UPDATE! Thanks Ivan! Safe is GONE!

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Oh Mighty CalGunners! Heed my pleas!

Here's the deal; when I bought my house in San Francisco 7 years ago I had the movers (regular moving guys, nothing specialized) move my 450 lbs, 60"x20"x30" safe into the house.... up two flights of stairs. It was like watching the slaves build the pyramids in the 10 Commandments, but they go it up there with no problem.

Well I just sold the house and need to get it back out again ASAP; why ASAP? because the buyer was undecided as to whether he wanted to buy the safe and keep it where it was. Well he decided last night that he doesn't want it and escrow closes a week from today, January 13th!!!

I just need it moved down the two flights of stairs and into the garage; from there I can move it with a van to it's new home.

Any suggestions for a professional safe mover here in the SF/North Peninsula area? I talked to Liberty in SJ and they gave me a quick estimate of $600!!!! The darn safe didn't cost that much!

Yipes!

Thanks!

[slickjoesd]

they have "safe" dollys, rent one of them and 4 "day" workers from your local home depot.

[SigShooter]

+1 on renting a safe dolly, but I think you should try bribing 4 friends with free beer before hiring "Home Depot help".

If it has external hinges you could try taking the door off and moving it in 2 pieces. Some doors are as heavy as the rest of the safe, so it could cut the weight in half.

[Aluisious]

Dude if you kill 4 day laborers with a safe you're going to have major problems on your hands.

[zyl8tr]

Wow, you sold a house? Congrats.

And good luck with the safe.

[mike100]

The most economical move might be to give the safe away for free to the new owner and get a new one delivered asap to the new location.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

I tried to talk the new owner into taking it for free, but he wasn't intrested...curses!

And yeah, I sold a house. Hurray for me. Now I just need to get this darn safe out.

Nix on the day workers thing, I really need someone that knows what they're doing.

[Tunis]

...just rent an appliance hand truck and find 2-3 friends. going down the stairs shouldn't be that difficult compared to going up. my brother and i moved a 400lb safe upstairs..it was difficult, but we pulled it off. good luck and congrats on the new house!

[mike100]

going down on its side might be easy..slide it down the steps on a heavy blanket. certainly would only need about 3 people..much easier than going up, right?

[Franksremote]

going down on its side might be easy..slide it down the steps on a heavy blanket. certainly would only need about 3 people..much easier than going up, right?

Err, that sounds kinda dangerous imagine it getting away from you and/or your friends, 450 lbs sliding on its own isn't gonna be pretty when it stops (abruptly)...

The best is the appliance dolly. It secures it and allows the others to just focus on moving it one step at a time. We got one down from the third floor at a friends apartment once, it took 4 of us (really 3 with a spotter) and worked out fine even though we had to negotiate 6 short flights of stairs.

Not to be the opportunist, but what are you planning for the safe? You could probably give it away if that person wants to move it...

[C-pher]

I have a 900 lbs safe that me and two buddies moved into my house. Granted it was all on the first floor. But, one guy used to play college rugby, and the other was a line backer for Boston College. So they are two pretty big guys.

Anyway, we had a equipment dolly. They lean back and these legs with wheels flip back. So when it's leaned back, it's on four wheels. And, it has these long rollers down the back so when you do down a step, it rolls back on those rollers and goes down one step at a time.

Try getting one of those and like they said, a couple of buddies and move it for the price of renting one of those dollys at U-Haul.

[Bing]

Have you tried removing the doors and shelves to lighten the safe?

[ivanimal]

Chris I own what we need. PM me and we can do it next week.

[QuarterBoreGunner]

Door can't come off; sealed piano hinge. Shelves are out (or will be; they're pretty light).

Ivan - PM sent.

[Bing]

Can you tip it and lay it on it's side? Is there enough clearance for it to slide down the steps rather than carrying it down?