How to get rid of old bath

BorneTobyWilde

It's literally not that heavy, two people could lift it out easily. Probably seems heavier, as it doesn't even seem to be disconnected from the plumbing or floor, or it's wedged in with tiles along it's edge. You should lift it out at least half a foot from wall to begin with, see that it's free from everything.

...Ghost...

2+ people. Gloves and safety boots ideally.

Cardboard on floor. Same against banisters and wall down the stairs.

Remove legs.

Roll to the side.

Push out the door to just before banister.

Lift at stair side toward ceiling as you move further out to the landing. Ceiling is at least 2m high. Bath 1.7-1.8, so enough room to manoeuvre out top side.

Carefully move to stairs and start sliding it down to front door.

Slide out front door. Job done.

selectamatic

Put it up on FB or adverts free to good home to be removed upon collection. Job done.

Doolittle51

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123586809#Comment_123586809

A safe has a very different centre of gravity. A cast iron bath in a metal cage on wheels is a bad accident waiting to happen. Plus the OP is 67 and working on his own.

JVince

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123586929#Comment_123586929

Op said he has a couple of lads. Only way with one person is to cut it up.

We used the trolley method for many things at the time. But you do need ratchet straps tightened fully.

But the bath should not be wider than the stairs, so it should slide down turned over with any taps removed.

OP needs another pair of eyes in situ - ideally someone who has moved furniture about.

CelticRambler

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123586685#Comment_123586685

I don’t see how the blocks of wood would help. Mind explaining?

Multiple uses! I never go anywhere without half a dozen blocks of wood (yeah, really … ). Serves as a moveable fulcrum for your crowbar, a spacer to stop a corner banging into a wall, something to provide a gap for fingers/toes, when used in series, the means to lift something heavy in increments …

Just so as we know: have you actually tried lifting it up on its end yet, still in the bathroom?

This is it

If the supermarket cage doesn't work you could cut a hole out of the floor/ceiling and just slide it through. Don't think about it, just do it.

magicbastarder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123586895#Comment_123586895

You don't want people of unknown ability and cop on trying to get a cast iron bath down your stairs.

MarcusMaximus

Good point about it seeming heavier in situ. I'll move it out a bit and then see. I can confirm I'm working alone, no other lads in sight! I do have a couple of extra pairs of eyes and hands in the house though.

A lot of these suggestions depend on being able to lift it, turn it etc. though I understand nobody is suggesting doing that alone. So my capacity to manoevre it is pretty limited, though someone said earlier that they had moved a few of them alone.

Btw I've had the whole bathroom contents up on FB, Adverts and Donedeal for a week but no bites. Haven't tried just the bath for free though. I do want the thing gone over the weekend so don't really want to wait.

I just hired a big grinder and also bought a dolly from Lidl that'll take up to 250kg. I'm going to pick up some strong rope or maybe a winch and see if I can shift it first. If not, I'll attack it with the grinder and s. hammer. ⚒️ 🤞

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587090#Comment_123587090

OP put up a general area you are in and someone here might be close and be able to give a hand.

AnRothar

I just hired a big grinder and also bought a dolly from Lid

Approach the job in stages.

you have a grinder so can cut the bath into manageable pieces.

imagine the bath as North/South for the longest and East/West for the width.

start at North end and going East eas/West cut first 30 cm off.

now cut this in half along the North/South axis.

rinse and repeat as you work your way along the bath.

MarcusMaximus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587097#Comment_123587097

Ok yeah I'm in Cabinteely Dublin 18.

Thanks for those guidelines re. cutting. Will be very helpful if it comes to that.

Pat734

I'm beginning to think that this is really someone taking the proverbial. Cages, hammers, sledges, etc. Jeez lads, 2 fellas, take the bloody legs of it, lift it and take it out. The mind boggles.

MarcusMaximus

'Sledge' short for sledgehammer, just to nitpick, not yet another dumb idea. I'd like to see just you and one other guy take this out without any injury or damage etc. Plus I've never done this before. What is a forum like this for but to ask advice? Jeez right back at you man. 😕

Dubwat

I don't think I've seen it mentioned but could you not go a local bathroom refurb company and ask them to remove the bath for you? They must deal with this situation every other week? Maybe stress your age for extra sympathy?

MarcusMaximus

Not a bad idea at all, never thought if it. Though I suppose I could always get our plumber to do it. Still, like most folks on here I presume, I like the challenge of doing things myself. That’s as long as I live to tell the tale, at my ripe old age! Which is something I stress less and less these days.. 😉

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587323#Comment_123587323

It would still be better to try take it out in one piece so it could be used again for something, as stated earlier farmers would take it as a trough or even use it yourself as a small garden pond rather than breaking it up. Maybe put a post on the farming forum?

fritzelly

Standing it up vertically will make it easy to get out of the bathroom but then you really need some help to feed it down the stairs starting with the bottom side

Maybe with a trolley you could wheel it out the bathroom and down the stairs if you have room navigate but you still really need someone to support it as well (this type of trolley)

0003249_foldable-metal-moving-dolly-cart-truck-trolley-hand-cart-red-and-black.jpeg (1024×1024)

baxterooneydoody

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587064#Comment_123587064

Great idea actually, you'll have to cut a joist in the floor/ceiling but they're not really needed and 1 won't make a difference if you take 3 foot off it

Orban6

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587323#Comment_123587323

Just take the roof off the house and get a crane to lift it out.

SuperBowserWorld

I was just wondering what was wrong with the bath in the first place ?

Probably too late ... but ... maybe repair the bath and leave it in place ?

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587250#Comment_123587250

Well if we're nitpicking, what you actually have is a lump hammer, a sledgehammer would be a much better job.

Mo Ghile Mear

This is why I love Boards 😊.

I can’t offer any advice Marcus.. sorry, …but from one senior type person to another, just mind your back.
If at all possible get another pair of hands and just go inch by inch.

Dr Turk Turkelton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587537#Comment_123587537

Too easy...

FintanMcluskey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587471#Comment_123587471

Can't wait for OP to seek advice here on welding cast iron having rented out all the paraphernalia required

Akrasia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587626#Comment_123587626

Or looking for tips on how to replace a roof that has been lifted off by a crane

CelticRambler

Be very, very, careful using any kind of a trolley/dolly/wheeled platform. In my experience, they're amongst the most dangerous bit of equipment for moving anything other than sacks of cement across a nice flat surface. I definitely wouldn't use one to move a cast iron bath, unless it was already down the stairs and out of the house. The centre of gravity of a bath, standing on it's end, is well off-centre, and the sloping sides make it extremely hard to secure (though wooden blocks can help … :-) ) If you're using a trolley, I would say you need at least two, maybe even three extra people just to keep eyes on everything that can go wrong.

Use two sheets of glossy cardboard, glossy sides together, and it'll slide anywhere you want it to go and no further (until you get to the stairs … but that's another day's risk assessment)

MarcusMaximus

Right lads. Let’s start a competition for the most outrageous, or maybe the most sarky, suggestion. I’m leaning towards roof and crane guy, or maybe hole in the floor guy. Though ‘renting all the unnecessary gear’ guy is close too. 😑

Yeah I know, all a bit of fun. Not so much though sometimes. But that’s forums for ya. People feel free to say whatever they want cos it’s anonymous..

Anyway, on with the show.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123587507#Comment_123587507

No, it’s a sledgehammer albeit a small one:

https://www.woodies.ie/tactix-hammer-sledge-1-8kg-4lb-1114479?objectId=40251&queryId=1aec57eb28c48f4e241d597833132f2a&indexName=prod_default_products

Thanks for the genuine tips and advice. Yes I’m watching my back and taking the whole job handy. I’ll try the dolly from the bathroom to the landing and see if it stays put. If not I’ll revert to the cardboard. I certainly won’t be standing it on its end at any stage though. Got a plan for the stairs based on what @Field east posted.

Oh yeah, I got it away from the walls and plumbing and onto its side. Have to saw off the rear sides of the taps as they are impossible to shift with my less than perfect wrenches and spanners. Have done one, will do the other tomorrow.

So I’m committed to moving it out rather than breaking it up, which means I wasted money hiring the grinder but I wanted to have both options available over the weekend. Ah well, you live and learn. And yes, it’s not as heavy as I thought - the connected pipes and the lowest tiles meant it just wouldn't budge. So I’m just gonna sling it on my back (carefully) and skip downstairs with it. Piece of cake.

Posting on the farming forum is a great idea thanks. Plus Adverts etc.

Stay tuned for the next episode! Or not if you’re finding this thread or my ‘over-thinking’ irritating.

con747

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123588726#Comment_123588726

Take the taps off and you can let it slide down the stairs easily enough if you think you can do it without it pushing you through the window at the end at speed! You could also use a rope through the tap holes and around the top of the stairs upright to gently let it go behind you and let the others there feed it down.

MarcusMaximus

Yes that’s the plan exactly, including the rope! Except I’ll be the one inching it down with the rope around the top post. My nearest and dearest will be on hand to guide it and make sure it’s not going awry. 🤞