacles, they'll inform you of exactly how they plan to handle each situation.

Can the piano get damaged when it's being moved? You should avoid anyone who claims that there are no risks in moving your piano. Good piano moving services will be able to tell you exactly what risks they'll be facing during the move and how they'll protect your piano to prevent damage. For example, if you live on a steep hillside, there may be a risk of losing control of the heavy piano when maneuvering it from the door and into the truck. In such a situation, the movers may ask if they can pull onto the lawn in order to minimize the distance between your home and the truck.

What sort of insurance or coverage will the piano have while being moved? Some movers may have only the minimum insurance or bond that is required by your state. Other piano moving services will carry insurance or have a bond in excess of what is required. If the unfortunate happens and your piano does suffer damage in transit, you want to know that you'll be reimbursed for any repairs that are required.

Does the company have a list of references? Experienced movers will have many references that they can provide. A company that is just starting out or that has only recently started also moving pianos will have a much shorter list or even none at all. Make sure to contact multiple references in order to confirm that they were happy with the service that they received from the company.