HOW TO HIRE · REMOVALS & STORAGE · CHECKED OCTOBER 2026
How to hire a piano mover in Ireland
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.
A piano removals in Ireland costs €150–€600 per move, typically around €300. Here is how to check that in a minute, what to ask before you book, and what you must be handed when the job is done.
- Search and compare — no account needed
- Nearest to you first
- One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews
THE 60-SECOND VERSION
Hiring a piano mover in five steps
- Are you a trader, and can I see that in writing?No register covers piano mover work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — professional Handling — qualified movers are trained to handle pianos, which are heavy and delicate instruments.
- How does piano's size change the price?A wide job needs more equipment brought to site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does distance to be travelled change the price?Dublin and the larger towns run above the rest of the country. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- How does any special requirements such as stairs or tight spaces change the price?Detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
- What is not included?Typically, services do not include repairs, tuning, or insurance for damage during the move unless specified — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a piano mover job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Check before you book
No register applies
NO LICENCE APPLIES TO REMOVALS FIRMS. The protection is the insurance, and the word to listen for is GOODS IN TRANSIT — public liability does not pay for your own property being damaged in their van. Trade membership of the Irish Association of Movers is voluntary and brings a complaints route.
Look for the trader badge and the ID-checked badge on the Locufy profile — both are checked by us, not claimed by the provider.
What to check instead
GOODS IN TRANSIT cover and its limit per item and in total — a €10,000 total on a four-bedroom move is not cover, it is a gesture; Whether the limit falls for items you pack yourself, which it usually does; A written inventory before loading, signed by both of you; How a claim is made and within what deadline — often days, not weeks; Whether the crew on the day are employees or casual labour; For storage, who insures the goods while stored and against what.
Ask for each of these before you agree a price, and get the answers in the same message as the quote.
Insurance
Expect goods in transit and public liability, with the limits named. From a company, ask for the insurer, the limit and the VAT number, and ask who actually attends: the team that turns up may be employed, subcontracted or both, and only one of those is supervised by the firm you are paying.
Ask to see the current certificate of insurance — the insurer's name, the limit and the date it runs to.
Trader or private seller
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2022 a trader must tell you they are a trader, and your consumer rights — work carried out with reasonable skill and care, and a cooling-off period on a contract agreed in your home or online — apply to traders and not to private sellers. On Locufy the trader status is shown on the profile.
Look for the trader badge on the Locufy profile, and ask anyone else for it in writing before you agree a price.
VAT
VAT at 23%, the standard rate Revenue publishes for this service. Ask whether the price you were given includes it. A trader under the €42,500 registration threshold does not charge it; one over it must, and must show it separately.
Ask whether the figure you were given includes it, and for the VAT number if they are registered — Revenue publishes the rate for this service. revenue.ie →
A good answer: No register covers piano mover work, so trader status is what your consumer rights hang on — professional Handling — qualified movers are trained to handle pianos, which are heavy and delicate instruments.
A good answer: A wide job needs more equipment brought to site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Dublin and the larger towns run above the rest of the country. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site. — ask before the quote rather than after.
A good answer: Typically, services do not include repairs, tuning, or insurance for damage during the move unless specified — get the exclusions named in the quote, because a piano mover job is priced on what was agreed and not on what was assumed.
A good answer: Expect goods in transit and public liability, with the limits named — specialised Equipment — piano removals often require specialised equipment such as dollies, ramps, and straps to secure the piano during transport.
A good answer: A written scope and a price before the piano mover starts, and an itemised invoice after — assessment and Planning — before the actual move, a detailed assessment is conducted to plan the logistics.
Getting the quote right
- Piano's size — a wide job needs more equipment brought to site.
- Distance to be travelled — Dublin and the larger towns run above the rest of the country.
- Any special requirements such as stairs or tight spaces — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site.
- Its condition — something neglected for years takes longer than something kept up.
- In writing before anyone starts — a message on Locufy counts
- What is NOT included, named
- Who actually attends, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
- The VAT number, and whether it checks out on the Revenue register
Walk away if
- They will not talk about it: piano's size — a wide job needs more equipment brought to site
- They will not talk about it: distance to be travelled — Dublin and the larger towns run above the rest of the country
- They will not talk about it: any special requirements such as stairs or tight spaces — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site
- A price for the piano mover before anyone has asked the size, the access or the condition of what they are working on
- Cash only, or a large deposit before anything at all has started
- No written quote, or one that moves once the piano mover has begun
What a piano mover costs: €150–€600 per move
The figures are for the job, per move, and a quote for your own is the only number that binds anyone. Grand piano removals and Upright piano removals each carry their own band. Piano Removals price guide →
Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.
KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE
Piano movers near you, with the badges that matter shown
ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.
Or post the job free and let them come to you.
- Look firstPiano's size — a wide job needs more equipment brought to site — that is what the piano mover is judging on the first visit, and a price given without it is a guess.
- Agree what is being doneDistance to be travelled — Dublin and the larger towns run above the rest of the country — put in writing before anyone starts, because it is the document you both read back at the end.
- The work itselfAny special requirements such as stairs or tight spaces — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site — and anything found on the day that was not in that is priced before it is started.
- Check it togetherIts condition — something neglected for years takes longer than something kept up — walked against the written scope rather than against the feeling of it, while the piano mover is still there.
- What you are handedThe itemised invoice and any guarantee on the workmanship and the parts, complexity of the move — detail work cannot be rushed, so it costs more per hour on site.
- Assessment and Planning
- Before the actual move, a detailed assessment is conducted to plan the logistics.
- Specialised Equipment
- Piano removals often require specialised equipment such as dollies, ramps, and straps to secure the piano during transport.
- Professional Handling
- Qualified movers are trained to handle pianos, which are heavy and delicate instruments.
- Grand Piano Removals
- Involves the careful disassembly, transport, and reassembly of grand pianos, requiring specialised equipment.
- Piano Storage Services
- Provides safe and climate-controlled storage options for pianos during relocation or for long-term safekeeping.
- Piano Tuning Post-Move
- Involves tuning the piano after transport to restore its sound quality, which can be affected during the move.
AFTER
When the job is done
Hiring a piano mover: questions people ask
The cost can vary based on the piano's size and weight, the distance to be travelled, and any special requirements such as stairs or tight spaces. Additional charges may apply for extra services like disassembly or tuning.
A standard piano removal can take anywhere from 1 to 3 hours, depending on the complexity of the move and the distance involved. Larger pianos or challenging access may extend the duration.
Many removal services offer emergency or same-day availability, though this may come at a premium cost. It's best to contact providers directly to check their availability.
Yes, many piano removal companies also offer related services such as storage or delivery of other items. Booking multiple services together may lead to discounts or more efficient scheduling.
Typically, services do not include repairs, tuning, or insurance for damage during the move unless specified. It's important to clarify what is covered before booking the service.
NO LICENCE APPLIES TO REMOVALS FIRMS. The protection is the insurance, and the word to listen for is GOODS IN TRANSIT — public liability does not pay for your own property being damaged in their van. Trade membership of the Irish Association of Movers is voluntary and brings a complaints route.
MORE GUIDES