Upright piano mover (part-time)

Families buying or selling a piano, music teachers, schools, churches, community halls, and piano tuners or dealers who need a mover they can refer.

A fixed price per move, based on distance, stairs and the piano's weight. Extra charges for steep access or long carries. Repeat work comes from referrals by tuners, dealers and music teachers.

• Safe lifting and teamwork
• Careful with other people's property
• Reliable and good at quoting
• Confident driving a loaded vehicle

• Public liability and goods in transit insurance that clearly covers pianos, check the value limits and exclusions
• Back and hand injuries, use proper manual handling methods and don't take on jobs you can't do safely, such as a grand piano down stairs
• Damage to floors, walls and stairs, take photos before you start and agree access in advance
• Check the weight limits for your licence and vehicle, and your state's rules on securing loads
• Workers compensation insurance once you pay a helper, check your state's scheme

Estimates suggest startup costs typically around $3,000 to $10,000, depending on whether you already have a ute or van and what lifting gear, covers and insurance you buy.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on how many jobs you take, your pricing and your local demand. The low end assumes about 10 hours a week.

Check that your public liability and goods in transit insurance clearly covers pianos, including value limits and exclusions. Also check your licence and vehicle weight limits, your state's load-securing rules, workers compensation if you pay a helper, and safe manual handling.