Some items need more than a strong back. Here is how we approach pianos, gun safes, marble worktops and other items that demand specialist handling.
Some household items live outside the normal removal-day flow. Pianos, gun safes, garden safes, antique stone fireplaces, full-height bookshelves, gym equipment, ride-on mowers, outdoor hot tubs. They’re heavy, awkward, and damage easily — both themselves and the property if mishandled. After forty years of specialist Sussex removals we have specific equipment, methods and crew configurations for each.
This guide covers the most common heavy-item categories we handle, the equipment we use, the survey considerations, and what the customer needs to think about before move day. For pianos specifically we have a dedicated piano moving service; for antiques and stone the antiques moving guide covers the parallel considerations.
Pianos divide into two main categories for moving: uprights (the rectangular floor-standing piano, typically 150–250kg) and grands (the horizontal concert-style piano, typically 250–500kg). Uprights are the more common household instrument and the easier of the two to move. Grands need disassembly: the legs and the lyre come off, the lid is folded down and strapped, and the body travels on a piano dolly.
Our standard piano move uses a 4-person crew minimum, specialist piano trolleys (heavy-duty wheeled platforms designed for the weight distribution), and pad-wrap blankets. The piano is wrapped in your home, lifted onto the trolley, and rolled or stair-climbed to the lorry. For pianos through narrow doorways, we sometimes hoist via window using a specialist platform — this is a separate quote item.
For grand pianos, the disassembly happens at the start of the move and the reassembly at the unload. The piano needs to be tuned within a fortnight of arriving at the new property — we’ll recommend a local tuner if you don’t already have one. The piano moving service page covers the full process and the quote structure.
Safes are heavier than they look and more fragile than they appear. A typical domestic gun safe is 80–200kg; commercial safes can run to 500kg+. The lifting points are usually the corners, but moving by the corners alone can twist the safe and damage the door seal. Specialist safe-moving equipment uses straps that distribute the load across the safe’s base.
For domestic safes (gun safes, family safes, fire safes), we use a 2-3 person crew with a steel toe-cap policy and specialist lifting straps. The safe is wrapped in heavy bubble plus pad-wrap, lifted onto a trolley, and rolled to the lorry. At the unload end the process reverses.
For larger commercial safes (5-foot tall and above, weight over 300kg), we sometimes recommend a specialist safe-moving firm rather than handling it ourselves. The right answer depends on the safe size, the access constraints (stairs, doorways) and the value of what’s inside. Talk to us at survey and we’ll give an honest view.
Stone items — fireplaces, garden statuary, outdoor planters, stone-tiled hearths — have weight as their primary handling challenge. A typical antique stone fireplace surround weighs 150–300kg. A large stone garden statue can be 100–500kg. Stone-topped tables and console units split between the stone (50–150kg) and the base (much lighter).
For stone items we use a 4-person crew minimum with lifting straps and (for items over 200kg) a specialist sling system. The stone is wrapped in heavy bubble plus pad-wrap and moved on a steel-framed dolly designed for the weight. Stairs add complexity — we often disassemble stone fireplaces into manageable component pieces if the original construction allows it.
Architectural salvage — mantelpieces, original radiators, cast-iron baths, wrought-iron gates — tends to be heavy and irregularly shaped. Each piece is treated individually with custom-fit pad-wrap and bespoke handling. For the most valuable architectural pieces (named-maker mantels, Victorian roll-top baths), our white-glove service is the relevant tier.
Home gym equipment varies enormously in difficulty. A folding bench is easy. A multi-station home gym is a half-day disassembly project followed by a complex reassembly at the other end. Squat racks, weight stacks, treadmills and rowing machines all need methodical disassembly using the original manufacturer’s manual where available.
If you still have the assembly manual from the original purchase, this saves significant time at the unload end. Photograph the equipment from multiple angles before disassembly — the photos are useful for reassembly and for any insurance considerations. Heavy weight plates pack into reinforced cartons of 4–6 plates each; never overfilled, never stacked too high.
Ride-on mowers and large garden machinery need fuel-drained before transit (the same applies to motorcycles, see what you can store). The blade is locked in the up position; the battery is disconnected; the body is pad-wrapped. For ride-on mowers above 200kg we use a ramp and winch system rather than manual lifting.
Outdoor hot tubs are heavy (200–400kg empty, much more with water) and need draining 48 hours before move day. The plumbing is disconnected, the electric supply isolated, the cover removed and transported separately. The tub itself is lifted by a 4-person crew onto a flat-bed trolley and moved to the lorry; for very large hot tubs we sometimes use a sub-contracted specialist hot-tub-moving firm.
Garden buildings (sheds, greenhouses, log cabins, summerhouses) are usually too big to transport whole. We disassemble panel-by-panel, label each piece for reassembly, transport flat-pack-style, and reassemble at the new property. This is a specialist job and adds 1–2 days to the move; budget for it at survey if applicable.
Other awkward categories: full-height bookshelves with built-in fixings (often need disassembly), grandfather clocks (need their pendulum removed and transported separately — never lay flat), pool tables (the slate top weighs 100–300kg and needs specialist support during transit). Each of these has its own handling protocol that we’ll cover at survey.
Heavy items are quoted as line items on the main removal quote, not as a separate contract. The line items typically include: crew time (additional crew members for the heavy item), specialist equipment (piano trolley, lifting straps, ramps), additional materials (heavy-duty pad-wrap, bubble, corner-board), and sub-contracted services if needed (specialist safe movers, hot-tub specialists).
The survey is where the heavy-item question gets answered. The surveyor sees the item, measures the access points, considers the routes in and out, and identifies any access constraints. For unusual items (an Edwardian iron range, a vintage car collection, a 19th-century billiard table), the survey may need a second visit with a specialist team member.
Booking timing: 6–10 weeks ahead is standard, longer if the heavy items need sub-contracted specialist services. For genuinely complex moves involving multiple heavy items (a large country house with pianos, antique fireplaces, marble pieces and outdoor sculpture), book 12–16 weeks ahead so we have time to coordinate the specialist resources. Talk to us at survey early.
We've been a family-run Sussex remover since 1982 — the same name on the lorry as the name on the paperwork. Mark personally surveys the high-value and overseas moves; our crews are directly employed (not casual day labour) and trained at our own staff training centre, one of only a handful of UK removers with that facility on site.
Standard inclusions on every full removal: pad-wrap protection for every freestanding piece of furniture, removal-grade cartons, a written and itemised fixed-price quote with no surprises on the day, and the British Association of Removers' Advance Payment Guarantee protecting every deposit. The result, over forty years and tens of thousands of moves, is a 4.9/5 review average across 120+ independent Google reviews.
Booking the survey takes ten minutes. Whether it's a one-bedroom flat across Eastbourne or a country house to overseas, the process is the same: in-home or video survey, written quote within 48 hours, deposit-protected booking, and a calm move day.
Free in-home or video survey, written fixed-price quote, BAR-protected deposit. Sussex’s family-run remover since 1982.
Plan the heavy-item portion of the move early. The crew configuration, the specialist equipment and any sub-contracted services all need scheduling, and the busier weekend dates in May to September fill up first. The survey form takes ten minutes and we’ll come back within 48 hours with a written quote and a clear plan for the difficult items in your inventory.
We routinely handle items up to 500kg with a 4-person crew and specialist equipment. Items above 500kg sometimes need specialist sub-contracted services, depending on access constraints. We'll advise at survey.
Yes — pianos should be re-tuned within a fortnight of arriving at the new property, regardless of how carefully they're moved. We can recommend a local tuner in your new area if you don't already have one.
Yes for most domestic sizes. It needs draining 48 hours before move day, plumbing and electrics disconnected, cover removed. For very large or specialist commercial hot tubs we sometimes use a sub-contracted specialist firm.
Yes — domestic gun safes are routine for us. Specialist lifting straps, 2-3 person crew, careful handling. Larger commercial safes (300kg+) sometimes need a specialist safe-moving firm; we'll advise.
Yes — but it's a real time investment. A multi-station home gym is a half-day each side. Have the original assembly manual ready if you can; it saves significant crew time.