Gun Safe Moving Company Recommendations OTHER Than Eastern? Worcester/Central MA

[Mark from MA]

Unless the buyer says they don't want it. That happened to me. Fortunately, a firearm buddy of mine took it.

Considering I didn't pay for the house and odds are will be netting over 100K, I won't care. I will pay for someone to move it to whomever wants it. Likely I will give it to my buddy who has a business moving heavy equipment for companies for a living.

But I didn't want for me to deal with moving mine.

 

[PaulR]

1420 pounds empty up stairs?
Yea no.
I've got a 300 pounder and I was afraid of buckling my main floor by putting a 500 pounder next to it, so I put the 500 pounder elsewhere in the house.

 

[garandman]

So I did the same, called Eastern when I was moving to see what they would charge. They wanted 950 to move my $1500 safe. I ended up talking to the moving company I was using for my large furniture, and they charged me $200. I'm sure it would be more when not already using them, but give a good moving company a try. I used 2 men and a truck, they said they do safes all the time.

My college-age son worked for a mover this summer. They have an hourly surcharge for safes because it takes more bodies. But it is not an unusual request.

 

[LittleCalm]

Other than going up and down stairs, which to do it safely requires the electric stair climbing/conveyer dollies that places like Eastern Safe have, moving safes - even super heavy ones - around relatively flat surfaces is quite easy. Just need to know how to use a pry bar and iron pipe for rollers. I have moved my 1100 pounder around a fair bit (actually, more because I left all the firearms in it). It’s amazing what the Egyptians did with the pyramids.

 

[RumRunner]

Other than going up and down stairs, which to do it safely requires the electric stair climbing/conveyer dollies that places like Eastern Safe have, moving safes - even super heavy ones - around relatively flat surfaces is quite easy. Just need to know how to use a pry bar and iron pipe for rollers. I have moved my 1100 pounder around a fair bit (actually, more because I left all the firearms in it). It’s amazing what the Egyptians did with the pyramids.

When Eastern delivered my safe to my last house, they put down 2x's with a plastic type coating on one side and just slid it across the floors. I only had 5 stairs to get in the house, but they did use the stair climber.

 

[fencer]

4-6 guys, truck, trailer, tractor, winch, dollys, hand-truck, come-along, straps, pizza, beer, whiskey.
done.

 

[quinnjalan]

I once pulled a large roll MAC tool box out of my basement via the bulk head on a ramp I made with 2x10 and plywood with a rope tied to my car on my lunch break. Will I do it again, never, but it sure was fun that once. Will I move a safe myself or with friends, never. Last time we moved house I have Easton come take my safe and store it. When it came time to move it into our current house I upgraded. They dropped the pick up charge, gave me a great deal on a new one, a decent trade in on the old and I only paid 3 months rental as some were free. If we move from here I will sell the safe with the house or pad the house price to make up the loss and upgrade again with Eastern. A buddy of mine moved a 500# from the 2nd floor to his new place. It took 6 guys all afternoon to get it down the stairs and another 4 guys the following day to get it out of the house and into the new place. I missed that both events as I was conveniently out of town!

 

[Rob Boudrie]

1420 pounds empty up stairs?
Yea no.
I've got a 300 pounder and I was afraid of buckling my main floor by putting a 500 pounder next to it, so I put the 500 pounder elsewhere in the house.

Forgot to mention - non detachable door.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Other than going up and down stairs, which to do it safely requires the electric stair climbing/conveyer dollies that places like Eastern Safe have, moving safes - even super heavy ones - around relatively flat surfaces is quite easy. Just need to know how to use a pry bar and iron pipe for rollers. I have moved my 1100 pounder around a fair bit (actually, more because I left all the firearms in it). It’s amazing what the Egyptians did with the pyramids.

I moved my 1420 lb unit (full) about 6ft when I was redoing the floor in my last place using gas pipe rollers. The sliders are saver over surfaces the rollers might damage (wood/laminate floors, etc.)

 

[Grendizer138]

When I was moving someone here recommended Milligansafe.

I don’t think anyone disagrees that Eastern is good at what they do, or that moving a safe sucks, but when you’re getting quotes to move a safe that are higher than the thing is worth, you need to consider competitors..or rolling the dice.

 

[67ray]

Eastern charged me $1000 to move mine. No stairs, driveway access, less than 10 min from when they pulled up. And I had to wait 2-3 weeks until they were in my area.

Profiteering at the worst. There are much more equitable options available.

 

[Freddy Q]

Town to town movers moved mine in Worcester county. Money well spent...

They won't move a safe over 500lbs

 

[Freddy Q]

If you're looking for another quote, I know the guys that run this company and they do great work.
Ask for Alex:

Boston Movers 🚚 - Moving Help in Boston | Award Winning Service

Lexel Moving is an Award Winning Boston Moving Services. Boston Movers have years of experience and offer all moving services. Call us at 855-605-7755.

www.lexelmoving.com

I just got off the phone with him. His estimate was 2950. I was like, excuse me? $29.50 or, like, THREE THOUSAND dollars??? It was the latter. I almost choked.

 

[Grendizer138]

I just got off the phone with him. His estimate was 2950. I was like, excuse me? $29.50 or, like, THREE THOUSAND dollars??? It was the latter. I almost choked.

The ‘ol “we don’t want the job” quote.

 

[LittleCalm]

Eastern charged me $1000 to move mine. No stairs, driveway access, less than 10 min from when they pulled up. And I had to wait 2-3 weeks until they were in my area.

Profiteering at the worst. There are much more equitable options available.

I don't know. The fact that it's hard to find someone to do it tells you its hard and not something people like to make a business out of. That said, if the stair climbing dolly/conveyer is, say, $15K, it wouldn't take long to pay that off even if you charged an average of, say, $500-$750 a move. The ESS guys were literally at my house less than a half hour when they used that dolly to move a safe down bulkhead stairs. I couldn't believe how easy it was for them.

 

[LittleCalm]

The ‘ol “we don’t want the job” quote.

I think a lot of movers just wing it and therefore don't want the business (they are probably too worried about hurting themselves or damaging your property). Places like ESS have the right equipment, which makes moving heavy safes super quick and easy.

 

[fshalor]

Remove all guns and move yourself. Rent a Uhaul trailer yours self. Pay helpinghands (the uHaul hire service link on checkout). Should be like $200 plus rental or trailer.

 

[fshalor]

My college-age son worked for a mover this summer. They have an hourly surcharge for safes because it takes more bodies. But it is not an unusual request.

Never let anyone move an non-empty safe. Just don't.

 

[PaulR]

4-6 guys, truck, trailer, tractor, winch, dollys, hand-truck, come-along, straps, pizza, beer, whiskey.
done.

Leader in the clubhouse.

 

[Randy Lahey]

Locks & Keys of Woburn

 

[Chevy 2 65]

4-6 guys, truck, trailer, tractor, winch, dollys, hand-truck, come-along, straps, pizza, beer, whiskey.
done.

You forgot hookers!!!

 

[massgun]

When we moved South in 2015, the moving company did not want to move the safe. If I got it moved onto the truck they would have transported it, but I would have had to have someone to take it off the truck at the new house, but the logistics of getting that set up when they couldn't tell you until the actual day the truck would arrive made it a no go.The buyer did not want the safe so it had to go,It was a large (1100lb) Liberty.

My wife started checking around and came up with a couple places to call. The one I went with was Mancini Safe Co. From Norwood. For $900, they came to the house and removed the safe back to their business, put it on a pallet all padded and strapped down and contracted with a freight company to deliver to my new address on an agreed upon day. On the delivery day, I got notice when they were coming and waited. The truck showed up and pulled up the driveway just in front of the garage door, the driver moved the pallet onto the hydraulic liftgate, dropped it down and rolled it into the garage to the place I had prepared for it.

Although it seemed expensive at the time, it was about 1/3 of the original cost and less than 1/4 the cost of a direct replacement at that time.

 

[Grendizer138]

I don't know. The fact that it's hard to find someone to do it tells you its hard and not something people like to make a business out of. That said, if the stair climbing dolly/conveyer is, say, $15K, it wouldn't take long to pay that off even if you charged an average of, say, $500-$750 a move. The ESS guys were literally at my house less than a half hour when they used that dolly to move a safe down bulkhead stairs. I couldn't believe how easy it was for them.

Why should we care how easy it is for them with equipment when they still charge a premium?

Rob is correct when he says they know exactly the maximum amount the market will bear for their service, and charge accordingly.

 

[MisterHappy]

There's a difference between adding a safe to an existing move, and having people come to move a safe.

OP, sorry to say this....but if the price is too high, do it yourself. If you don't want to do it yourself, pay the price. Or, as others have said, leave it and buy a new one.

I don't know how much you make in a day, but figure that the movers have got to get at least $25/hr/person. 4 people on a move = 100/hr. Sure it's only 35 minutes between the two locations, but the movers are on the clock getting to your house, taking it out, then the move, then emplacing it, then driving back to the shop. Then, the moving company has all the overhead (insurance to pay for ruptured discs, for instance).

People gotta get paid.

 

[zboys]

500-600 is doable with 2 or 3 guys, any more they are in the way.
I remove old boilers out of houses, the older ones are 600# on average.
It sucks but doable, with the right dollie and straps.
My 1100# safe is staying here when I move, unless my kids want to take it out.

 

[ccm75]

I just got off the phone with him. His estimate was 2950. I was like, excuse me? $29.50 or, like, THREE THOUSAND dollars??? It was the latter. I almost choked.

. Did you try Dexters Safe Co.?

 

[LittleCalm]

Why should we care how easy it is for them with equipment when they still charge a premium?

Rob is correct when he says they know exactly the maximum amount the market will bear for their service, and charge accordingly.

I agree. No one is forcing you to pay what they are asking. Free market.

 

[Duxprep]

I used Mancini safe in Norwood to move a 1000 lb safe. Amazingly skilled and had the right tools. I was an add on job on their way back from NH to Norwood. It was only like a couple hundred bucks as they were already on the road. Mind you the move was not far (into my house) and took about 30-minutes to complete

 

[drgrant]

Eastern charged me $1000 to move mine. No stairs, driveway access, less than 10 min from when they pulled up. And I had to wait 2-3 weeks until they were in my area.

Profiteering at the worst. There are much more equitable options available.

How is it profiteering? Were you forced to choose them? Businesses run off pricing models. After a point if you can't get X $ to do something it might not even be worth it to them to show up.

 

[Grendizer138]

How is it profiteering? Were you forced to choose them? Businesses run off pricing models. After a point if you can't get X $ to do something it might not even be worth it to them to show up.

I don’t like the word “profiteering”, but it’s definitely “we have you by the balls pricing”

It would be cool if they’d at least provide a small discount if you bought the safe from them.