A neighbor offers a “free” upright. The family imagines cozy evening music. It feels like a lucky break.
Then the first quote arrives. Moving is not cheap. The piano will not hold tune. A key sticks. A pedal squeaks. The question shows up fast: is a free piano worth it, or did we just adopt a problem?
This guide helps you make the call with clear, practical steps, before you spend money you cannot unspend.
Many pianos are offered for free because moving and storage are complicated, and repairs can be costly, especially if the piano has been neglected or stored in unstable conditions.
A simple assumption helps: if you cannot confirm recent professional care, plan for (1) safe transport, (2) a professional assessment, and (3) at least basic service; do not accept the piano yet.
A piano is heavy, awkwardly balanced, and easy to damage if not handled correctly. Improvising the move can harm the instrument, your floors, your stairs, and your body.
In many areas, a simple local piano move can land in the hundreds, and costs rise quickly with stairs, tight turns, and difficult access. Cost guides commonly place many local moves in a broad range (often a few hundred dollars, and sometimes more) depending on complexity. (Home Advisor)
If you would not move a refrigerator with friends, do not move a piano with friends.
A free piano can look beautiful and still be musically unusable. Many instruments need basic catch-up service right away.
If a piano has gone a long time without service, a standard tuning may not hold right away. A technician may recommend a pitch raise (or pitch correction) and possibly more than one tuning pass to bring string tension closer to normal before a fine tuning can be stable. (PTG)
A free piano often needs more than a tuning. The most common early costs come from action and regulation issues, aging felt, and mechanical problems that affect reliability and touch.
If a technician cannot get the piano to hold a basic tuning without repeated intervention, treat it as a recurring cost.
Most people focus on what the piano is, not where it will live.
Pianos are built from wood, felt, leather, and glue. Humidity swings change how those materials behave. A piano that seems “mostly fine” can become unpredictable when it moves from one environment to another. (Steinway)
If you need stabilization tools (room control, monitoring, or an internal system), that is another real cost. It can be worth it for the right instrument. It can be wasteful for the wrong one.
If you accept a free piano and later discover it is not viable, you may pay to remove it. That is the part many families do not see coming.
In many areas, piano disposal is priced as specialty haul-away. Cost guides commonly cite removal fees in the hundreds, often roughly in the $200 to $500 range, and the price increases with stairs, access, and instrument size.
Only accept a free piano if you are also willing to own the exit plan.
|
Cost Category |
What Triggers It |
What to Ask Before You Accept |
|
Costs to move a free piano |
Stairs, tight turns, distance, piano type |
“How many stairs and tight turns are on both ends?” |
|
Assessment |
Unknown condition |
“When was it last tuned or serviced?” |
|
Basic service |
Pitch instability, sticking keys |
“Does it hold tune, and do all keys work?” |
|
Free piano repair costs |
Worn parts, regulation issues, noisy pedals |
“Are there dead notes, uneven touch, or loud mechanical noise?” |
|
Piano disposal cost |
Piano is not viable |
“If it does not work out, what will removal cost?” |
This is the clean answer to is a free piano worth it: it depends on condition and total ownership cost, not the price tag.
If your goal is musical growth, you usually do better choosing intentionally:
That is also where long-term stewardship matters. The best piano choice is the one that supports consistent playing, consistent sound, and a consistent relationship with the instrument.
Want help choosing intentionally? Connect with a piano consultant at our Newton showroom for a quick, no-pressure recommendation based on your space, goals, and budget.