Do movers charge more for gun safes?

Tim

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Looks like we're buying a house tomorrow and I'm planning how to layout my new shop.

Does anyone have recent experience with mover's charging a premium for gun safes? I'm trying to decide if moving the existing one that is *almost* too small is preferable to buying a larger one.

Getting this one out without dismantling the bench I've built around it might be a problem.

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Yes. It gets expensive depending on how far you're going and how many stairs, though most use an electric dolly.

I'm giving mine away to someone willing to pay the moving costs and bought a new (larger) safe for the new house.
 
Looks like we're buying a house tomorrow and I'm planning how to layout my new shop.
Does anyone have recent experience with mover's charging a premium for gun safes? I'm trying to decide if moving the existing one that is *almost* too small is preferable to buying a larger one.
Getting this one out without dismantling the bench I've built around it might be a problem.
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I see two reasons why you absolutely must go ahead and buy the larger one Tim...….It's already "too small" and it's going to be a problem dismantling the bench that is built around the one that is too small.

Problem solved. It's time to buy the big one.
 
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to upgrade to a Drake. you can wrap it up in your new mortgage :)

You should go salvage a Kenmore logo and camouflage that one as a refrigerator when you show the house.
 
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No idea. I use up my friends.

But congrats on the new digs, though! Happy nesting.
 
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to upgrade to a Drake. you can wrap it up in your new mortgage :)
You should go salvage a Kenmore logo and camouflage that one as a refrigerator when you show the house.

Hahaha......with CFF friends like this you'll never run out of great reasons to buy the next safe.
 
I purposefully left this one on the 'skids' it came with originally; it's not bolted to the floor. It's only 22" deep, so I have plenty of clearance to clear the doorway. From there, you turn the corner into the hall and you're 1.5 feet from the garage door.

In my new shop, I'm thinking of finishing the walls with plywood and maybe some of that slat board stuff so I can just hang a bunch of guns and make 'em all pretty like art.
 
The guy who quoted my move came right out and said I was putting myself at risk having movers handle the safe. He suggested buying a new one and having it delivered to the new house after all the movers, alarm guys, and other contractors were done. The people who sell and deliver safes are more trustworthy according to him.
 
I purposefully left this one on the 'skids' it came with originally; it's not bolted to the floor. It's only 22" deep, so I have plenty of clearance to clear the doorway. From there, you turn the corner into the hall and you're 1.5 feet from the garage door.

In my new shop, I'm thinking of finishing the walls with plywood and maybe some of that slat board stuff so I can just hang a bunch of guns and make 'em all pretty like art.
Gladiator GearWall is the bomb.
Get benches and cabinets from Seville Classics https://www.sevilleclassics.com/ultrahd.html
 
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You should go salvage a Kenmore logo and camouflage that one as a refrigerator when you show the house.

HA! I picked up those cabinets from a Habitat for Humanity resale shop. That's exactly what I thought of when I was hanging them.
 
The guy who quoted my move came right out and said I was putting myself at risk having movers handle the safe. He suggested buying a new one and having it delivered to the new house after all the movers, alarm guys, and other contractors were done. The people who sell and deliver safes are more trustworthy according to him.

I"m planning on hosting a CFF get together and daring some of y'all to do it.
 
I"m planning on hosting a CFF get together and daring some of y'all to do it.
Is the floor ceramic? Better cut some plywood to cover it up. Beer muscles fail as often as beer goggles get men in trouble.
 
When we moved almost 2 years ago the movers added $200 to the bill for the safe.
 
You might want to look for an actual safe mover because there are techniques for moving them. I believe they put them on rollers. We bought a Drake safe several years back and when he delivers it Greg said if or when we move he will move them for a reasonable fee. Basically, look for someone who knows how to do it.
 
When I moved down here, the safe was a very specialty line item on the (company-footed) bill, but they were kind enough to let me open it, whereupon they individually wrapped each gun and then packed them all back in the safe and had ME lock it and verify all was good before the move... I was nervous for a long time, but everything showed up.

As for "more trustworthy" safe guys vs movers... I had that same though myself when the local mover hired 4 day laborers to move all my stuff in... but it took all 5 of them to get the safe in the house and I was open carrying while directing boxes, so I'm hoping they figured it wasn't worth the trouble to come back for anything :-D

Yes. It gets expensive depending on how far you're going and how many stairs, though most use an electric dolly.

I'm giving mine away to someone willing to pay the moving costs and bought a new (larger) safe for the new house.

What kind of safe, and has somebody already claimed it?
 
How much does the safe weigh? (split the weight by body and door if the door lifts off the hinges, but it doesn't look like it)

If it is still on the pallet, can you just borrow a pallet jack and rent a truck with a liftgate and move it? You didn't say whether there were any steps between there and the driveway.
 
Gotta be careful with these new “engineered" wood floors. They crush easily. Like corrugated board.
 
no stairs at the current place. An awkward out door path and 4 steps coming into the new place.

Both places have concrete floors with a short section of cheap vinyl over concrete.
 
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Does anyone have recent experience with mover's charging a premium for gun safes?
View attachment 212114

Two Men & a Truck did our last move about 16 months ago. No premium. It was part of the total weight we were charged. Same as moving a refigerator; charge wise.
 
That one is a monster. We are paying our movers by the hour but I have 2 smaller gun safes. No more safes for me. They’re annoying as F@&$. Fortifying a room in the house to serve as the Gun room/office. I do hate not having a basement anymore.
 
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The torn bicep from last time and the 5 layer back surgery since the last move says "Never Again".
 
Once it's empty and out in the open, that's not a very hard move at all. Probably weighs 500 pounds or so, no big deal at all. A 4 wheel dolly can handle that.

As to the movers, a specialized safemoving company might be "better" in terms of them knowing what you have, but if there are really too many variables to say for sure. If you buy a new one and leave the old one, your movers will still see one at your old house.

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Cost is usually based on weight and distance.
It can cost $1/#.
In terms of reliability and cost, we've have great experiences with two men and a truck.
No frills.

Some movers bring in specialists for refrigerators or larger fragile items. They'll wrap all of the furniture and pack all your stuff.


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Two Men and A Truck....

I've used them a few times since being in NC.

I had my safe delivered to the garage by the manufacturer. Called Two Men and a Truck and they came out. I was quoted 1 Hr. When they got here they informed me of the new(?) "1 Hr. trip charge" that I had not been informed of by the booking person. We worked it out. $100 cash got it from my garage to the room just a few feet from where I bolted it to the cement floor. They sent three guys. It was an easy move for them with a good hand truck. The third guy just made sure it didn't tip over since the sidewalk to the front is canted a bit. Shipping weight, 485lbs empty. Took about ten minutes.

Something I rarely hear discussed is removing the door to move a safe. The door weighs about a metric crap ton.

People knowing what I've got? The safe is not hidden. So what. It has started a few good conversations with service guys I've had in the house. The only one that made me think twice was a guy that said he had been a locksmith in a previous career. He seemed alright though. Told me switching to a mechanical lock would be easy to do and to get a reputable smith to do it, get a good one, etc. Suggested S&G. I just don't get in to exactly what's in it with them.
 
Cousin Jerry Is moving from his farm house to his river house. He has been moving for a month on his own. He is now down to his safe......It weighs 5,000 pounds..I'm Out!
 
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Cousin Jerry Is moving from his farm house to his river house. He has been moving for a month on his own. He is now down to his safe......It weighs 5,000 pounds..I'm Out!
He needs a skid steer and pallet forks
 
Just remember that is not a gun safe. It’s where you store your collectible figurines.


I know you're being facetious, but don't lie to people you let into your house. After spending 3 summers moving household goods, I can tell you for certain that if you act like you don't trust your movers, they'll give you a reason not to trust them. You're much better off promising a tip at the beginning of the job than acting like you're better than them.
 
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Just remember that is not a gun safe. It’s where you store your collectible figurines.

yup, and the "3 GunNation" stickers all over it are just camouflage. :rolleyes:
 
I know you're being facetious, but don't lie to people you let into your house. After spending 3 summers moving household goods, I can tell you for certain that if you act like you don't trust your movers, they'll give you a reason not to trust them. You're much better off promising a tip at the beginning of the job than acting like you're better than them.
Aside from the social element, I think it’s also beneficial that they do know the only thing in the safe is 15 more felony charges that would be easier for them to buy on the street than to extract from my home.

I would be MUCH more concerned if they thought I was collecting gold, silver, jewelry etc.

Also go with a reputable moving company that conducts background checks on employees like most jobs.
 
A couple of y'all have mentioned Two Men &. Truck....

Started by a couple high school kids in my hometown. Their mom pimped them out to friends and it's now grown into one of the most successful franchises ever. Probably one of the most pure "I built this" stories around.
 
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When we moved almost 2 years ago the movers added $200 to the bill for the safe.

That's not bad at all. I've been paid more to move a sofa and loveseat. And I'd probably tip the guys half that for the PIA of moving a safe.
 
I have the largest Drake and the movers wouldn't touch it. Drake himself came down and moved it to my new house. That was 4 or 5 years ago. Hopefully he's still kicking.
 
Also go with a reputable moving company that conducts background checks on employees like most jobs.


If somebody told you that, they're selling oceanfront lots in Oklahoma on the side. All moving companies use basically the same people with the same standards: do you answer your phone and show up when/where you're told to? I knew a bunch of these guys, and they were making a living working under the table for whichever company needed them on any given day. Doesn't make them bad people automatically, but all companies are pulling from the same labor pool and anybody who says different is spewing nonsense.
 
I have the largest Drake and the movers wouldn't touch it. Drake himself came down and moved it to my new house. That was 4 or 5 years ago. Hopefully he's still kicking.


Moving a really big/heavy item, like 1000 pounds or more, is a specialty thing that a lot of companies aren't equipped to handle. And you don't need somebody getting hurt working in your house.

But OP's safe is plenty small enough for anybody to move easily.
 
I have the largest Drake and the movers wouldn't touch it. Drake himself came down and moved it to my new house. That was 4 or 5 years ago. Hopefully he's still kicking.
I bought a used one from a forum member a couple years ago. Not even close to their largest one, but it was still >1100# empty. Greg Drake came down with his son (or maybe nephew, or son-in-law) and moved it. Nothing but a couple pieces of PVC to move it around, and a stout piece or two of lumber to lever it into the back of his truck. He went through it and checked the mechanical stuff, cleaned it up and lubed it, and changed the combo for me. Got a great deal since he was already going to be in town delivering one. I had to cover his time moving mine, but not the 3+ hour drive (each way) to get here. :D
 
That's not bad at all. I've been paid more to move a sofa and loveseat. And I'd probably tip the guys half that for the PIA of moving a safe.
I was surprised at the price and certainly didn’t complain. Their only requirement was that it be empty but I planned on that anyway.
 
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