Mature Opinions Needed On Safe Moving

[TigerEhre]

Greetings all:

I have just moved to a new house in NC (just graduated college and started a new job). All my "toys" are at my parents' house and I don't feel comfortable keeping them without a secure means of storage. To that end, I'm interested in getting a safe. I've already identified one that I'd be satisfied with at a local Gander Mountain store but am having serious trouble finding someone who's willing to move it for me for a reasonable cost (read: less than 30% of the cost of the safe). The safe in question is about two feet square, five feet tall and approximately 550 lbs.

I'm relatively young, would like to think I'm intelligent, have access to equipment and manpower (friends, truck, trailer, heavy-duty appliance dollies rated to over 1000lbs, ratcheting nylon straps, et al.) that I think would be necessary to move the safe myself. Store is about thirty miles from my house, no cumbersome roads and the safe is going straight from the street into my garage which requires going up my slightly inclined driveway that's about 15 feet long. I'm thinking I can even overcome this by just backing the trailer up to the garage interior. I've seen people move my dad's safe which is much bigger twice and don't THINK (the problem) there is anything too complicated about this process.

Question: Am I just plain dumb and don't know any better or, if I proceed with caution and patience, is this something that is likely to end well for me?

Much obliged

 

[clemsonu0219]

Greetings fellow TIGER..

I just moved a new safe that weighed 575 lbs. Instead of paying the 300 moving fee, I went and spent $120 on a nice hand truck and me and my father moved it.

Honestly, it was REALLY easy. We brought it in with the hand truck, put it on the carpet and then slid it into the bedroom. I would definitely try and wrap it in cardboard in an attempt to slide it like we did. Hope this helps answer your question... I worried about it for days but it was really easy.

Edit: funny you moved from Clemson to WS... I made the same move a few years back. To Kernersville actually... have made the track back down here now though.

 

[2RCO]

I just moved a new safe that weighed 575 lbs. Instead of paying the 300 moving fee, I went and spent $120 on a nice hand truck and me and my father moved it.

The first 2 times I moved with my safe I paid a guy it was only $100. When I moved where I am currently I was quoted $350 to get it out of the truck and put it in the house. I went and bought a decent handtruck for $125.00. My Dad and uncle helped me move it in. I've still got the Handtruck the other $225 is long gone but I spent it on something worthwhile I'm sure.

 

[Mohawk]

You can rent a heavy duty hand truck for a day. The cardboard runners work well once you get it on the floor.

 

[a1abdj]

You don't need any equipment.

Have them lay the safe on its back in the truck or on the trailer. Back it into your garage, slide it off the back, and lower the bottom to the floor. Stand it up, and slide it on the concrete to wherever you want it.

550 pounds is heavy to dead lift, but it's not that heavy to move. Putting it in the truck will only require 275 pounds of lift at a maximum, and much less if you use a little trigonometry. It will slide on the floor easily.

The first 2 times I moved with my safe I paid a guy it was only $100. When I moved where I am currently I was quoted $350 to get it out of the truck and put it in the house.

I would be cautious using anybody that charges that little. I am assuming that they weren't properly insured, or were severely lacking in other areas.

Here in the midwest rates are lower than most other places in the country. We don't even start the truck for less than $250. We do discount the rates slightly for some local high volume dealers, but $100 wouldn't even cover the wear and tear on my equipment.

You're not just paying us to move your safe. You're paying us to keep your house, your safe, and your body in one piece.

 

[oneounceload]

I have a safe from National Security, (now a part of Liberty) that is about the same as yours. I had top get it out of a storage unit UP a ramp into a Ryder to get it to my house. THAT took a good handtruck and three people.

One thing I would consider - find a BR closet or someplace besides the garage. Humidity will be a problem in a garage, even with a Goldenrod

Remember, if it easy to place in your garage, it is also easy to remove by a group of bad guys...besides, you don't need someone walking by when you have the door open to casually look inside and see it; in the closet, you can bolt it to the wall studs

 

[Keb]

Use 4 iron pipes to roll over hard surface.



Use a wool blanket to move over wood or vinyl floor.

Since this is how easy one or two guys can move it in, it can also be taken out and tilted into a truck bed, so bolt it to the floor or al least to the wall studs.

 

[sammy_adams]

Not a problem.

If you use a dolly strap it to the dolly very tight with a good strong strap (or two)

If the dolly does not fit somewhere, you can roll it on short pieces of pipe or even cut up broomsticks. You need quite a few rollers to do this.

If you go down stairs, put a rope on a stair climbing dolly and find something (that will not turn and can take the load) to wrap the rope around twice at the top. If you go up stairs, use a piece of timber to lever up under the dolly for each step.

A safe is easy, it has large flat strong surfaces all over.

A milling machine, or a boiler, that is more of a pain.

 

[kendradad]

Do what I did, buy it from Costco, much cheaper and probably better quality than GM and they deliver it for free unless you have to go up some stairs, which in my case they did, extra $100.

Same safe (Liberty) with a mechanical lock, mine came with the electronic lock, from a local dealer was $150 more and they wanted another $300 to deliver it.

 

[Armed 24/7]

I rented a heavy duty dolly from a local equipment rental place for $12 a day. Two people could get it done easily.

 

[hso]

Look up piano moving instructions.

I've moved 2 or 3 safes and the key is being able to have the slides and boards and manpower on hand.

See if the local equipment rental company has appliance dollies and rent two. The sort that have the leg that keeps them from falling down. Also see if they have mover's slides (think rails with appliance glide bottoms).

 

[Wildyams]

I work at a place that sells safes, we just use dollys and a few guys to push them around. we usually get about 3 guys to tip them up and push them into the back of trucks.

another thing to try, some safes that have the hinges on the outside of the safe, you can lift the door off when its open. the door is about 1/3 to 1/2 the weight.

 

[larry_minn]

It all depends on your abilities/equipment and what you have moved in the past. I bought a Fort Knox safe (IIRC it was close to 600 lbs) It took both of us to load it in my pickup. I backed into garage and slid it off endgate onto a couple of used tires. Then I walked it over to where I wanted/ drilled anchors and using some 2x4 walked it up. (Note I unlocked door first then put cardboard back on to cushin) Remove cardboard/bolt down then lock safe (with door open) and unlock a couple times. (I was told its possible to damage the glass relocker if you bump/jostle it hard enough) If door is open its a cheap fix. If locked $$$$
I move a fair amount of heavy stuff. Thing is the heavier it is the slower I go. THINK rather then grab.
If no steps two guys should be able to move it easy. If steps you have to consider options. A stair type dolly (some are even electric and climb up/down) I have taken 5 planks the length of stairs. I screwed a 2x6 into back of stairs on top/bottom and screwed the planks to that (you put trim back on and you can't see screw holes) I then had a flat surface with @ 9" wide area to use for steps.. A padded plank across doorway (in porch as inline with basement) and a pully. My brother "belayed" me down the stairs. (as i kept it centered)

 

[paradox998]

Like everyone says, it should not be that hard to move. In addition, many safes allow you to lift off the door to reduce the weight. The door may well be a third of the total weight of the safe. Take the door off, move the body and then sit the door back in place.

 

[chuckusaret]

The major concern should be floor loading if you don't have a concrete floor. If the floor is framed I would check the house plans if available or see if a set is maintained at the town/cities building dept, the builder, or at least talk to an engineer before placing the empty 6 or 700 pound 2ft x 2ft safe anywhere, especially on the second floor.

 

[joshk-k]

I sell salvages building materials, and spend my days moving cast-iron bath tubs, and other such things in that weight range. Wheels (dolly or flatcart) and a few strong guys can move anything in that size/weight range. I think everyone else's suggestions are great, and I think you should just DIY and save your bucks.

JOsh

 

[Ruffneck]

I have moved a similar sized safe by myself using 2x6s and 4 pieces of 1" pvc
this is really cheap and with help it would be really easy
boards from truck to front door use pipe to roll it on
lay safe on its side to ease stability
roll it alternating your pipe
walla

 

[danbrew]

It's not that the movers want to charge 30% of the cost of the safe, it just so happens that you are purchasing a safe that costs about a thousand bucks and you're probably paying $250/300 or so for somebody to move it. You'd still be paying that same price if you bought a safe that cost $3000.

My two cents? You *could* move it. You *could* get a bunch of pals and a dolly and all that. You could also hurt your back or one of your pals could hurt his back. Granted, I'm not 20 any longer, but after one back injury as a result of lifting heavy stuff the wrong way, I'm all for writing a check and having somebody else (with experience) doing the lifting. Having said all of this, I've moved safes in the past. But I'm a big scaredy cat know that I know what real back pain feels like.

Just another viewpoint.

 

[possom813]

http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/11b/9/AAAAAo6RVTsAAAAAARufrw.jpg


Right there's what you need chief. It sounds like the safe/rsc you're getting is about the same size as mine, maybe a bit smaller(IIRC mines 30x36x68). I've moved it 3 times with one of these.

Also, if you're worried that it's not strong enough, we put my buddies safe on it to move it, his is one of the larger safes I've seen in person. It's a 60+ gun safe with the Browning name on it. It's not as big as the huge liberty at Gander Mtn, but it's a pretty good size safe.

 

[Floppy_D]

Sounds like a pretty straightforward operation. Also, there's a good chance the front door will come off, and it probably weighs 150lbs itself. It took 3 guys to get one up my buddy's steep driveway, up his porch steps, through his house, and down into his basement. (Getting it out will be another story.) If it were me, something that simple, I'd get 3 guys and rent a good set of hand trucks and be done with it.

 

[halfded]

I just moved my safe and my tv using paint rollers. The heavy duty commercial kind. Neither my safe nor my tv weigh 500 lbs though. I would think that wooden dowels would serve the same purpose; just think ancient egyptian. Lift one edge and slide a dowel under. Push the safe forward an inch or two, put in another dowel. Repeat until moved. Once you get the safe all the way up on the dowels it will roll like it has wheels. You can even turn it easily by angling the dowels like the front tires of a car. I even spun my tv (200 lbs, I"m 125 soaking wet and don't work out AT ALL!) 180 degrees to put it on the stand.

I've heard of people using golf balls too, probably easier to maneuver, but harder to keep them all together. An appliance dolly would always work well too but can be pricey, especially if you have doweling or something laying around the house already.

 

[danprkr]

Very fortunate, many hands make the work lite as they say. I have several very good friends that have always helped me. One of which is in a business that has him moving heavy objects several times a year. So he has all the necessary equipment and experience. One of the things I haven't seen spoken of here is a movers dolly.

My buddy's is custom made, and each caster is rated at 1000 pounds, but then he's really bad about over engineering everything. This one is from Harbor Freight, rated at 1000 pounds, and only cost $25. When moving any distance we lay the safe on it, strap it to the dolly, and just push it where ever we need it to be.

I would definitely not recommend the garage as stated earlier. But, if you do bring it in the house make sure it'll fit through all the doors etc. Also clear the exact location with your wife. I wanted mine to be right next to the entertainment center when I first bought it, but the now X pitched a hissy fit. Said something about not allowing that thing to be seen in her house so we put it in a closet.

Good luck, but it isn't that complicated. Like you said, go slow and be careful you should be fine.

 

[wickedsprint]

My safe weighs 550lbs. With a good hand truck 1-2 people can move it easily. If you have to go up and down a flight of stairs like we did, 2 people will be your minimum with 3-4 being optimal.

Be very careful, we had the handgrips slip off the first dolly we used and the safe ran away from us, and in the process ripped two of my buddy's toenails off.

 

[mgkdrgn]

With the right people, and the right equipment, you -can- move that safe. I recently moved one that size using the equipment you mentioned.

However, remember if you screw up just that _ much, you will wish you had paid the $300!

Good Luck!

 

[Flame Red]

I did this a few weeks ago with a 900 pounder. Rented a applicance mover from Uhaul for $10/day and had three strong people to help. Got some scrap thin plywood to roll over the tile. Also found that putting a few of those teflon furniture movers on the bottom helped get it into its final resting place. It fit into the back of my SUV, and just used a 2x4 as a ramp to get it out.