Will be moving house in the spring;the move will include putting a lot of weighty stuff in the basement. Heaviest among them is the 800-lb. gun safe. Looking for tips to avoid crippling myself.

Access is only through an inside stairway, 1 story. NOT a walk-in basement. The stairs is at least straight, and ends at a wide-open area of concrete floor. At the top of the stair--ground level--there is a landing about 30" square, with an opposite door and a couple of steps down to the attached garage.
I am looking at various models of appliance moving hand trucks with "stair-climbing" treads, and also at both 12V DC and 120VAC portable winches, with the thought of strapping the safe to the dolly and winching it down slowly.

Any suggestions on rigging, moving, safety, or other details will be very much appreciated. I have no problem with the concept of hiring help, but there is limited space to place helpers and I'm not sure I would trust the sanity of a helper who volunteered to work under the safe pushing up to restrain it...
I myself am older than dirt and so arthritic that only my trigger finger moves freely.
What say you all? Thanks

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de minimus non curat lex

How about this. Remove the door, makes it lighter, and gives edges to grab on to. Make a pallet/dolly, with no wheels, but a 4x4 on the bottom end to hold the safe in place. Ropes and straps to secure the safe, lay it on it's back on the slider, and lower with ropes/ straps/ winch, whatever. You will need some folks on the bottom to stand the safe up on another dolly to move it where ever you want it to go.(Might not be able to get around it with it laying back on the stairs.)

Why take a chance on someone getting hurt?
Why not hire a professional?
A pro will easily and safety get your safe where you want it.

Did a Google search of safe movers in southern Illinois.
Found several including...
Illinois Gun Safe Movers Illinois Safe Gun Illinois Moves Gun Safe Moving

If you rent a refrigerator cart and strap it in securely, winching it down will work fine. I tired my newest safe securely to and ordinary, but heavy duty hand cart and used a 1/2 ton chainfall to get it up the steps on the porch to bring it inside. Did it by myself. Chainfalls available at places like harbor freight. you do need a secure anchor point. I used a chain lag bolted int 2 of the ceiling trusses. I wouldn't trust just 1 2x4 or one lag bolt. Also seriously avoid shock loading. Going down the steps one guy to guide (above, NOT below) and another to control the winch or chainfall. If you are worried about the strength of the individual steps laying down 2x6 or 2x8 for each wheel on the cart will spread out the pressure of the wheels and you won't have the bump bump bump as it rolls over each step. I would recommend this on steps made from less than 1 1/2 thick boards or 1" plywood. If a wheel is only 2" wide and only 1 " of its diameter is contacting the floor. Thats only 2sq in and if 1/2 the safe weight is on one wheel thats 200 psi. Better safe than sorry. A wheel breaking through a step 1/2 way down would be a problem.

But, then I have made a living moving very very heavy things for a good part of my life. Heaviest pick I ever made was 550,000 Lbs. I am certified to rig a 2 crane pick.

I like rick1085's idea of hiring pros to do this. Just be sure they have insurance for potential damage to your place, as well as to themselves.

That video of them moving a 1700 lb safe down the stairs is pretty impressive.

When I purchased my safe, I hired a safe mover to help get it into the house and basement. I also had my son-in-law there for help per the movers request. We took the door off in the garage and the three of us carefully carried it down to the basement. I was worried about the safe itself just thinking about the safe getting loose on the carpeted stairs and knocking out a wall in the basement. The mover made the comment that the door was the hard part and starting wrapping the safe body with stretch wrap. He went on to say that the stretch-wrap would allow the safe to slowly slide down the steps with very little effort on our part. Once this was done, we just had to figure out which way the safe had to be orientated so that it would slide to the landing the tilt over for the next set and end up upright. He was right about the stretch-wrap as when we started the safe down the stairs and it did almost a slow motion slide with very little help from us. Experience pays off. Now if we ever decide to move, getting it back up will be fun. Good luck, be careful and think about hiring a pro with your help. Well worth the $200.

I agree with those recommending professional movers. Something you may not have thought about is the strength of the stair construction. Typical construction calls for 2x12 risers which will need to be supported to handle the weight.

That being said, 20 years ago I bought a used Mosler bank safe for my guns from Bruck Safe Co here in Ohio. Weight was approx. 450lbs and we moved it down a flight of basement stairs strapped to a dolly and connected to an inline doorway by a strap and 4x4 spanning the opening. A come-along was used too. It was a lot of work.
Dave

As one who has done heavy rigging at work, this looks like a project that could go bad very quickly. Unless you have something solid to tie back to, the safe can take off suddenly, and anyone below it could be crushed. Tilting it at the top of the stairs would take some rigging from the other direction to keep it from crashing to the floor.
If there's a safe dealer nearby, it might be worth getting a quote for the move. They have the tools, experience and the insurance.
Edit: Looks like a consensus recommending hiring professionals.

I have put two gun safes in my basement. Both were done by guys with strong back and weak minds. I stayed at top to supervise.

I appreciate the thought, but I'm over 300 miles from Chicago. The only safe mover around here gets $50 per step for stairs, in addition to the base charge plus mileage. t0tal of 20+ steps...

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de minimus non curat lex

I've been involved in five moves including one with a 1500 pound safe. I agree with those who suggest hiring it done. I did some of it 15 years ago but now I'm in my lower 70's and think it would be dumb for me to try it. If you bring in some friends and someone gets hurt, what will that cost you? Knowing what major town you are near might get you some recommendations on good companies. Southern Illinois covers a lot of territory. You sure can't use someone from Chicago.

I'd give the guys at the link a call and talk to them. They have a lot of service locations in Illinois listed on their website. They also say "if you live in Illinois or a state bordering on Illinois give us a call."

Nothing to lose with a phone call, and maybe they can help you out.

Another vote for a pro. I've watched a pro do it a few times. And then I got a report from a friend who did it themselves. It turns out the treads on their stairs were not particularly strong - and the weight of the safe pulled them up. They had to go into "Emergency secure mode NOW!!!" mode.

This happened a few years ago and, when we discuss it, they do not laugh even in the slightest. The only thing they can say is "We were REALLY lucky no one got hurt or killed."

I'd find a LGS that sells safes. My guess is they know of someone that has done it a million times - but yet isn't in the books officially as a safe mover. That's how I got the mover I used when I bought mine. The guy had done it a gazillion times. But I don't think I can find him anywhere official listed as a safe mover.

OR

Simple, hire a local safe moving company. The cost is WAY cheaper than meeting your medical deductible. That is what I did when I moved mine from the lower garage into my office. His moving dolly even had electric motors that lifted it up the steps.

I used to move safes. Thank God I don't any more.

I too would hire a pro. Once you lose control of 800 pounds you are not going to stop it.

Think about your health. Think about the health of some guy you hire that gets hurt on your property. Or maybe a friend that comes to help. And what would you anchor an 800 pound safe to, to anchor it?

I hurt myself twice. Ain't worth it. I understand it's expensive. And honestly I think $50 a step is a ripoff. If you must move it yourself plan accordingly and don't expect to do it quickly.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I know it's expensive but please consider hiring a professional safe moving company. I did when I moved my safe downstairs and it was money well spent. Any debilitating injury you or your friends get attempting to move the safe will cost you way more than the moving costs.

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Join the NRA today

Just a thought, I bought a Cannon safe for my son in Western Oregon. Buying direct from the area distributor cut the price by several hundred dollars off the retail price. They delivered the safe and located it into his basement for a $50 charge. The pros used a stair stepping machine to get the safe down the steps without damage to themselves or the house.

I would consider selling your old safe and calling the Cannon (or whichever brand you prefer) safe folks to arrange delivery of your new safe. It is a good excuse to upgrade to a larger, stronger safe at the same time.

I moved twice in a years time and hired a pro to move the safe both times. Money well spent IMO. He had the expertise, proper equipment and the temperament. I watched.

My last whole house move was 20 years ago. I finally got smart and hired the pros to handle it. They did in four hours what it would have taken me and friends two full days. I suggest you do the same. Your back will love you for ding so.

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Always Stay Strong!

I'll throw this out there as an alternate. In my background in commercial construction, we design-in removable equipment hatches. Think a pull-down attic stair opening, in the floor.

You might find an area of the first floor that's carpeted, roll the carpet back, and cut a hole through the floor. Reinforce the hole by properly boxing the opening and sistering the joists, taking into account a permanent, reinforced removable hatch panel.

Properly reinforce the overhead structure for attaching a block and tackle. If you have an attic, you could construct a lifting frame there, centered over the basement hatch, and leave it there, with a small ceiling access panel for the chainfall.

Roll the safe onto the reinforced access door, raise it, remove the panel, lower it to the basement.

A circular saw and some 2x lumber gives you a permanent solution that you can operate yourself and it will be there for all those other "weighty" objects you mention.

If chose DIY... video and pics please...

Here....hold my beer and watch me move this 800 lb. safe down the stairs.

Don

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Laus Deo! <><

Ask your local gun shop that sells safes, it is likely that they have someone that they would recommend.

Don't try this yourself, it can result in pretty gruesome injury and/or death (take it from someone who has had to deal with the aftermath of some really awful failures of 'we can do it, it can't be that hard!', in both agricultural and semi-industrial settings).

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On the Oak Savannah

Some jobs are fine to DIY, other are meant for the pros.
This one is the later.

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Stay protected my friends.

Another idea for moving your gun safe downstairs:
1. move the safe by dolly to the top of the very edge of the stairs
2. tip the safe forward
3. the safe will take its self to the bottom of the stairs.

*** do this when the family is not home
** immediately leave home and stay away until the family has returned home
* on returning home, blame everything on an earthquake

(your welcome)

There are safes and then there are safes. Gun safes are just glorified steel file cabinets. Not very heavy for their size and make sure a safe mover knows before he quotes. Also, there are safes that can be broken down to move. I think the name is Zanotti, and they're expensive but you can move them yourselves (plural, as in getting some other sucker to do the heavy lifting.)

We pulled a double move 7 years ago. Out of the old house and then into the new one on the same site. Not really that bad because I gave the old safes away. One they moved to a son's house and down into his basement. The other my oldest and his stocky friend moved themselves. I did no constructive work, only offering unwelcome advice. The hardest part of the move was the ammo and reloading components. I hired the work done because I'd just had bypass surgery and was limited to some minor weight limits. The mover said my wife's piano was the hard part. For me the only hard part was handing out $.

I had my new safe door delivered to the drive where it sat on pallets for months. But the Amish and Mennonite guys who did the framing had a cool little thing called a skid steer. They placed it in the "laundry room" before framing. Nice guys, good workmen. The laundry room term came from a bystander/kabitzer standing around watching. Worked for me. But it was lying on its side well away from the opening it was going into.

And I was still living with a lifting limit. So I got my older son and his buddy to stand the thing on edge. When we finished unwrapping it, I saw it for the first time. Shipping weight was 800#. So I made a mark on the floor, found a chunk of 2x4 and a 6# sledge hammer. By placing the wood against the frame on the far side from the doorway, I could "tap" the board with the hammer. Just slightly swinging. One tap, 1/8". I was still off work with nothing else I wanted to do. And I had all day. You'd be amazed at what an old guy can accomplish with time and patience. So that tap-tap-tapping sound took a couple of hours. Into the opening it went. All by my little self. Harder was drilling the anchor holes, but I did that, too. Did anyone here know a 9/16th anchor won't fit through a 9/16 hole? Well, you do now.

So I join the others here suggesting the OP hire it out. Most moving companies will move a sheet steel gun cabinet. Stay away from the word safe unless they use it. Oh, and empty the darn thing before any moving takes place. Breaking the job down into small manageable pieces makes it easier. If possible, don't move anything that suggest guns or firearms until after dark. No reason to attract the dirt bags. And if the new one comes in a cardboard box that has "gun safe" plastered all over it, don't put it out for the trash. Burn the box or haul it someplace that will let you throw in in a dumpster. Cut the box up with a razor knife. Remove any address info, too.

Just my advice. I lived through it. What started as the most stressful part mentally ended up being easy. Pay someone else.

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Dick Burg

/\ This
Bill S

I moved an 1100 pound safe down a set of wooden basement stairs. Yes, remove the doors but I'd like to advise that moving such a heavy safe can be dangerous, even fatal if you think nothing bad can ever happen to you.

We lined the top of the stairs with 2X4 skids and the stairway itself was supported from beneath with several risers, also cut from 2x4s. We tied a very sturdy rope around the safe and slid it down on its side. We had eight men to hold onto the rope and to ease it down.

Once down, we used all our muscle to set the safe upright on its casters. This safe became hopelessly damaged during Hurricane Sandy but with age, comes wisdom. We hired a safe mover to get the danged thing out of our basement. They lashed it to an electric stair climber with a tank-like tread and that baby brought the safe up the stairs with ease. In fact, one of the movers rode the device in front to prevent it from tilting backwards.

Paying a thousand dollars is a lot cheaper than having someone die.

Yep hire a professional mover. They are covered in case the worst happens. They do it so often that they know exactly how to do it. Well they should anyway...just make sure they have insurance. I do know for moving a safe up or down stairs does dramatically increase cost to move.

Ad in local paper..........gun safe for sale......estate sale......don't know combination. Buyer responsible for removing safe from the house.

I saw that ad in a Chicago paper. Rumor has it that it was once Al Capone's safe. Some tabloid news wants to pay to film the opening, big bucks. I think the tabloid was called the Chicago Tribune, but not sure. I do recall it was a lefty slanted paper.

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Dick Burg

Leave it on the ground floor.

The video link on their website pretty much would rule them out for me. Yes, with enough muscle you do almost anything, but that looked scary and dangerous to me. There are electrically powered dollies made now that can negotiate stairs, up or down. A friend had one of his safes delivered to his upstairs this way and it worked very well. Here's an example of one:

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

OH heck, someone has to do it!!

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Still Running Against the Wind

When I purchased my safe, I hired the safe dealer to deliver and install mine.

He had one of those electric stair stepper dolly machines. Just a simple one man job.

Best $100 that I've ever spent. Period.

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Death? Smile back...

my safe empty weighs about 1100 lbs...I moved it into the room where it now sits...there was 3 of us and an appliance dolly....that being said...hire someone,sit back,drink a beer,plan to fill it after its installed

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

It'd probably be cheaper to wall-off a section of the basement and just make a gun room.

This is also an excellent lesson. Don't buy one big safe. Buy several smaller ones.

When I purchased my safe I checked the load bearing rating of my basement steps with the manufacturer. Since my safe weighed 1200 lbs it was determined the steps would not bear the weight. So the first thing we did was re enforce the steps.
There were two brothers that delivered the safe, big brothers. Anyway they came in and surveyed the area. They laid 3/4" plywood down on the kitchen floor. Went to the bottom of the basement steps and built a platform two steps up, this was so the safe could be set upright and turned.
They had their trailer backed into my garage bay and proceeded to hoist the safe down and out of the trailer onto a moving dolly,,,heavy duty! They then rolled it to the kitchen/ garage door which is one step up and slid the safe onto a solid 6" round piece of PVC and rolled and pivoted toe the basement steps.
There is a vent hole in the top of my safe which had an eye bolt threaded into it.
They laid plywood down the steps to the bottom platform.
Next they rigged towing straps around the safe which was still in its cardboard box.
The one brother went on the steps, the other brother, my son and myself grabbed the straps. We worked the safe to the top of the steps and kicked it back.
With the one brother holding back at the bottom we now left the safe slide down the steps to the platform where it was uprighted turned and then dropped or slid down to the floor on top of 2 6" solid pieces of round PVC. From there it was rolled to its current location and set in place.
This is how its done when you have people that know what they are doing, these guys were good! These guys moved a few safes
My only mistake was that I didn't take they 2nd safe they had ordered for me. They bought a next size smaller safe just in case this one didn't fit!
Needless to say when I move or the house is sold I guess the safe stays?