Piano & specialty moving
Piano Moving Des Moines
Pianos, gun safes, antiques, pool tables, and other heavy or one-of-a-kind items most movers won’t touch. Three years of moving specialty items across the Des Moines metro.
What kind of specialty move?
We handle the items most general moving companies refuse or handle badly. Tap below to jump to the section for your item.
Piano Moving
Upright, baby grand, full grand, console, digital with stand
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Gun Safe Moving
Home safes, large safes, basement installations
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Antiques & Heirlooms
Curio cabinets, armoires, art, mirrors, family pieces
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Pool Tables & More
Pool tables, hot tubs, gym equipment, large appliances
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Piano moving in Des Moines is the kind of job where the wrong crew can cause real damage. A cracked soundboard. A scratched leg. A torn casing. Most general moving companies don’t want to move pianos, gun safes, or large antiques because they don’t have the gear, the right crew size, or the experience. Many will refuse the job. Others will take it and handle the move with the same dollies and pads they use for couches.
Midwest Moving Pros handles piano moving, gun safe moving, antique moving, pool table moving, and other specialty items as a core service. Three years of moving heavy and fragile items across the Des Moines metro. The pricing is straightforward: our standard hourly rate applies, plus a flat $100 add for items that are too heavy for our standard crew.
Piano Moving Des Moines
Pianos are heavy, top-heavy, fragile, and uniquely shaped — a combination that makes them unlike anything else in the house. The right move starts with the right equipment and a crew that knows how to use it.
- Upright pianos: 300 to 800 lbs depending on size and age. Standard moving pads, piano boards, and straps.
- Console & spinet pianos: 300 to 500 lbs. Shorter than uprights but still need piano-specific handling.
- Baby grand pianos: 500 to 650 lbs. Legs and lyre come off. Pad-wrapped and moved on a skid board.
- Full grand pianos: 650 to 1,200 lbs. Same process as baby grand but larger. Right-sized crew based on weight.
- Digital pianos with stand: Lighter but still awkward. Pad-wrapped and carried, often with the stand pre-disassembled.
- Tuning recommendation: We recommend professional tuning 2 to 4 weeks after a piano move — the piano needs time to settle in its new environment.
Piano Moving Cost
Pianos are billed at our standard rate of $160/hr, with a flat $100 add for pianos heavy enough to require an extra crew member.
Long-distance piano moves are quoted separately based on the route and destination.
Contact us for a specific quote based on your piano type and the access at both addresses.
Gun Safe Moving
Gun safes are the heaviest items in most homes. A small home safe can run 300 to 500 lbs. A larger one can reach 1,000 lbs or more. Most general moving companies refuse to move them because of weight and liability.
- Small home safes (under 500 lbs): Heavy-duty dolly with ratchet straps. Floor protection laid for hardwood and tile.
- Medium safes (500 to 900 lbs): Right-sized crew with specialty gun safe dolly. Plywood for floor protection on the carry path.
- Heavy safes (900+ lbs): Larger crew. We assess the move during the walkthrough to confirm the route, stairs, and access work for the safe’s weight.
- Stairs: Down to a basement is the most common gun safe destination. Up to a second floor is rarer but doable. Both require careful weight distribution and the right gear.
- Floor protection: Plywood path from front door to safe location. Hardwood, tile, and luxury vinyl all scratch under heavy items without protection.
- Anchoring & bolting: We get the safe to its location safely; bolting to the floor is a specialty install handled by you or a separate installer.
Gun Safe Moving Cost
Gun safes are billed at our standard rate of $160/hr, with a flat $100 add for safes heavy enough to require an extra crew member.
Long-distance safe moves are quoted separately.
Tell us the safe’s manufacturer plate weight and where it needs to go — we’ll quote based on that.
Antique & Heirloom Moving
Antiques have different rules than regular furniture. They’re often older, more fragile, more valuable, and impossible to replace if damaged. The right move uses heavier padding and slower handling.
- Curio cabinets & china cabinets: Glass shelves and doors removed, padded separately. Cabinet pad-wrapped with extra blankets.
- Armoires & wardrobes: Doors taped or removed depending on construction. Sometimes disassembled at the back panel for tight doorways.
- Antique tables: Pedestal bases separated from tops. Tops moved on edge with corner protection.
- Framed art & mirrors: Adjustable mirror cartons with corner protection.
- Hutches & sideboards: Drawers removed and wrapped separately. Top and bottom often pre-disassembled.
- Antique pianos: See piano section above. Older pianos sometimes need additional care because of joint wear.
Antique Moving Cost
Antique moves are billed at our standard rate of $160/hr. Single oversized antique pieces may add the flat $100 if they require an extra crew member.
Full-value protection insurance available and recommended for high-value pieces.
Pool Tables, Hot Tubs & Other Specialty Items
A handful of other items fall outside the standard furniture category and need specialty handling.
- Slate pool tables: Disassembled at origin. Slate panels, rails, and frame moved separately. Reassembled at destination. We recommend a billiards specialist for re-leveling after the move.
- Hot tubs (drained): Yes, we move drained hot tubs. The customer drains and disconnects; we handle the physical move. We don’t do plumbing or electrical reconnection.
- Gym equipment: Treadmills, ellipticals, weight racks, Pelotons. Most need partial disassembly for doorways and stairs.
- Outdoor items: Patio furniture sets, grills (cleaned), playsets (partially disassembled).
- Large appliances: Refrigerators, freezers, washers, dryers. Most general movers handle these; we treat them as specialty when disconnection and floor protection are needed.
- What we won’t move: Live animals, hazardous materials, items with active connections (plumbed, gassed, electrified). See our packing services page for the full list.
Other Specialty Cost
All specialty items billed at our standard rate of $160/hr, with the flat $100 add for items too heavy for our standard crew.
Custom items always get a walkthrough or detailed call quote first.
Why customers choose Midwest Moving Pros for specialty
Three years of specialty moving across the Des Moines metro — with the same accountability standards on every job.
3 yrs
specialty moving
experience in the Des Moines metro
$160/hr
flat hourly rate
plus $100 for too-heavy items
4.9 ★
Google rating
from 71 verified customer reviews
Specialty Equipment We Use
Specialty moves are mostly about having the right gear. The actual lifting is straightforward when the tools are correct — and risky when they’re not.
Piano boards (skid boards)
For tipping a piano on its side and rolling it on a flat surface. Standard tool for any piano move.
Heavy-duty dollies
Stable across uneven floors and door thresholds. Sized to the weight of the item being moved.
Ratchet straps
Used to secure heavy items to dollies and in the truck during transit.
Heavy moving pads
Thicker padding for pianos, antiques, and high-value pieces.
Plywood floor protection
Laid between the door and the destination to prevent floor damage from heavy items.
Mirror & art cartons
Adjustable cartons with corner protection for framed pieces, mirrors, and glass.
Service Areas
We provide piano moving, gun safe moving, antique moving, and other specialty moving services throughout the Des Moines metro and surrounding central Iowa communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does piano moving in Des Moines cost?
Piano moves are billed at our standard hourly rate of $160/hr. Heavier pianos that require an extra crew member carry a flat $100 add to cover the additional labor. We’ll quote the specific cost based on the piano type and the access at both addresses. Long-distance piano moves are quoted separately.
Can you move a gun safe up or down stairs?
Yes. Most basement gun safe installations involve stairs going down, and second-floor safes going up. Our crews use the right gear for the job. We’ll assess feasibility during the walkthrough or detailed phone call — some staircases have weight or width limits that affect what we can safely do.
What if my regular movers won’t take my piano or safe?
Common situation. Many general moving companies refuse pianos and heavy gun safes because they don’t have the specialty gear or experienced crew. We can do the specialty item as a standalone job or coordinate the timing with your other move — tell us your situation and we’ll work with it.
Will my piano need tuning after the move?
Yes. Even a perfect piano move shifts the strings and frame enough that the instrument loses tune. We recommend waiting 2 to 4 weeks after a move before scheduling tuning — that gives the piano time to settle in its new environment.
Are antique items covered by your standard insurance?
Standard released-value coverage (60 cents per pound per item) is included in every move — but for antiques, that’s usually not enough. A 200-pound antique armoire worth $5,000 would be covered at $120 under released value. We strongly recommend full-value protection on antiques and heirlooms.
Do you move pianos or specialty items long distance?
Yes. Long-distance specialty moves are priced based on the item, the distance, and the access at both ends. Send us the specifics and we’ll quote it. Long-distance moves require a $300 deposit to lock in the date.
Do you require a deposit for specialty moves?
Yes. We ask for a $50 deposit on local moves and a $300 deposit on long-distance moves to lock in your date. The deposit is applied to your final invoice on move day.
Midwest Moving Pros provides professional piano moving and specialty moving services in Des Moines, Iowa, and surrounding metro areas including Ankeny, West Des Moines, Waukee, Urbandale, Johnston, Clive, Altoona, Pleasant Hill, Grimes, Bondurant, Polk City, Norwalk, Indianola, and Windsor Heights. With three years of experience serving the Des Moines metro, the company handles upright pianos, baby grand pianos, full grand pianos, console and digital pianos, gun safes from small home safes to safes over 1,000 pounds, antiques and heirlooms, slate pool tables, drained hot tubs, gym equipment, and other specialty items. Pricing is straightforward: the standard hourly rate of $160/hr applies, with a flat $100 add for items too heavy for the standard crew. A $50 deposit is required for local moves; $300 for long-distance moves. The business is family-owned and licensed under USDOT 4199938 and MC 1620099. Contact: (515) 414-7968. Website: midwestmovingpros.com.
Got a piano, safe, or antique to move?
Send us the item type, the addresses, and any stairs. We’ll quote it within 24 hours with the right crew and price.
USDOT 4199938·MC 1620099·Family-owned in Des Moines·4.9 ★ from 71 Google reviews