How to move a washing machine to a new house

liberty_lily

We've moved a washing machine in the back of our car previously...although admittedly it was a Land Rover Defender 😉

More recently we used a sack truck to get the washing machine (and heavier, bulkier stuff!) into a self drive van with tail lift. We found that the cheapest sack trucks (from Homebase, iirc) were flimsy/unable to bear the weight/snapped under the pressure, but we eventually found a good one (Cosco, aluminium from B&Q) that's still going strong some two moves later 😁 It was a bit more expensive bit worth the extra £££ imho.

twopenny

The professionals use a sac truck.
Walk it out, disconnect, drain the pipes and stuff paper towels in.
Use sac truck to move keeping it at 30° tilt or so.
Repeat in reverse on arrival.

Just watch door frames/steps as you don't want these damaged. If necessary a blanket over them should protect them.

KxMx

I know a carpenter who has to move them as part of his work, he places a shower curtain underneath and gets it to move quite easily that way.

Megaross

Long as it's upright and you're not banging it about like a madman when carrying it you'll be fine without transport bolts. If it's going in the back of the car horizonal then be bloody careful going over bumps and 90% of the time you'll be fine - the transport bolts just stop the drum smashing into the delicate bits of the machine when it's jiggling about on it's back.

Stuff the drain hose end and tape it in place so it doesn't coat you in goop.

Literally just hoof it out, disconnect it and carry it to the van with a mate, it's that simple.

Same as moving any other large object. I mean you can use a sack truck (good van places generally supply blankets/ straps/ sack truck) on lutons but for what it's worth it's just easier to carry the thing really. Saves stopping and lifting over steps/ banging it round corners.

BSW89

Thanks everyone, these tips are all really helpful. We have two reasonably fit men aged 27 and 35 to do most of the lifting so it sounds like we'll be ok, although we will look into some of the equipment suggestions made here.

Thanks again!

JohnB47

My tip is to pull the machine out and remove the top to see if there's any large blocks of metal or concrete bolted to the top of the drum. I've noticed this done, along with dampeners on the sides, to help stop the drum slapping about during an uneven spin cycle. 

If so, you could unbolt these heavy weights and transport them separately, then replace at the destination.

It'll make the machine much lighter to handle 

Le_Kirk

I use the upside down carpet method and if you cut it to slightly larger than the footprint of the W/M you can slide it almost into its final position before removing the carpet from under the back feet and sliding it the rest of the way in with just a little forward tilt to take the weight off the back.  Once in position, lift the front of the W/M and pull out the carpet.  Do NOT be tempted, as an installer once did, to use washing up liquid to make it easy to slide.  It took weeks to stop the machine moving about on spin cycle.  I had to buy rubber cups/feet.

The_Fat_Controller

Make sure you don't lose any washers from the hoses.

Bendy_House

Especially if it's a cheap make, gloves gloves gloves.