Moving Furniture Up and Down Stairs in a Lagos Block of Flats

The wardrobe is halfway down the second flight, one man is walking backwards with the heavy end above him, and the landing below is the width of a doorway. This is how scratched banisters and sore backs happen. A block of flats without a lift is a stairs job from the first step, and it deserves its own plan.

If your building has a working lift, our guide on moving in or out of a Lagos high-rise is the better read. This one is for the walk-up: two, three or four floors of concrete steps.

Measure the stairs, not just the doors

Most people measure the front door and forget the turns. Walk the route with a tape.

• Width of each flight, and how much the handrail takes.
• The landing, where furniture must pivot. This is usually the tightest point.
• Ceiling height at the turn, especially under the next flight.
• Any low light fittings, meter boxes or pipes on the wall.

Then measure the large pieces: wardrobe, bed base, fridge, sofa, mattress. If a wardrobe is wider than the landing allows, it must come apart. Our post on taking furniture apart before a move shows the order.

Plan the order of work

Bring everything that must be carried down to the ground floor in order of difficulty, heavy items first while the crew is fresh.

1. Clear the stairs of shoes, bicycles and plant pots. Ask neighbours first.
2. Wrap corners and edges with blankets or foam.
3. Send the heaviest pieces first: fridge, freezer, wardrobe, gas cooker.
4. Carry boxes and soft items later, and keep the stairs open as you go.
5. Put one person at the bottom, one at the top and one spotting the turns.

For a fridge, secure the door and keep it upright as far as you can. The guide on moving a fridge or freezer has the detail.

How to carry on the stairs

Tell the crew to go slowly and speak up. The person below carries the weight and the person above guides. Use straps or ropes over the shoulder for heavy items rather than gripping with hands alone. Never pull a heavy piece down onto someone's body.

Keep the load tilted so the weight sits close to the carriers. If something starts to slip, call "stop" loudly and set it down on a landing before you adjust. Our post on lifting heavy items safely is a good briefing for the crew.

Protect the building

Landlords and neighbours remember damage. Stick cardboard on corners and along the wall at turns. Put old blankets on steps if the items are sharp. Check the staircase before you start and photograph any existing marks, so you do not get blamed for them later.

When the stairs are outside

Many Lagos blocks have open concrete stairs on the outside, and these get slippery after rain. Sweep them first, wait for a dry spell if you can and wear shoes with grip. A wet stair with a fridge on someone's shoulder is how accidents happen. If the rain will not stop, move the fragile and electrical items last, under cover.

Be careful with banisters too. Old iron rails can be loose, and nobody should lean a heavy piece on one.

What to ask before the truck arrives

Agree on who carries what. Some drivers will help with stairs, some will not, and some bring a loading crew. Say the floor number, the number of steps and the biggest items when you speak to drivers. Do not assume loading help is included.

How to do this on Sphere

Open the Sphere app and choose a truck or a pickup van, depending on the load. Add the pickup and drop-off, and in the description write the floor and the stairs: "third floor, no lift, 2 wardrobes, fridge, 3-seater sofa, bed frame, about 25 boxes". Propose a price, and nearby verified drivers will accept or send counter-offers. Agree loading and offloading help with the driver before you accept.

Useful pages: house moving in Lagos and van hire in Lagos.