Quick answer: Upright piano (ground floor) $299–$349. Upright with stairs $349–$449. Baby Grand $499–$599. Grand Piano $699–$849. All prices include disassembly where needed, carrying from inside the home, and disposal. Text a photo to (703) 828-7824 for a same-day quote.
Piano removal is one of the most misunderstood jobs in junk removal. People call us expecting it to be priced like a sofa — it's not. A piano is one of the heaviest, most awkward objects in any home. An upright piano can weigh 600 pounds. A Baby Grand can exceed 600 pounds and requires partial disassembly before it can even be moved. Getting it out of a living room, down stairs, through doorways, and loaded onto a trailer is genuinely hard work.
This guide covers real piano removal pricing for Northern Virginia, what makes pianos different from other removal jobs, and what your options are if you want to donate or sell instead of dispose.
Piano Removal Pricing — 2026
Upright Piano
Upright with Stairs
Baby Grand
Grand Piano
| Piano Type | Weight Range | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spinet / Console Upright | 300–500 lbs | $299–$329 | Under 45 inches tall, lighter build |
| Studio Upright | 400–600 lbs | $299–$349 | 45–48 inches tall, common in homes |
| Full / Professional Upright | 600–800 lbs | $329–$349 | Over 48 inches, older and heavier |
| Upright — with stair carry | Any | $349–$449 | +$50–$100 per flight of stairs |
| Baby Grand | 500–700 lbs | $499–$599 | 4.5–5.5 ft, partial disassembly required |
| Medium Grand | 600–800 lbs | $599–$699 | 5.5–6.5 ft |
| Grand Piano | 700–1,200 lbs | $699–$849 | 6.5+ ft, full disassembly required |
💡 Not sure what type of piano you have? Text us a photo — we can identify the type and give you an accurate quote within minutes. If the piano has legs and a horizontal harp shape, it's a grand. If it stands vertically against a wall, it's an upright.
Why Piano Removal Is a Specialty Job
Pianos are priced separately from general junk removal for several reasons that aren't obvious until you've tried to move one.
Weight and Density
A standard sofa weighs 150–250 pounds. A standard upright piano weighs 400–800 pounds — and that weight is concentrated in a cast iron plate that runs the full height of the instrument. There's no soft edge to grab. The weight distribution is uneven. Carrying one down stairs requires a crew of at least two experienced people with proper equipment — not just muscle.
Fragile Casework
Even old pianos that are being disposed of have delicate veneered wood surfaces, glass windows in the upper lid, and brass hardware that catches on walls and doorframes. Carrying a piano through a narrow Victorian doorway in a 1950s Fairfax colonial without damaging the walls requires patience and planning. We use moving blankets on every piano job.
Grand Piano Disassembly
Baby Grands and Grands cannot be moved in one piece in most homes. The legs must be removed, the lyre and pedal assembly must be unbolted, and the lid must come off. The body then goes onto a piano board — a specialized padded board with straps — and is tilted and transported that way. This disassembly is included in our price. We do not reassemble the piano.
Narrow Doorways and Stairs
Northern Virginia's older homes — 1950s colonials in Vienna and Fairfax, 1960s ranches in Annandale, townhouses in Reston — were not built with piano removal in mind. Upright pianos are typically 5 feet wide and 2 feet deep. Many interior doorways in these homes are 30–32 inches wide. Getting an 800-pound piano through a 30-inch doorway requires removing the piano's caster wheels, tilting it diagonally, and sometimes briefly removing the doorframe trim.
Before You Call — What to Do First
A few things to figure out before booking piano removal make the job go faster and ensure you get an accurate quote:
Measure Your Doorways
Check the width of every doorway between the piano and the exit — including any hallways, turns, and the front or back door. For upright pianos, the critical dimension is the width of the piano. Most uprights are 57–60 inches wide. Most doorways are 30–36 inches. The piano will need to be tilted diagonally to pass through — which requires ceiling clearance.
Know Your Floor Type
Hardwood floors and tile can be scratched or cracked by piano casters dragging. We use floor protection boards on all piano jobs. Let us know your floor type when you book.
Consider Donation First
If your piano is in playable condition — even if it needs tuning — it has real value. We will make calls to local organizations before disposal. See the donation section below.
Donate, Sell, or Dispose?
The question we hear most often: "Is the piano worth anything?" Here's an honest answer.
Selling
Most old uprights in Northern Virginia are worth very little on the resale market — $0 to $500 for a working instrument in decent condition. The cost to move a piano typically exceeds its resale value unless it's a high-quality instrument (Steinway, Baldwin, Yamaha) in excellent condition. If your piano has a maker's plate with a reputable name, it may be worth having a piano technician assess it before calling us.
Donating
Working pianos can be donated to churches, community centers, schools, and nonprofits. We have a list of organizations in Northern Virginia that accept piano donations. Before we load the piano, we can contact them on your behalf. The organization would need to arrange their own pickup — we cannot deliver to a specific location as part of the removal job unless it's on our route.
Piano Technician Pickup
Some piano technicians will take old instruments for parts — especially the cast iron plate, keys, and action. This is worth a call to local piano technicians (a quick Google for "piano technician Northern Virginia") before booking removal. If someone will take it for free, that saves everyone time and money.
Disposal
When none of the above work out, we handle disposal through proper channels. The cast iron plate, steel strings, and metal components go to a scrap metal recycler. The wooden cabinet and felt components go to the I-66 Transfer Station. We do not dump pianos illegally.
⚠️ Do not list a free piano on Craigslist or Facebook and expect strangers to come move it out of your house for free. This almost never results in a successful pickup — and you're inviting unknown people into your home. Professional removal is the reliable option.
Can You Remove a Piano Yourself?
Technically yes. Practically, for most people, no — and here's why.
An 800-pound upright piano going down stairs is a serious safety risk. Pianos have been known to get away from movers on stairs, cause severe injuries, and cause significant structural damage to homes. There are YouTube videos of piano removals gone wrong. It is not the same as moving a heavy bookcase.
If you're determined to DIY: rent a piano dolly (not a standard furniture dolly — a piano dolly with a cradle), recruit at least three strong people, use furniture straps, and place plywood on any hardwood floors. For stairs, use a piano stair board. Accept that you may scratch walls and floors.
The honest math: piano dolly rental $50, truck rental $100–$200, your time and labor, possible damage to floors and walls. A professional upright removal runs $299–$349 and typically takes 1–2 hours. For most homeowners, the math is obvious.
Piano Removal Across Northern Virginia
We remove pianos throughout the Northern Virginia area. A few city-specific notes:
- McLean and Great Falls: These neighborhoods have the highest concentration of grand pianos in our service area — large homes with formal living rooms. We do multiple grand piano removals here each year. Access is generally excellent.
- Fairfax and Vienna: 1950s–70s colonials with uprights that have been in place since the home was built. Narrow doorways are common — we assess access before arrival.
- Arlington and Alexandria: Row houses and condos. Stair carries are almost universal. Elevator buildings require freight elevator coordination.
- Herndon and Reston: Townhouse uprights on second floors — the most common piano removal scenario in this area. Standard stair surcharge applies.
- Bethesda and Potomac MD: Maryland service, same pricing. Large homes with high piano concentration. Same-day available most days.
How to Book Piano Removal
- Text a photo of the piano to (703) 828-7824 — side view and front view if possible
- Tell us what floor the piano is on and describe access (doorway width, stairs)
- We give you a firm quote — usually within a few minutes
- We schedule same-day or your preferred date
- We arrive, assess access in person, confirm the price
- We carry the piano out, load it, and haul it away
- You pay when done — cash, Zelle, Venmo, or card
Need a Piano Removed in Northern Virginia?
Same-day available · Upright, Baby Grand, Grand · Text photos for an instant quote
Call (703) 828-7824Frequently Asked Questions
Upright (ground floor): $299–$349. Upright with stairs: $349–$449. Baby Grand: $499–$599. Grand Piano: $699–$849. All include disassembly where needed, carrying out, and disposal. Text a photo for a firm quote.
Upright pianos move whole on piano dollies through doorways and down stairs. Grand pianos require partial disassembly — legs, lyre, and lid removed — before the body goes on a piano board. We use moving blankets and floor protection on every piano job. The process takes 1–3 hours depending on piano type and access.
Yes — upright pianos on the second floor add $50–$100 to the base price. Grand pianos on upper floors require an on-site assessment first, as stairway width and ceiling clearance determine what's possible. We evaluate before committing to any upstairs grand piano removal.
Spinet and console uprights weigh 300–500 lbs. Studio uprights are 400–600 lbs. Full professional uprights can exceed 800 lbs. Grand pianos range from 500 lbs (Baby Grand) to over 1,200 lbs (full concert grand). This weight and awkward shape is why piano removal is a specialty job with its own pricing.
If the piano is in playable condition, we can contact local churches, schools, and nonprofits before disposal. We also recommend calling local piano technicians — some take old instruments for parts. Most old uprights in poor condition have little or no resale value, but it's worth checking before removing.
Upright pianos generally move whole. Grand pianos require partial disassembly — lid, legs, and lyre removed before transport. Disassembly is included in the quoted price. We do not reassemble pianos — this is a removal service only.
Playable pianos are offered to local organizations first. Non-playable pianos go to specialty recyclers — the cast iron plate and steel strings are recovered as scrap metal. The wooden cabinet goes to the I-66 Transfer Station. We never dump pianos illegally.
If the piano stands vertically against a wall with strings running up and down inside, it's an upright. If it has legs and a horizontal harp shape with a lid that opens to the side, it's a grand. Spinet and console uprights are shorter (under 45 inches). Text us a photo and we'll confirm the type and quote accurately.