311
Request Large Item Pickup; collected free on your regular collection day
24 hours
maximum time items can sit out before collection
4
tires per request at the curb
Every route for a piano in New Orleans, checked in October 2026 against the city’s current rules and the drop-off sites named. The full New Orleans guide covers every other item.
Here is how each route works in New Orleans, starting with the city program and ending with paid pickup.
New Orleans bulky waste pickup by 311 request: pianos
Free, with a step firstA piano is furniture for a 311 request if it is at the curb. Movers who also haul are the usual route.
Who qualifies: Residential addresses with city sanitation service (collected by Richard's Disposal, IV Waste, or Waste Pro depending on area). Small businesses are not eligible.
How to schedule: Submit a Request Large Item Pickup through 311 (nola311.org or dial 311). Collection comes on your regular solid waste day, free. White goods, sofas, mattresses, up to 4 tires, and e-waste are all requested the same way.
Limits: Up to 4 tires per request. No published volume cap for ordinary household bulky items.
Set-out: At the curb no more than 24 hours before your scheduled collection day (after 4 p.m. the evening before, out by 4 a.m. in early-collection areas). Setting bulky waste out earlier can be fined.
Donation pickup in New Orleans (usable pianos)
FreeNew Orleans’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
Items typically not accepted: damaged or stained furniture, mattresses with bedbug history or significant wear, appliances that don’t work, particle-board furniture in poor condition, cribs (federal safety regulations have changed), and exercise equipment that requires reassembly. Always call before scheduling if you’re unsure, pickups that find unacceptable items will leave them behind.
Freemoval (free pickups through partner organizations)
FreeFreemoval funds free junk removal and cleanouts for households referred by trusted partner organizations, such as nonprofits, housing programs, and senior services. Families don’t apply directly. A partner submits the request and vouches for the need.
Status in New Orleans: Not yet available. Freemoval currently serves metro Atlanta and plans to expand nationwide.
How it works where it operates: One free pickup per household, covering pianos, furniture, appliances, and bulk household items within standard LoadUp marketplace service. Funded by LoadUp customer round-ups and direct contributions, spent at standard LoadUp rates.
If you run a nonprofit or housing program in New Orleans: you can start the conversation now through the For partners page.
New Orleans residents have free bulky waste pickup by request through 311, plus twice-weekly trash collection. The French Quarter and Downtown Development District get daily collection 365 days a year. This page walks through every option in order from free to paid, with the specific rules that apply across the city’s three sanitation contractors.
The New Orleans rule for pianos: A piano is furniture for a 311 request if it is at the curb. Movers who also haul are the usual route.
Program basics: Up to 4 tires per request. No published volume cap for ordinary household bulky items. At the curb no more than 24 hours before your scheduled collection day (after 4 p.m. the evening before, out by 4 a.m. in early-collection areas). Setting bulky waste out earlier can be fined.
What the city will not take: Construction debris, household hazardous waste (HHW Day at the Recycling Drop-Off Center), and anything from a business.
How we checked this. The rules on this page were verified in October 2026 against: City of New Orleans: Trash Collection (bulky waste), City of New Orleans: Recycling Drop-Off Center. Programs change; confirm fees and limits before you go.
Why pianos are different from ordinary bulk. Pianos combine multiple disposal challenges: extreme weight, fragility (the soundboard cracks easily, harp and strings are under massive tension), valuable internals (cast iron harp is worth meaningful scrap value, soundboard wood may be antique), and specialized handling requirements (piano dollies, special straps, often staircase navigation).
Three mistakes that get pianos left at the curb:
When free options don’t work or you need fast disposal:
Specialized Piano Movers
$150 to $500 localSpecialized piano movers (search “piano movers [your city]”) have the equipment and training to safely move pianos within metros. Pricing typically $150 to $300 for upright pianos, $300 to $500 for baby grands, $500 to $800+ for concert grands.
Haul-and-dispose option: Many movers will haul AND dispose for an additional fee, ask explicitly. Often the cheapest path if you can’t find a free taker.
LoadUp paid piano pickup
$80+For households who need same-week service, have items the city won’t take, or live in apartment buildings over 4 units, LoadUp offers professional removal in New Orleans with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
What’s included: Loading, hauling, and licensed disposal of your piano. No prep needed beyond pointing out what goes.
Pricing: Starts around $80 for a single item; full-truck pickups range from $300 to $600 depending on volume.
If you can pay for a pickup, your booking helps fund free pickups for someone else. Every paid LoadUp customer can opt in to round up at checkout, and 100% of round-ups go directly to Freemoval’s subsidized jobs.
Book piano pickup in New Orleans with LoadUp → Round-up option appears at checkout. Optional, opt-in only.
Rules change at city limits. If you are outside New Orleans proper, start with the guide for your own city:
Related guides: the complete New Orleans junk removal guide (every item type, city services, hazardous waste, and how to report dumping) and the national piano disposal guide with rules for all 117 cities we cover.
Other free removal guides for New Orleans: mattress, couch, refrigerator, washer and dryer, furniture, tv and electronics, dresser, bed frame and box spring.
Does New Orleans pick up pianos for free?
Yes after a 311 request if it is at the curb. Moving it there usually needs a paid crew.
Where can I donate a piano in New Orleans?
New Orleans’s donation programs accept items in good usable condition: clean upholstered furniture without significant tears or stains, working appliances less than 10 years old, mattresses in good condition (subject to program-specific rules), kitchenware, lamps, and most household goods.
How much does paid piano removal cost in New Orleans?
Through the LoadUp marketplace, a single piano pickup in New Orleans starts around $80 to $100 with upfront pricing, and full-truck loads run $300 to $600 depending on volume. For households who need same-week service, have items the city won’t take, or live in apartment buildings over 4 units, LoadUp offers professional removal in New Orleans with upfront pricing. Independent loaders in the marketplace handle pickup, loading, and licensed disposal.
I have a free piano. Will anyone really take it?
Yes, almost certainly. Pianos, even older, out-of-tune ones, have takers in nearly every U.S. metro. Craigslist Free section is the fastest channel: list with brand, model, age, condition, dimensions, photos, and access details. Most listings get inquiries within 24 to 48 hours. Buyer typically handles transportation. The takers include: piano hobbyists who restore for resale, families seeking starter pianos, churches, schools, theater companies. Even a free non-working upright piano typically finds a taker for the cast iron harp scrap value alone.
How much does piano removal cost?
Specialized piano movers typically charge $150 to $300 for an upright piano move within a metro, $300 to $500 for a baby grand, $500 to $800+ for a concert grand. Removal-only (where the mover hauls and disposes) often costs slightly more than a typical move because of disposal fees ($30 to $80 added). Stairs add $50 to $150 per flight. Long carries (parking far from the home) add $50 to $100. Total typical removal: $200 to $500 for an upright, $400 to $800 for grands. Always get 2 to 3 quotes.
Can I disassemble a piano myself?
Strongly discouraged. Pianos contain a cast iron harp under 18 to 22 tons of string tension, releasing it improperly can cause serious injury. Even disassembly of unstrung pianos is labor-intensive and requires specialized tools. If you absolutely want to DIY, watch instructional videos first, work with at least one helper, and never cut strings under tension. The labor-time cost-benefit usually doesn’t justify DIY disassembly, a piano disassembly service ($300 to $500) handles 4 to 8 hours of work professionally.
My piano is 50+ years old. Is it valuable?
Maybe. Pre-1980 high-end American pianos (Steinway, Mason & Hamlin, Baldwin, Knabe, Chickering) are often worth $1,000 to $5,000+ in working condition because of solid construction and rebuildable mechanisms. Pre-1980 lower-end American or imported pianos are typically worth $0 to $300 because of declining quality. Get a piano technician’s assessment ($50 to $100 fee) before assuming low value, serial number lookups and condition checks can identify high-value pianos that look undistinguished. PianoBuyer.com has free serial number lookups.
Is this New Orleans page maintained?
Yes. Freemoval maintains this page as a public resource alongside the full New Orleans guide. We update it when programs change rules, fees, or contact methods. Last updated October 2026. If you find outdated information, let us know.
