So, this is the thing I have been avoiding posting about, because I was waiting till I was less mad and waiting to hear how the piano sounds...
So, I was very unhappy with the moving company in terms of how they handled my grand piano. I have watched this piano be moved four times. Each other time has always been a two-person team, and from a national company dedicated to piano moving. This time, the company I used does regular moving and piano moving, and they came very highly recommended to me by other people who have used them to move pianos, and also by a local piano tuner. They were a three-person team. One of the guys obviously knew what he was doing, he's the one who removed and reattached the legs, lyre etc. But the other guys, not so much. Well and even the main guy, although he knew how to disassemble and assemble the piano, he didn't seem to make decisions that made moving the piano easier for them...
One problem was that they didn't have a ramp -- the other companies I've used set up a ramp from the front steps, these guys didn't have one. They did have a four-wheeled dolly and that worked fine, thankfully. But they needed a portable ramp.
They really struggled to get the piano down the steps from the porch at the rental house (even though it was barely three steps and one of the steps isn't a full-height step). I guess the piano got stuck? I was watching and I could not tell what the problem was. But in retrospect, I think maybe it's because that area was narrow, not because of the height of the steps. When they finally got the piano through, past the point where it was stuck, at one point the piano was set down hard with a big thud. Not dropped exactly, but close.
I don't think it's damaged (I've been playing it and it sounds fine, is not any more out of tune than before it was moved, and the PLS works etc.) but I plan to ask the tuner about it when he comes.
Then when they got the piano into the piano room at the new house, well first remember that the piano sits on a rug, which is on top of a carpet pad. It was hard to get the piano into position because it had to be positioned at an angle, and when they finally got it in place, the rug had waves in it (not bunched up exactly, but not something you could leave like that, and definitely not something that would resolve on its own). So first, the guy was kicking with his feet as if to force the rug down (which, had he continued, it looked like he was going to damage the rug... He stopped because it wasn't working, but I was able to ask him if he planned to buy me a new rug...)
Then they were saying there was no way to fix the rug without calling in a fourth person. A fourth person. My piano is a Yamaha C2 (5'8") not a 9 foot concert grand. Gimme a break.
So we discussed and figured out that the movers could slide their feet under the rug, lift the piano just a bit, and me and my husband could pull on the rug to shift it. We did that a few times and finally it was (mostly) fixed. But at this point, the rug and the carpet pad were completely out of sync with each other. You could see the carpet pad peaking out on two sides, not a good look.
We did a few more things to try to get the rug and pad aligned, but nothing was working. Finally I said, forget it, I'll cut the carpet pad (the pad is made to be cut anyway, but I forgot how thick it is and hard to cut. Mr. SK ended up doing it for me). At this point, I just wanted them to leave. Which they did, and Mr SK trimmed the pad so it's no longer visible.
Oh, I forgot, they also did not understand why I wanted them to line up the casters so they all pointed the same way, and it took a bit of convincing, not only for them to do it, but also I had to point out several times that each time you move the piano to arrange one caster, the other casters move, so you have to be careful about how you do it. But finally, the casters got lined up. And they left before I started screaming at them
Anyway, the piano is in its new spot, it looks ok and sounds ok, so I assume it is?? But how would I know if it were damaged from the move? And, say I found a hairline crack somewhere? I wouldn't know if it was caused by them or not. Also, I have a fabric cover under the piano for the dampp chaser, so I can't easily crawl down there and look around.
Anyway, in conclusion, these guys were the worst piano movers I've ever seen, and it seems like part of it is because they didn't have the right equipment, and part of it is because they were idiots they weren't experienced enough.
I've been debating about whether to call and complain or not. If we ever need to move again (which, I hope we don't) I'm not sure what movers we could use, and I would hate to burn bridges. This company has a lot of employees, so I'm sure these guys aren't the only piano movers at the company and if I needed to, I guess I'd use them again? (After confirming that they were sending experienced guys, with the right equipment...) Although I would much rather have a national piano moving company come out, even if it was a local move.
So that's my piano moving story. I wish it were a happier one. 🙁