Piano Movers in San Diego
Uprights, grands and safes. No stair fees.
The short version: One Stop Moving & Storage moves pianos at its crew hourly rates: $139 an hour for two movers and a truck, $189 for three. San Diego County has a 4-hour minimum, so a local piano move starts at $556 with two movers or $756 with three, plus fuel. There are no stair fees. Grand pianos are quoted in writing after we see the access.
- Licensed CAL-190616 (BHGS), USDOT 1956864, moving San Diego since 2008
- Every piano blanket-wrapped and strapped; grands go on a piano board
- Stairs cost crew time only, never a per-step fee
- Google 4.3 stars from about 269 reviews, BBB A+
Since 2008
Moving San Diego
CAL-190616
California mover license
USDOT 1956864
Interstate, MC 694565
BBB A+
Better Business Bureau
98%
Of our customers come back (company records)
7 days
7 AM–7 PM, phone open 24 hours
What it costs
How much does it cost to move a piano in San Diego?
A local piano move with One Stop is $139 an hour with two movers or $189 with three. There’s no stair fee. Grand pianos are quoted in writing after we see the access.
A piano is priced like any California hourly move: crew size times hours. The piano, the stairs and the path to the truck decide how many movers and how long. You get a written Not-to-Exceed price before move day.
Moving the rest of your home too? The piano goes on the same move at the same crew rate.
What you pay
The rest of the rate card
Sample: upright, 12 miles
Example only, built from the rate card. Your written estimate covers your piano, stairs and addresses.
Upright, grand or spinet
How do you move an upright, a grand and a spinet differently?
Spinets and uprights move standing up on a dolly, wrapped and strapped. Baby grands and grands come apart: legs and pedal lyre off, then the body is wrapped and strapped to a piano board. That’s why grands usually need a bigger crew and are quoted after we see the access.
Spinets and consoles
The smallest uprights, around 300 lbs. Wrapped, strapped to a dolly and never rolled on their own casters. On level ground two movers can often handle one.
Uprights and studio pianos
300 to 600 lbs, with the weight up high, so they shift on stairs. Full blanket wrap, corner protection, a dolly and a controlled team carry on every step.
Baby grands
500 to 800 lbs. Legs and pedal lyre come off when needed. The body is wrapped, padded at the rim and lid and strapped to a piano board. Put back together at delivery, on the clock.
Grands and concert grands
900 to 1,400 lbs. A bigger crew, a piano board and bracing for turns and ramps. Quoted in writing after we see the access at both ends.
Safes
Gun safes and home safes move at the same crew hourly rates. Tell us the weight, the floor and every step on the way out, and we confirm the crew and price in writing.
Specialized movingTuning after the move
Temperature and humidity changes move the strings. Wait 2 to 4 weeks after delivery, then book a tuning.
Stairs and access
Do you charge extra to move a piano up or down stairs?
No. One Stop has no stair fees, for pianos or anything else. Stairs add crew time, and crew time is what you pay for. Tell us the number of steps, any turns and the narrowest door at both homes, and we send the right crew size.
Some piano movers add a charge per step or per flight. Ours is crew time only, at the hourly rates above.
Hard access we plan for
Protection
How much is my piano covered for during the move?
Basic protection pays 60 cents per pound per article, as California’s Max 4 tariff sets it (Item 136). A 500-lb upright is covered for up to $300 and a 1,000-lb grand for up to $600. That’s a limit, not replacement value, so check your homeowner’s or renter’s policy.
A good piano is worth far more than its weight in cents. Ask your insurer whether your policy covers a musical instrument in transit, or whether you need a rider, before move day.
Our $1M general liability and $1M workers’ comp cover the crew and the job. Every mover is a full-time employee.
What basic protection pays
| Piano | Typical weight | Pays up to |
|---|---|---|
| Spinet | 300 lb | $180 |
| Upright | 500 lb | $300 |
| Baby grand | 700 lb | $420 |
| Grand | 1,000 lb | $600 |
| Concert grand | 1,400 lb | $840 |
60¢ per pound per article (Max 4 tariff, Item 136), included at $0 on every California move.
Piano storage
Can you store my piano, and is the storage climate-controlled?
Yes. Our vaults at the Sorrento Valley facility (6260 Marindustry Dr) are climate- and humidity-controlled at 68 to 72°F. Vault storage starts at $245 a month for a 5×10 in San Diego County. Short-term storage during a move is included.
Portable containers are steel and weather-sealed but not climate-controlled, so they aren’t the right place for a piano.
When your new home is ready, delivery is booked like any local move, at the same crew rates.
Vault storage at a glance
Out of town
Can you move a piano from San Diego to Los Angeles or out of state?
Yes. Pianos go nationwide from San Diego, and into San Diego too. Los Angeles takes 1 to 2 days, Phoenix and Las Vegas 1 to 2, Salt Lake City 2 to 3, and Austin, Dallas or Houston 3 to 4. Los Angeles moves are billed by the hour at crew rates, and Bay Area moves are $4,800–$5,200.
A piano moving with a full household goes on a dedicated truck at one price per city, such as $4,200 to Phoenix. A piano on its own going out of state is quoted in writing.
Transit times from San Diego
The long-distance deposit is set in your written quote. Routes not listed are quoted in writing.
Local know-how
What should you know about moving a piano in San Diego?
Most piano-day problems in San Diego are about access, not the piano. Towers want insurance papers, hillside homes have long carries, beach streets have no parking, and coastal air affects tuning. Tell us early and we plan for it.
Elevators and COIs
Mid- and high-rise buildings downtown and in La Jolla often want an elevator booking and a certificate of insurance. We send the COI; ask your property manager for the rules.
Hills and canyons
Mission Hills, La Mesa and much of North County have steep driveways and long walks to the street. Tell us when you book so we size the crew.
Coastal humidity
La Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas run more humid, which affects tuning and wood. Plan a tuning 2 to 4 weeks after the move.
Timing
Crews work 7 days a week, 7 AM to 7 PM, at the same rate. Early starts mean easier parking and lighter traffic.
Bought a piano?
A piano from a store or a private seller moves the same way, at the same crew rates. Send both addresses and the stairs at each.
Orange County
Same hourly crew rates.
Orange County moversWhere we move pianos
Where do you move pianos in San Diego County?
Everywhere in San Diego County, every day, at the same hourly rates, and across Orange County. Crews start from our Sorrento Valley base.
North County: Carlsbad movers, Oceanside movers, Escondido movers, Encinitas movers, Poway movers.
City of San Diego and the coast: La Jolla movers, Del Mar movers, Carmel Valley movers, Mission Valley movers, Coronado movers.
South Bay and East County: Chula Vista movers, National City movers, El Cajon movers, La Mesa movers, Alpine movers.
Beyond the county: Orange County movers, or see every area we serve.
Questions
Piano moving questions
Short answers. Prices, booking, packing, storage and your rights are covered in full in our FAQ.
All moving questionsHow much does it cost to move a piano in San Diego?
One Stop moves pianos at its crew hourly rates: $139 an hour for two movers and a truck, $189 for three. A local piano move is $139 an hour with two movers or $189 with three.
How much does it cost to move a grand piano?
Grand pianos are quoted in writing after we see the access at both homes, because the stairs, doors and crew size change the time. They’re billed at the same crew hourly rates.
Do you charge extra for stairs?
No. There are no stair fees. Stairs add crew time, so tell us the number of steps and any turns when you ask for a quote.
How many movers does a piano need?
Spinets and many uprights on level ground can be a 2-mover job. Heavy uprights on stairs and grands usually need three or more. We set the crew in your written estimate.
Do you take apart and put back together grand pianos?
Yes. Legs and pedal lyre come off when needed and go back on at delivery. That time is billed on the clock at your crew’s hourly rate, like the rest of the move.
How much is my piano covered for during the move?
Basic protection pays 60 cents per pound per article (California Max 4 tariff, Item 136). A 500-lb upright is covered for up to $300 and a 1,000-lb grand for up to $600. Check your homeowner’s or renter’s policy for more.
Can you store my piano, and is storage climate-controlled?
Yes. Our Sorrento Valley vaults are climate- and humidity-controlled at 68 to 72°F. Vault storage starts at $245 a month for a 5×10 in San Diego County, and short-term storage during a move is included.
How long does a piano move from San Diego to Los Angeles take?
1 to 2 days. San Diego to Los Angeles is billed by the hour at our crew rates, quoted in writing before move day.
Do you move pianos out of state?
Yes, nationwide from San Diego and into San Diego. Phoenix and Las Vegas take 1 to 2 days, Salt Lake City 2 to 3, and Texas 3 to 4. A piano on its own is quoted in writing.
When should I tune my piano after the move?
Wait 2 to 4 weeks after delivery so the piano settles into the new room’s temperature and humidity, then book a tuning.
Do you move safes?
Yes, at the same crew hourly rates. Tell us the safe’s weight, the floor it’s on and every step on the way out, and we confirm the crew and price in writing.
How far ahead should I book a piano move?
About 10 days ahead most of the year and about 3 weeks ahead from May through September. Rescheduling is free.
What should I look for in San Diego piano movers?
A crew that moves pianos often, the right gear (blankets, straps and a piano board for grands), a written price before move day and a California mover license. One Stop Moving & Storage has moved pianos across San Diego County since 2008 under CAL-190616.
Talk to a person
Get a free, written piano quote
Tell us the piano type, both addresses and the stairs at each. You get the crew size, the hours and a Not-to-Exceed price in writing, free, usually within hours. The phone line is open 24 hours.