Common piano repairs
A piano has thousands of moving parts, so when something feels wrong it is usually one small component rather than the whole instrument. The repairs I am asked for most often are:
- Sticking, sluggish or silent keys. Almost always the action, and often adjusted on the spot.
- Notes that play twice or buzz. Usually a hammer, spring or damper that needs regulating or a small part replaced.
- Broken strings. Bass and treble strings can be replaced, then settled with a follow-up tuning.
- Pedals that no longer hold or feel loose. Sustain and soft pedal linkages can be adjusted or repaired.
- Worn felts, loose parts and general regulation. Bringing the touch back to even across the keyboard.
Repair or tuning, or both?
A tuning sets the pitch of the strings. A repair fixes something mechanical. The two often go together, because a piano that has been left long enough to develop a sticking key has usually drifted out of tune as well. When you book, tell me what is happening and I will bring what is needed to look at it, so a small repair and a tuning can frequently be handled in one visit.
Some larger jobs, such as extensive action work or restoration, are better assessed first and then planned properly. I will always tell you honestly whether a repair is worth doing on a given piano before you spend anything.
What piano repair costs
Repairs are quoted after I see the piano, because the price depends entirely on the fault. A standard tuning is €175, and minor repairs are often carried out within or alongside that visit. Anything larger is assessed and priced clearly, with the cost agreed before any work begins. See the full guide to piano tuning and service costs in Ireland for context.
A family workshop background. I come from a family piano workshop that has renovated and repaired hundreds of instruments since the 1990s, so repair and mechanical care are part of the trade for me, not an afterthought. Read more about how I work.