Piano, pool table, hot tub, and appliance moving costs: what each item actually costs and why

Local specialty moves run $250-$1,500 depending on the item; long-distance adds distance fees on top. The master table below shows the full range at a glance. Every number in this guide is an industry estimate based on mover pricing data — your actual quote will depend on access conditions, stairs, and your location. The sections that follow explain the mechanics behind each item so you can read a quote intelligently and push back when a line item doesn't make sense.

Piano moves cost more than standard furniture moves for straightforward reasons: the instruments are dense, fragile, and require specialized equipment and technique that generalist movers are not trained to apply. An upright piano weighs 400-700 pounds and carries its weight in a concentrated footprint. A grand piano runs 500-1,200 pounds depending on length, and its legs are not designed to bear lateral stress — they must come off before the instrument moves.

For a local upright move, expect $250-$550 from a specialist crew. A grand locally runs $400-$900. Long-distance adds distance-based fees and often requires a dedicated piano transport vehicle with suspension mats; budget $600-$1,500 for an upright and $1,000-$2,500 or more for a grand across a significant distance.

Stairs add cost in almost every quote. The standard piano-stair fee runs $5-$10 per step, sometimes quoted as a flat stair fee of $75-$150 per flight. If your origin or destination has a staircase and the piano must traverse it, that line item is legitimate — each step requires the full crew's attention and a controlled descent or ascent with a piano board.

The equipment a proper piano crew brings: a piano board (also called a piano skid or piano dolly), heavy-duty nylon straps, hump straps for stair carries, and padding specific to the instrument's finish. Three to four movers is the standard crew size for an upright; a grand typically needs four. If a company quotes a two-person crew for a grand, that is a red flag.

Plan for post-move tuning. Piano strings settle under the stress of transit, and climate changes between origin and destination accelerate that settling. Most piano technicians recommend waiting two to four weeks after the move before tuning — the instrument continues to acclimate during that window, and tuning before it stabilizes means tuning again shortly after. Budget $100-$300 for a post-move tuning. Player pianos and antique instruments may carry a premium for specialty insurance and handling, which you should confirm in writing before booking.

Pool table moves are misunderstood by most people who have never had to do one. The table itself is not a single heavy object you wrap and roll — it is a structure built around a slate playing surface, and that slate is the entire constraint.

A regulation pool table has a three-piece slate bed, with each slab weighing 150-250 pounds. The slate is leveled, bolted, and felted into place. Moving the table assembled is not an option. The slate will crack under the lateral and torsional stress of transport if not removed and crated individually. Any mover who tells you they can move a pool table without disassembly is either uninformed or describing a move you will regret.

Professional disassembly, move, and reassembly locally runs $300-$700. Long-distance runs $600-$1,500. The price includes removing the felt, separating and individually wrapping the slate slabs, disassembling the frame and pockets, transporting, and reassembling and re-leveling at the destination. Re-leveling is not optional — even a one-degree tilt changes how the table plays.

The felt is a separate decision. If your felt is worn or older, the reassembly is the natural moment to replace it. New felt runs $250-$400 for the material and installation labor combined, typically quoted as an add-on by the same crew during reassembly. Factor this in when comparing quotes — a low disassembly quote that doesn't include felt replacement may not be a better deal if you were planning to replace it anyway.

Pool tables come in 7, 8, and 9-foot sizes. The price difference between sizes is real but modest — mostly in crew time and slate handling — so don't expect a 7-foot table to cost significantly less than a 9-foot in the same move scenario.

Hot tub moves are where the honest answer is sometimes "sell it." A basic hot tub weighs 500-1,000 pounds empty and must be moved with a spa dolly and a crew of at least four. Local moves with good access run $300-$700. Long-distance is $800-$1,800 or more. That cost is not trivial relative to the resale value of an entry-level tub.

For a five-year-old spa that would sell for $800-$1,200 on a local marketplace, transportation cost approaches or exceeds resale value. That math does not hold for a high-end tub worth $6,000-$12,000 — in that case, moving it is clearly worth the cost. The decision depends on the specific tub, its age, and its replacement price at the destination. Be honest about this calculation before you book the move.

Crane situations drive costs dramatically higher. If the tub was originally craned into a backyard over a fence, or is on a deck with no ground-level exit path, crane service runs $800-$1,500 or more as a standalone line item, on top of the base move cost. Get a site assessment before booking if access is not straightforward.

Electrical disconnection is a step that must happen before any move. Hot tubs are hardwired to a 220V circuit — the same class of connection as a clothes dryer or an electric range, but typically with a dedicated 240V/50A breaker and a disconnect box. This is not a DIY step. A licensed electrician needs to disconnect the hardwire before the crew can touch the tub. Budget $75-$150 for that service call and schedule it in advance of the move date.

Drain the tub 24 hours before the move. Residual water in the plumbing and jets adds weight and creates a mess. Even a "drained" tub retains water in the lower plumbing runs — tipping it during the move will surface that water. Plan for it.

Large appliances — refrigerators, washers, dryers — are the specialty items most likely to be moved DIY, and also the most likely to be damaged by two specific and avoidable mistakes. Knowing what those mistakes are determines whether you end the day with working appliances or service calls.

Refrigerators weigh 250-350 pounds and have one non-negotiable rule: transport them upright. The compressor oil migrates through the refrigerant lines when the unit is laid on its side. If you must tilt a refrigerator briefly to navigate a narrow doorframe, keep the tilt angle as low as possible and, once upright again, let the unit stand for at least four hours before plugging it in. This is standard manufacturer guidance, not excessive caution. The compressor oil needs time to drain back before the compressor runs. Plugging in a tilted refrigerator immediately often does not damage it — but if it does, the damage is a compressor replacement, which can cost more than the refrigerator.

Practical prep: defrost the refrigerator 24-48 hours before the move. A fully defrosted unit is lighter, cleaner, and eliminates meltwater during transport. Tape the doors closed. Remove shelves and drawers and pack them separately (they can shift and crack inside a moving refrigerator). Disconnect water and ice line connections if the unit has them — left connected, they become a tension point as the refrigerator moves. If the doors must come off to navigate a narrow doorframe, that is a standard technique for refrigerators with reversible doors.

Washers have a different failure mode: drum damage from shipping. Washing machine drums are suspended on springs and are designed to absorb the motion of a laundry load during a wash cycle, not the vibration of a truck on a road. Manufacturers ship new washers with transit bolts or shipping rods that lock the drum in place during transport. When a washer is delivered to you, an installer removes those bolts. If you saved them, reinstall them before moving the washer. If you didn't save them, replacement shipping bolts are available from the manufacturer for $15-$30 — worth every dollar. Moving a washer without transit bolts risks bending the suspension rods and damaging the drum bearings, turning a free move into a repair bill larger than the appliance.

Standalone appliance moves — when you're not moving a full household but just need a refrigerator or washer moved across town — typically run $150-$300 for a two-person labor crew with the right equipment (appliance dolly, furniture straps). This is separate from full-move pricing, where appliances are typically included in the crew's scope.

Specialty items are the category where low quotes most often become expensive surprises. The gap between a professional specialty crew and a generalist moving team is real, and the bill of lading will not tell you which one is showing up.

Send photos. Every specialty item quote should be preceded by photos: show the item, the room it's in, the staircase or doorway it needs to clear, and the access path. A crew that quotes a hot tub without knowing whether there's a fence in the way is guessing. A company that doesn't ask for photos on a piano move is not planning the move.

Describe access explicitly. How many steps from the front door to the street? Is there a tight stairwell turn? Is there an elevator? Does the back door clear the refrigerator by less than two inches? Specialty move pricing is highly access-sensitive, and mover pricing models are tuned to the information you give them. Missing access details at quote time become line-item surprises on move day.

Declare value and check your valuation coverage. Specialty items — pianos especially — should be declared at their actual replacement value when booking. Standard released-value coverage (60 cents per pound) pays $180-$420 on an upright piano. A $3,000 piano covered at released value is not covered in any meaningful sense. Full-value protection is available for an additional premium and requires written declaration before the move. Review your homeowner's or renter's policy for scheduled personal property riders if you have them — they may cover the piano during transit. Our moving insurance guide explains valuation options in detail.