Piano Removals
half a tonne, zero drama.
An upright piano weighs as much as four washing machines and is worth more than the van moving it. This is the job for a tail lift, piano skids, straps, and two people who have done it before - not two mates and a deep breath.
TowManVan piano removals use a Luton van with tail lift and a two-person crew: £60/hr plus £12/hr for the second crew member. A typical ground-floor upright move completes in the 2-hour minimum at around £144, with skids, straps and goods-in-transit insurance included. Uprights and digital pianos supported; stair moves welcome with details upfront. Launching in 24 UK cities on 1st of October 2026.
Tell us the piano type and the route - steps, turns, door widths - and the crew arrives with the right plan.
Services in UK
Fixed upfront prices. No membership fees. Live operator tracking across every postcode in UK.
Upright Pianos
The core job: console and full-size uprights moved on skids, strapped upright against the van wall, tail-lifted rather than ramped. Ground-floor moves fit the 2-hour minimum.
Digital & Stage Pianos
Clavinovas, stage pianos and weighted-key digitals are lighter but awkward and fragile. Often a small-van job with one careful driver and proper padding.
Stair Moves
Basement studios and first-floor flats are routine for a two-person crew with skids and straps - just slower. Describe the staircase and the estimate covers it honestly.
Route Planning
Door widths, hallway turns, step counts: send the numbers and the crew plans the carry before touching the instrument. No improvising with half a tonne on the move.
Pianos, moved properly
Why pianos break amateur moves
An upright concentrates 200-300kg on four small castors, with the weight high in the frame - it tips, it rolls, and the cast-iron plate cracks if it lands. The injuries-and-damage stories all start with 'we thought we could manage it'. A tail lift, skids and a trained two-person crew exist precisely so momentum never gets a vote.
What the booking includes
The Luton arrives with tail lift, piano skids, straps and blankets as standard kit; the second crew member is added at £12/hr. Loading, the secured ride, unloading and placement in the room are all inside the hourly price. Tuning afterwards is the only thing left to arrange - give it two weeks to settle first.
Free pianos still cost a move
Marketplace is full of pianos for £0 - 'just collect it'. That listing is really a £144 piano with delivery included, which remains the cheapest way a working upright will ever enter your house. Send the crew, track the van, and start lessons by the weekend.
Questions, answered
Everything about pricing, coverage and response times in UK.
Got a piano to move?
Describe the instrument and the route, get the fixed estimate, and a two-person crew arrives with the right kit. Launching 1st of October 2026.
Download free
iOS and Android from the 1st of October 2026. No membership, no annual fee and no account charge. You only pay when you book a job.
Book securely
The fixed price is shown before you confirm, not after the work. Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay are handled in-app, so no cash changes hands at the kerb.
Track the driver
Once a job is accepted you see the driver's name, vehicle and live position on the map, with an arrival time that updates as they travel.
Every operator is DBS checked, insured for hire and reward, and rated after each job. Prices are fixed before dispatch, never quoted as a range.
Own a van or recovery truck? Take jobs through the same appTail lift & skids · Two-person crew · Insured in transit
Mel Carrington - Head of Removals Operations
Mel ran national removal fleets at Pickfords for 15 years before joining TowManVan. She signs off every van-size recommendation, hourly rate and handling standard on this page. Questions? Email mel@towmanvan.co.uk. All figures reviewed August 2026.
Last updated August 2026. Prices verified August 2026 by Mel Carrington.