Safe Moving in Exeter
Professional safe moving services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
Quote required
Typical Duration
2-4 hrs
Location
Exeter, Devon
Heavy safe moved carefully without destroying your floors, doorframes, or yourself. Proper equipment, proper technique, no heroics.
Safes Are Deceptively Heavy and Awkward
You bought a safe to protect your valuables. Now you need to move a 200kg box with no handles through your house without wrecking everything.
💡 Pro tip: The number one cause of safe-moving injuries is people underestimating the weight. "I'll just get a mate to help" ends badly.
Why This Needs Professionals
| ✅ Done Right | ❌ DIY Disaster |
|---|---|
| Floors protected with boards | Cracked tiles or gouged wood |
| Proper dolly and straps | Trying to manhandle it |
| Two people minimum, three if needed | Herniated disc and a dented wall |
| Route planned and measured first | Stuck halfway up the stairs |
What's Involved
🔧 The Process
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Assess | Measure safe, measure route, work out approach |
| Protect | Floors boarded, doorframes padded |
| Equipment | Heavy-duty dolly, straps, additional help if needed |
| Move | Slow, controlled, no rushing |
| Position | Safe settled where you want it |
📦 What I Bring
- Heavy-duty moving dolly rated for the weight
- Straps and lifting equipment
- Floor protection boards
- Additional helper for heavy safes
- Experience with tight access
When to Call for a Quote
Every safe move is different - weight, stairs, access all affect time and difficulty:
Simple move (ground floor, clear access): 2 hours = £110
Typical move (stairs or tight doorways): 3-4 hours = £160-£210
Difficult move (multiple flights, very heavy, awkward access): Quote after assessment
Based on £60 minimum (first hour) + £50/hr after. Additional helper for very heavy safes included in price.
⚠️ Really heavy safes (500kg+): Might need specialist equipment beyond what I've got. I'll be honest if that's the case.
Perfect If You're...
✅ Moving house - taking the safe with you
✅ Redecorating - need to move it temporarily
✅ New safe delivery - it's in the hallway, needs positioning
✅ Realistic about difficulty - you know this isn't a one-person job
Why Choose Us for Safe Moving in Exeter?
Floors and walls protected throughout
Proper equipment for heavy lifting
Experience with awkward access
Second person included for safe lifting
What to Expect
Step 1: Assessment
Photos of the safe and the route it needs to take. I'll measure up, work out if it's doable, and give you an honest time estimate.
Step 2: Moving Day
I arrive with proper equipment and an extra pair of hands if needed. We protect your floors, take our time, and move it safely.
Step 3: Positioned
Safe where you want it, floors undamaged, everyone's backs intact.
🔧 DIY Tips
Look, I'm going to be straight with you: don't.
But if you're absolutely determined:
🔧 What you absolutely need
- Heavy-duty appliance dolly (not a regular hand truck)
- Ratchet straps rated for the weight
- Minimum three strong adults
- Thick boards to protect floors
- Someone who's done this before
📐 Before you even try
- Measure everything - safe dimensions, doorway widths, stair widths
- Weigh it properly - look up the model specs, don't guess
- Clear the entire route - remove doors if needed
- Check your floor can take it - old floorboards might not
⚠️ Why this goes badly
- Underestimating the weight by half
- Thinking two people is enough
- Not protecting floors (expensive damage)
- Getting it stuck in a doorway
- Serious back injuries
💡 The honest truth: A safe that weighs 300kg on the flat weighs WAY more when you're tilting it up stairs. The risk-reward here doesn't make sense for most people.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🏠 Older Exeter houses: Narrow hallways, steep stairs, low ceilings - we see it all. Sometimes safes have to go in through windows. I'll tell you what's realistic.
Installing a floor safe? That's a different job entirely - cutting the floorboards, securing it, making good. Call me to discuss properly.
Selling the safe? Make sure the buyer understands what's involved in collecting it. "I'll pick it up in my car" is not a plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
How heavy are safes typically?
Small document safes start around 50kg. Proper home safes are 100-300kg. Gun safes can be 300-600kg. They're deceptively heavy - what looks manageable absolutely isn't. This is why people end up with hernias or cracked floor tiles.
Can you move a safe upstairs?
Depends on the weight, the stairs, and whether we can physically maneuver it. I'll need photos or a site visit to tell you honestly if it's doable. Some safes genuinely won't fit up certain staircases - better to know that before trying.
Do you need to know the combination?
No - I'm moving it, not opening it. Doesn't matter if it's locked or unlocked, I just need to know roughly how heavy it is (empty vs. full makes a big difference).
Will this damage my floors?
Not if it's done properly. I use boards, blankets, and dollies to distribute the weight. Dragging a 200kg safe across your floor WILL damage it - moving it correctly won't.
What if the safe won't fit through the doorway?
That's why I ask for dimensions and photos first. Sometimes safes need tilting or rotating to fit through. Sometimes they genuinely won't fit and we need to look at removing a door frame temporarily. I'll be honest about what's possible.
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01392 964094Request Online QuoteOur Rates
Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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