[Closed] Lifting a wardrobe through a loft balcony.

What could possibly go wrong! Pics please can't wait

Video it 🙂

Should I ask WCA to help 🙂

can you not dismantle it? Actually, you may end up doing that in any case.....but I mean in a controlled fashion that allows reassembly.

Done similar to get a sofa into a lounge.
We unbolted the balcony, and used a scaffold tower, no ropes.
It was only 1st floor and the sofa was not heavy.

Could you build a big trebuchet and catapult the wardrobe into the balcony?
You will still need four people, one to fire, two catchers and one to film.

I did similar with a four post bed, hauling it up to the third floor of a terraced house on a very narrow street. Traffic was briefly halted. To get the bed through the window we had to remove the sashes. To be honest it was a faff and a pain.

Lots of ropes, ladders and helpers will be needed. Lift with ropes from above where you want it to go and then pull it in. Good Luck and have fun.

It's glued unfortunately. Might be able to get apart.

I like the trebuchet idea 🙂

4 post bed sounds hellish! Hopefully it will be easier than that.

climbing rope is not ideal because it's stretchy but it would work if you know how to set up a crevasse rescue type system with prussiks or jumars

I I had a similar problem and a large West Indian (now a friend) was walking his dog and looked up and saw the problem. He hoisted the bloody heavy chest of drawers on his back, went up the ladder and passed the item through the bedroom windows and job done. Look out for any passers by built like Atlas.

Could you build a big trebuchet and catapult the wardrobe into the balcony?
You will still need four people, one to fire, two catchers and one to film.

Silent s****ing having my morning dump so not to wake anyone.

It may get a bit floppy if you remove the top.
I suggest a large A frame. I used to know someone who owned a wind mill. He built an A frame to take off the sails.

Use a pair of rope pulleys, then you are increasing control and halving the force you need to lift with. Then you can have three people at the top to pull rope and guide/lift in and one on the ground with a guide line to stop the wardrobe swinging or pivoting.
I used [url= http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Bright-Zinc-Plated-Rope-Pulley-25mm-Pack-2/p/103883 ]these[/url] and 6mm polypropylene rope to lift a bloody heavy 1.2x1.2m velux window though a loft hatch, the 6mm rope is supposed to handle up to 500kg but I would recommend more heavy duty pulleys and rope just to be safe.

Have you considered cutting it in half carefully with a jig saw?
A few battens and screws and put it back together.

Get a hand winch. Screw an anchor in for it somewhere. Should be easy enough (but definitely video it).

Have you considered laying a couple of ladders at an angle to the window and hauling it up the ladders?
Not that I know anything!

Hire a Hiab lorry? Not that expensive if you need for an hour. Don't book a specific lift. Just tell them they could do it when passing your place.
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Have you considered reversing the problem and bringing the loft down to the wardrobe?

This looks like a good solution.

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Lift with ropes from above where you want it to go and then pull it in. Good Luck and have fun.

That would be lifting from the floor above the loft then 🙂

climbing rope is not ideal because it's stretchy but it would work if you know how to set up a crevasse rescue type system with prussiks or jumars

I don't so will bin that idea for more suitable rope (given that I need to acquire rope as well I'm sure climbing rope is the most cost efficient).

It may get a bit floppy if you remove the top.

Its a non-structural part in this design. Why the top was made removable though and the rest glued :evil:!

Use a pair of rope pulleys,

Looks like a good option assuming I can find a suitable anchor point.

Have you considered cutting it in half carefully with a jig saw?

I think if I was going that way I would just find a way to get the glue joints apart so the sides would come off. Will be screwing not gluing though if I do take it apart.

Hire a Hiab lorry?

I think the distance/height might be to far. Lorry would have to be on the road, there is room to park a car in front of the house which is Edwardian (tall) and the loft access is all the way at the back!

Have you considered laying a couple of ladders at an angle to the window and hauling it up the ladders?

Have read this suggestion in a few places. Biggest issue will be getting a suitable ladder as none of the ones I have are long enough.

Sell the wardrobe and buy a flat pack replacement.

clearly the house is not big enough, move into somewhere more suited to the wardrobe

This looks like a good solution.

Moving my Wife's clothes and shoe collection, wasn't easy, you know!

I have seen demo's of Furniture hoists on the estate I manage, it works very well.

Assuming the balcony faces the right way.

http://www.furniturehoists.co.uk/

Sell the wardrobe and buy a flat pack replacement.

No ta, only just bought this one. It will fit perfectly once up there.

clearly the house is not big enough, move into somewhere more suited to the wardrobe

House is big enough and the loft room is huge, just for some reason the idiot that did the conversion decided to put a tight turning staircase in.

I have seen demo's of Furniture hoists

Have seen these as well, unfortunately balcony is to the rear and the driver is literally only just wide enough to get my Elise down (1cm clearance either side!).

[i]the driver is literally only just wide enough to get my Elise down (1cm clearance either side!)[/i]

#humblebrag

😉

So you're going to put a wardrobe up there that cannot be taken away again and will just become a problem for preceding generations that may not require such extensive clothes storage?

Do you have an heir to your estate? Have you enquired as to whether they are likely to need this wardrobe upon your departure?

Bit selfish no?
😉

chop it up and burn in your woodburner but not before you have tapped a hole in the flue so you recover it as it passes up to the chimey, rehydrate and PRESTO! one wardrobe. (I've not tested this hypothesis)

Have seen these as well, unfortunately balcony is to the rear and the driver is literally only just wide enough to get my Elise down (1cm clearance either side!).

Some are vehicle mounted but some are trailer mounted and much more compact and portable

[img] [/img]

So you're going to put a wardrobe up there that cannot be taken away again and will just become a problem for preceding generations that may not require such extensive clothes storage?

I am yes. The wardrobe really isn't that big (1.2m W, 1.9m H, 0.6m D). Getting it out is much easier that getting it in :twisted:.

My heir is 4, she says yes 1 minute and no, no, no [stamp] the next.

chop it up and burn in your woodburner but not before you have tapped a hole in the flue so you recover it as it passes up to the chimey, rehydrate and PRESTO! one wardrobe. (I've not tested this hypothesis)

Sounds like the perfect solution for removal. I'm not quite singletrack enough though and don't have a wood burner.

Some are vehicle mounted but some are trailer mounted and much more compact and portable

Now that might fit.

I moved a piano the other day and it reminded me of this. Brilliant if a bit ragged stop-motion animation for a classic tune.

It must be getting to the point where it'll be cheaper to either replace the wardrobe or pay a chippy to come in and take it apart/reassemble it?

I prefer the slightly NSFW [url=

If ever something needed to be live streamed on STW.

Nixie, we'll chat about this tomorrow. Depending on where the door to the room is in relation to the balcony it may be the best place for an anchor point. (Bar across frame). I'd probably hire an a frame to redirect the rope & make it easier to lift the wardrobe into the balcony. Should be easy enough with a 3:1 in place, other than the tripod/a frame I have all the kit you'd need & happy to help. Shouldn't need more than 3 people. Take some pics for me so I know what we're dealing with.

Thanks Matt, will do.

Hire a genie lift from the local tool hire place

My science school back at school once demonstrated how to make a morter rocket out of a drainpipe, some haispray and a potato.

Scale the idea up and point at the window and hay presto! Problem solved!

Now that sounds like a project for school holidays 😀