How to get heavy bathroom fittings upstairs?

[Mdea1]

My bath has been delivered (stone resin) and weighs 25 stone. It has been sat in the garden for days as we have no idea what to do with it.

We were going to get some tradesmen friends round to help us and just lift it, but I’m terrified that we will break it as it cost a fortune.

If you have moved anything heavy like this please tell me how you did it without destroying your house/the item. It looks like it will fit through the doors - it’s just the sheer weight of the thing. I wish I had thought of this before .

Team of burly builders or pay a strong man/van delivery type chap who will have helpers he can call on.

If it was expensive I’d pay professional movers to shift it. That way you’re covered by their insurance.

Mine is a Carronite and was heavy enough that I got a hernia carrying it into the house even though I held it upright and wrapped my arms round it like carrying a person.

The plumbers carried it upstairs.

In the old days, they used to put the apprentice inside an upside-down bath and crawl up like a tortoise in a shell. .

That's very heavy. Has someone checked that your bathroom floor is up to the job of carrying the bath, a full load of water and at least one person? That would be my biggest worry.

Crane it in through a window !

Would it be acceptable to leave it downstairs (inside) for the bathroom fitters to sort when they come to fit it? They were aware that I had ordered this specific bath when they quoted the job?

The bathroom is being fitted after Christmas but I need it inside and out of the wooden crate ASAP so that I can check for damage. We only have 7 days left to arrange a return if there is anything wrong with it.

@Pickpick101

Crane it in through a window !

that's actually a good idea.

there are some lifting platforms that you can hire with a crew, I have seen them called "magic carpet" with a sort of scissor jack, and capable of trundling slowly along on wheels.

Possibly a local crane-hire or builders hire company has them.

You need safety training so it is not a DIY job.

They are not as common as cherry-pickers.

I was half joking , I've seen a tree craned over a house to put in place. I suppose it depends if the bathroom window opening is big enough.

I'm assuming you've checked your floor will hold the weight?

here we are

and more!

Window removed and crane to lift it through the window. Had to have the bathroom floor reinforced too!

Oh just seen others have suggested that too. It was safer and less hassle than you'd think. Main issue was the window had to be removed but depends what kind of windows you have

We used these guys
www.pritchardsoflondon.com/hoist-hire/

It could go through the window if we removed the frame - only issue is the extension below which I guess rules out a scissor lift?

I honestly did not think it would be this much trouble when I ordered it. The weight was listed in kg on the specification so I (stupidly) didn’t register quite how heavy that was until a few weeks ago.

Are you completely sure that your floor is strong enough?

Can you send it back?

We had a builder in preparing the room after some structural changes and he said it would be fine .

I love the bath so I hope it doesn’t come to that!

I’d double check about the floor while you can still return it. I know our builders wanted to know asap what bath we were having, as they said the floor would need reinforcing if it was a very heavy one.

As regards getting it up, I think craning it in is your best option.

I would contact the bathroom fitters to tell them that the bath is not in situ. Trust me, they will not want any suprises when they get there, and if they are not expecting to shift a heavy bath up the stairs, then you are going to piss them off. If they can't move it, you're left with a bath in the garden that you can't return. Best just tell them early, get their opinion, and make a decision from there.

You don't have to use a scissor lift, Google furniture hoist. Yes we had to take the whole window including frame out. Depends how important the bath is to you I guess.
Also I would get an opinion from a structural engineer on the floor, not your builder. Imagine if the bath came through the ceiling water and occupant too!

Just wanted to pop back and update/thank everyone for the advice.

The bath is now in the kitchen! Just in case anyone is ever in the same situation: we drilled 3 pieces of 4x2 to the wooden crate and then carried it in like a (low) palanquin.

Structural engineer friend of a friend has visited and told us that the bath should be fine due to the size and direction of the joists below.

The bathroom fitter said that he and his team will get it upstairs when necessary during the bathroom renovation. I am both relieved and nervous about this!

Honestly, just reading this thread has given me anxiety! Enough for me to never want to purchase a heavy bathtub

OOI, does your bathroom have a chipboard floor?

If so, best to put wooden bearers under the feet, preferably running perpendicular to the direction of the joists so they each span at least two.

@Smallgoon For what it’s worth, I still felt like a queen when I finally sat in it (fully clothed, in my building site of a kitchen, of course) . I’m sure they’re worth the hassle!

@Mdea1

"The bath is now in the kitchen! Just in case anyone is ever in the same situation: we drilled 3 pieces of 4x2 to the wooden crate and then carried it in like a (low) palanquin."

eh?