This week may be a light week for blogging- my computer's on the fritz again, so my apologies ahead of time. We now return to your regularly scheduled programming.
Tubs! Wait, didn't I already blog about this? Yes, but now I got one of the 2 tubs that I need and I just KNOW you want to hear all about it! Or something like that. In reality, I was searching high or low for someone to tell me how hard or easy it was to move a cast iron claw foot tub and couldn't find anything helpful, so I'm hoping to provide that service to someone else. I'm only thinking of you.
Have I mentioned before that I love Craigslist? Only once or twice, I'm sure. I remember the primitive days when my dad would list things in the Bargain News. My how far we've come. I was able to procure an antique cast iron tub in rather good condition for $20. Yes, $20! (ended up costing a little bit more, but I'll explain)
The deal was the I could buy this tub from amongst the rubble for $20 IF....
...I moved it down 3 flights of stairs
I'm sure you can see my dilemma. $20! yay! 3 flights of windy narrow stairs? boo! A huge part of my dilemma came from trying to figure out how to move something of this sheer weight. I'd estimate it around 300 lbs. With Hubby at work and not willing to call in any friend favors to move a tub for my business, I realized I needed to pay someone. One moving company quoted me $550 with a truck and 3 guys- that's more than I paid to move all the staging furniture! No me gusta! Luckily my next quote was much more my speed. A man with a van. Literally the name of his company and he came with many 5 star yelp reviews for helping people move Craigslist purchases. $170 to help me move it from the 3rd floor, transport it, and move it into Millie? You got it!!!
Let me tell you, yes a cast iron claw foot tub is heavy, BUT it's not nearly as bad as I was afraid of. It took Mike the Mover, the seller and me to move it down the stairs. The 3rd person was honestly only for security and logistics (making sure no one has a tub fall on them). It definitely helped that the feet were already detached and I would highly recommend that to anyone!
One thing that made it easier is that we were moving it from a house that was being completely gutted, so letting the tub surf (guided and controlled of course) down the carpeted stairs wasn't a problem. If I was moving it from a house that we'd have to worry about scratching stairs or wall, we'd naturally have to be more careful and take a bit more time, but I would imagine that the process wouldn't change much.
Once on flat ground, the tub was pretty easy to maneuver. I swear! It may be heavier than a couch, but it's smaller, so the lack of bulk makes it easier to move in my opinion. Mike the Mover used a hand cart to get it from the stairs to the front door, then it was furniture dollies from there. It took us only 2 people to lift the tub onto a furniture dolly and roll it as needed to the vehicle and from the vehicle to Millie. It even wasn't bad lifting it up 4 stairs to get to Millie's porch. I'm sure Mike the Mover was skeptical when he saw this skinny girl claiming she could move a tub, but I'm strong like bull! It didn't take nearly as long as I expected to get it from one place to the other. Now my new tub is hanging out in Millie's sunroom so I can paint the bottom in a well ventilated area. I keep flip-flopping between white or black.....
I swear, if you can move a couch, you can move a cast iron claw foot tub!!
So there you have it. The story of how I got a $20 tub on craigslist, paid $170 for help moving it and a priceless story knowing I'm capable of moving a cast iron claw foot tub. Now I only need one more for the upstairs bathroom.....