I need to get a room in my house painted. I'm going to have to pay somebody to do it. Obviously I can't move the furniture myself first in preparation and I don't have anyone else who can do it for me. I've been told painter/decorators don't move furniture. Any ideas?
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Home Improvements
- Thread starter Tia
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Peter T
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Presumably some decorators would be willing to move furniture etc if paid to do so, which might mean you are paying skilled worker rates for unskilled work, though if that was the only option it would be worth considering.
I have notice in my area an increase in people advertising for general handyman/odd job work, but don’t know if this is happening more widely.
I have notice in my area an increase in people advertising for general handyman/odd job work, but don’t know if this is happening more widely.
Jonathan Edwards
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
Thanks all! I'll call around different decorators and ask and if that fails perhaps it'll have to be a handyman, thinking about it, there's probably enough other jobs that need doing around the house to make that worth while if necessary. I find organizing this kind of thing so overwhelming, I just wish I could do it myself like I used to - so much easier. Feel less overwhelmed after your replies though so thank you 
Kitty
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
I explain that I'm disabled, so moving X pieces of furniture would need to be priced into the decorator's time (which signals that you don't expect it done as a favour). They always want to come and look at the job before quoting, so they can see what needs doing easily enough and include it in the total.
In practice, it takes so little time that it doesn't really add to the bill anyway. I always give myself enough time to have moved any lamps, clocks, vases, etc to another room before they come to do the quote – as that's actually the most time-consuming part of the job, it helps to make the furniture-moving look really straightforward!
ETA: I do leave anything heavy, like the TV, for them to deal with. I just clear all the bits and bobs that I can carry easily.
MeSci
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
There are quite a few in my local newsletter - don't know if they're any good though!
I had a guy that was a handyman to do decorating for the pre sale refurb on my old house. I was able to do moving stuff myself and he then put big furniture in the middle covered with dust sheets and worked round. I found him on a list of trusted traders on the local age U.K. website.
Now I’m refurbing new house I’m mainly getting recommendations for tradespeople through family or neighbours. There’s a local group on an app called next door where people ask for recommendations as well. But obviously you still have to exercise your own judgment on people as well.
if it’s a decorator who said they don’t move furniture it’s likely because they don’t want the job. I had someone to quote for removing my front lawn who’s name i got through wider family and the price he quoted was about 5 times the price I eventually paid.
Now I’m refurbing new house I’m mainly getting recommendations for tradespeople through family or neighbours. There’s a local group on an app called next door where people ask for recommendations as well. But obviously you still have to exercise your own judgment on people as well.
if it’s a decorator who said they don’t move furniture it’s likely because they don’t want the job. I had someone to quote for removing my front lawn who’s name i got through wider family and the price he quoted was about 5 times the price I eventually paid.
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Decorators don’t move furniture due to the ‘it came apart in my hand problem” so much contemporary or flat pack pieces cannot stand the movement often due to pins or glue failure yet still function if left alone. You may consider what your response will be to damage if you go down the handyman path? We manage to move a lot of our furniture by emptying it entirely and then use a garden spade as a lever / fulcrum protecting floor and furniture with rags. But there is two of us to steady things. Any movement with loaded drawers is a failure waiting to happen. Two spades work surprisingly well given a few days effort.
Some painters do a ‘bump job’ just paint over existing and run. Year later it starts to peel off. No preparation or multi coats. Only cure is then to sand down and pay more or diy. Past experience.
Some painters do a ‘bump job’ just paint over existing and run. Year later it starts to peel off. No preparation or multi coats. Only cure is then to sand down and pay more or diy. Past experience.
JoanneS
Established Member (Voting Rights)
I have found cheap furniture gliders really useful for moving furniture. I haven't moved anything really heavy, but have moved fridge, sideboard very easily. The hardest job is getting them under the item, 2 people a lot easier than one. Not sure I'm allowed to link, but screenshot shows the item, available from at least a couple of online marketplaces.
