Need advice on putting safe in basement

[LS3Miata]

My safe will be here in about a week and I'm trying to decide if I should move it into the basement or have it done. Weight is about 480 pounds.

For those that did it themselves, what did you use and how many people?

For those that had it done, any recommnedations and rough cost estimates?

[EJSG19]

My safe will be here in about a week and I'm trying to decide if I should move it into the basement or have it done. Weight is about 480 pounds.

For those that did it themselves, what did you use and how many people?

For those that had it done, any recommnedations and rough cost estimates?

If it will go on an appliance dolly, by all means use an appliance dolly (2 wheel dolly that has a ratchet strap or two on it to secure the load to the dolly. Also has some belts on pullies which are meant to ride on the stair treads and add a little friction to the descent.) These can be rented pretty darn cheap if you don't have access to one.

How many guys? Depends if you are talking 5'6'' 125lbs or 6'2'' 250lbs (muscle not fat). If its on a dolly its not like you are heaving the whole thing barehanded. So I like to figure about 150lbs per person, sometimes more with my size and some of my friends I ask for favors around here. For you who I don't know, you'd want to figure at least 3 guys, and more if there is space for more guys to be on the safe at the same time. 500lbs for two guys is doable if you know what you're doing, but it can get out of hand pretty easy too.

[solidgun]

One time we did it using this
http://shoulderdolly.com/

2 sets of these and 4 guys. But we had a wide entrance.


Don't forget to add the cost of safe dehumidifier rod as rechargeable desiccant is PITA.

[EJSG19]

One time we did it using this
http://shoulderdolly.com/

2 sets of these and 4 guys. But we had a wide entrance.


Don't forget to add the cost of safe dehumidifier rod as rechargeable desiccant is PITA.

I can vouch for those shoulder straps also, my brother and I are all too familiar with them after moving mom and dad, me and my wife, and he and his wife.

They do work, and you are basically then just limited by steep angles (guy on the bottom gets to carry most of the weight), and what you can squat.

Towels rolled up around your shoulders help when you get on something really heavy.

[thunderoussilence]

Is it really expensive to have someone deliver and put the safe where you want it ?

[farmerj]

I'd make sure your stairs can handle the load before you go and put close to 1000 lbs on it.

And those shoulder straps are really nice for moving things too.

[rugersol]

I moved mine in myself. .. twice.

I highly recommend payin someone else!

[Defog]

Mine is 300 lbs. I moved it inside with a dolly. Laid it on the floor, still in the box, and slid it down the stairs myself. I was on the lower end. I pressed down to slow it down, and eased up to speed it up. By pressing down, it stopped on each step. My stairs are carpeted. YMMV

[tim]

The first time I moved one we used 4 guys and struggled big time. After we got it in place and opened it there was a piece of paper inside that said remove door when moving safe. Felt like an idiot, I think the door itself weighed almost 200lbs. Much easier to move the safe with the door removed.

Don't hire it out, call a few friends and take care of it yourself.

[JoeH]

I had a neighbor help me get mine down stairs that were unfinished at the time. The paint on the safe did get a little beat but that side is now against the wall:)

Once downstairs, I used a bunch of 2" PVC pipe to roll the safe around the basement. Get several pieces under it. As it rolls, keep placing new pieces under it. With hard flooring, one person can move a 1000lb safe with ease.

[justaguy]

I have moved one safe. It was the first and last safe I will ever move.

Remember what you paid for this information.

[justinvan]

My 22cu.ft liberty I had my brother help me and there were no problems. My 40cu.ft browning weighs in at over 1000lbs and they will deliver it and set in place at my house in Waconia from Hutchinson for $200(this will be delivered shortly after we close on the house on the 27th).

[Jackpine Savage]

Like Tim said you might want to check to see if the door comes off your safe easily. I have an AMSEC safe, the door just lifts off the hinges when it is open. If I remember right the total safe was around 700 and the door itself was around 250. I've moved the thing three times and hope I never have to again.

For level surfaces and ramps a piano dolly is the ticket: http://www.vandaking.com/jansen-one-person-moving-dolly-do-j-4021.html
I've rented them a couple times and borrowed one from a school once.

A couple years ago I had a wood boiler moved down the stairs into the basement. It weighed close to 1100 pounds. I chickened out on that job and hired it out. They laid it on a moving sled, strapped it down and slid it down into the basement with 6 guys on ropes. I just stayed out of the way.

[FJ540]

I had a neighbor help me get mine down stairs that were unfinished at the time. The paint on the safe did get a little beat but that side is now against the wall:)

Once downstairs, I used a bunch of 2" PVC pipe to roll the safe around the basement. Get several pieces under it. As it rolls, keep placing new pieces under it. With hard flooring, one person can move a 1000lb safe with ease.

Often called the "Egyptian method" by machinery movers - it works! Any round bars/dowels/pipe will be equally effective as long as the bottom is reasonably flat. PVC is probably the cheapest option, but depending on the weight might not be strong enough (I have a machine over 10,000lbs). I stick with a minimum of 3 rollers. You can change the direction the load moves by changing the angle of the rollers. Use johnson bar, or prybar under the edge to lift it and get the first roller started. Then push the object up onto that roller and have it land on the second roller (laid in the path desired), push, and as the object almost rolls off the first lay the third one down. Then just pick up the first and repeat the process until you're where you want it and pull the rollers out. Too easy!