Don’t know if this is the right sub but looking for advice on sofas and thinking this has a big audience
I’m buying a second story new build with lifts and need to order a sofa as takes time to make and deliver – how did you know it would fit through your corridors?
I don’t want to waste money buying a sofa I can’t get into the flat!
Thanks in advance (or please direct me to the right sub!)
20 comments
Go and measure the hallways…
Unless you are buying sofa **and** flat without the opportunity to view either I really can’t see how this is not a ridiculously simple problem to overcome.
The only way to know for sure is to measure things carefully! –
I actually made this mistake once when buying a sofa-bed, and it couldn’t get round a particularly tight corner, no matter how hard the delivery guys tried, no matter what angle we attempted. I had to return it and exchange it for a smaller one. 😀
Nip out to the shop and buy a tape measure, ask them for some brains while you’re there.
…jesus wept.
The one time we didn’t we ended up having to get a glazier to remove the Lounge window (1st floor flat) on the day the men delivered it and it had to be hoist up with some pulley system.
Since that time we buy sofas that can be broken down
Buy a recliner, the backs come off and sometimes other sections too.
We didn’t buy one until moving in. To be on the safe side.
Have you considered a Snug sofa? They come in pieces and slot together. After having a touch-and-go moment with getting a sofa out of a flat, I decided ‘never again’ and bought a Snug sofa (even though I moved into a house next). It’s super comfy and I’ve had it for almost 3 years now. No regrets.
PIVOT!
Has anybody else read Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams, and do they get the reference?
The previous owner left the sofa for me so I didn’t have to buy one, I think because it’s massive and don’t know how I’ll ever get it out without smashing it up. I have no idea how they got it in here, I think they must have had to remove a window.
Yeah unfortunately it could be a case of moving with cheap garden furniture and sitting on them and ottomans until you move in and get a better idea of what you can do. We were very lucky with this flat because, whilst the corridors are too narrow with sharp corners, the seperate entrance and open plan living room meant we could just avoid that nightmare. If you’re really not keen on not having a proper suite for a while, then you could look into modular furniture that can be taken apart and put back together, but that’s generally made to order so you’d have to look at second hand ones.
Oh but I imagine some in the higher up flats had to whinch their couches up because when they’ve died the only way to get their couch and armchairs out was to carry them out the big window. Worst case scenario, that might be what you have to do if the corridors are too small.
I bought an L shaped sofa that came in two boxes so I knew it would fit.
I knew the windows fully opened so it could go through there straight from the street to the living room.
No chance of getting it through the hallway!
If you can’t measure then buy a sofa which has a removable back and is modular. If you’re getting a corner sofa then make sure the back comes off as that’s the biggest piece.
You can also enquire about their return policy if it doesn’t fit up the stairs. Some places will allow returns if you are ordering the default colour of the sofa, but not if you get one of the alternatives available.
We got a lovely sofa for a flat and it came in two pieces so we had no problems getting it up the stairs. Our next property was a three storey townhouse with a 180 degree turn half way up the stairs, living room was up one flight and we couldn’t get half of our sofa up it. We ordered a modular corner sofa with removable backs but when it got delivered it turned out the corner piece couldn’t separate the seat from the back so it had to go back to the store. Luckily we managed to get a full refund as we had questioned them about it beforehand and brought it in the default stock room colour of grey. Two months on with no sofa but we should have one delivered next month.
dont the go in through the window
If you can’t get into the flat, are there possibly any floorplans of the building online where you can get the measurements? Maybe on the estate agents website or on the various house moving websites (rightmove etc). Quite often pictures and floorplans stay online long after the sale is completed.
When I moved to my last flat I had not considered my sofa not fitting. It didn’t. My movers told me to buy a recliner as the backs come off recliners so they fit easier.
Also after having a recliner I can’t imagine having a normal sofa now. I love it
I bought a flat pack one. Not very lounge-y though.
I bought from an independent UK based company that makes their own sofas. I gave them the measurements of my smallest doorway and they told me which models would fit through it (pleasantly surprised could get a bigger sofa than I originally planned). And if it fits through a single doorway it will definitely fit in a lift and down a corridor.
Get one that’s modular. We had the same issue and luckily they got the one I ordered in with the legs off and lots of wiggling but we were only on the second floor and didn’t have a lift to navigate. I’d 100% get one that came in parts next time. IKEA is probably your best bet.