There have been several discussions on moving safes. Using the right equipment is the key. Youtube has a number of videos showing how it's done and where to find the equipment. I recall watching one man move a safe, that I estimate was 60" x 24" x 42", up a circular stairway by himself. The dolly he used was no doubt a rental but even if it rents for $100 per day it's easier than rounding up 3 friends willing to risk their backs and then having to buy them lunch and beer.
How to move a safe
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Hire the pros. I just got a relatively small safe, 375lbs. But it was a tight squeeze down the basement steps. One landing has a step dividing it in half and a hard right turn. They had a “wedge” that makes the landing flat. Now they can rotate the dolly with the safe and head down the stairs. It was only $125, they uncrated it, hauled out the crap and leveled. Two big dudes with all the right tools.
Then I stepped off the platform, lost my balance, removed the rails for the movers and ruptured a quad tendon. Imagine what would happen if I did it myself.
Then I stepped off the platform, lost my balance, removed the rails for the movers and ruptured a quad tendon. Imagine what would happen if I did it myself.
For many safe companies, if you remove the door, you void the warranty. I do it anyway as I have to move up 3 steps to get in the door. Once there, I use turtles, a dolly, or PVC pipe as rollers. All work well with a nod to the turtles.
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Buy a Zanotti.
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I have a 72x36x24 safe that weighs 1000lbs. In our new house we had it craned up to a 3rd floor patio then dollied it over plywood to its install place. I hope not to move it for a while.
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An accident with a safe can put you in a wheelchair for life, or kill you. Would you crawl under a car that was propped up on some paint cans? As others have said, hire a pro.
I bought a safe a couple of years ago. It weighs 1900 pounds. Thee guys form the safe company delivered it and installed it. It only took them about 20 minutes to do the complete install.
They had obviously moved many safes before. Glad I paid for them to move it in.
Jajac
They had obviously moved many safes before. Glad I paid for them to move it in.
Jajac
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My ancient Liberty weighs about 1500lbs. I paid like $2,000 for it. I think I've paid almost twice that having it moved all the times I have. But it's been worth it.
To give an example of fools trying to move a smaller safe. My dad had a safe on second floor of his home when he was moving. I wanted it and since it was a small one about 500lbs I figured no problem. We had to go down a flight of stairs that had a right turn in it.
Sliding it on the carpet straight up from bedroom to edge of stairs went fine, laying it down on its back was also fairly easy. Stairs were carpeted so we were gonna slowly slide it on it's back down and then stand it and turn it for second set. Two guys on bottom of it pushing with me above and rope around handle to hold and slide it slowly. Both guys petered out halfway leaving me alone. Of course I couldn't hold it so it was everyone panic and jump out of the way. It slid on its own down the stairs and rammed right into the wall. It punched a clean hole thru the wall and half of it up to the handle which is what stopped it was sticking out of the other side of the wall about eight feet up in the den.
Took us half a day to get it back thru the hole and down. But I learned a real lesson then.
I ain't no safe mover.
To give an example of fools trying to move a smaller safe. My dad had a safe on second floor of his home when he was moving. I wanted it and since it was a small one about 500lbs I figured no problem. We had to go down a flight of stairs that had a right turn in it.
Sliding it on the carpet straight up from bedroom to edge of stairs went fine, laying it down on its back was also fairly easy. Stairs were carpeted so we were gonna slowly slide it on it's back down and then stand it and turn it for second set. Two guys on bottom of it pushing with me above and rope around handle to hold and slide it slowly. Both guys petered out halfway leaving me alone. Of course I couldn't hold it so it was everyone panic and jump out of the way. It slid on its own down the stairs and rammed right into the wall. It punched a clean hole thru the wall and half of it up to the handle which is what stopped it was sticking out of the other side of the wall about eight feet up in the den.
Took us half a day to get it back thru the hole and down. But I learned a real lesson then.
I ain't no safe mover.
If your safe weighs a lot, hire it out ! The guy who sold me my safe was missing a finger last time I saw him, and now out of the safe business. My safe weighs 1000 lbs, and I moved it once with friends, and hired out the last time. If moving interstate the best way I found was 1) hire someone to load it into my truck 2) go to a gun shop in your new state and ask who sells safes in the area, and go see them about unloading and moving indoors.
I was getting quotes of up to $3000 to move it across the country, going this route I moved it for $250 and it didnt risk the life or back of my friends.
I was getting quotes of up to $3000 to move it across the country, going this route I moved it for $250 and it didnt risk the life or back of my friends.
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I moved my 1250lb safe 20 miles in what I hope is my last move. No stairs all concrete floors. Half inch black pipe rollers and a rented power tilt / dump trailer. If I have to move again I'll hire it out, too many chances to get hurt.
Best advice ever. Done !
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