When the stairs are not an option
Montreal’s plexes are famous for their exterior staircases: narrow, curved, sometimes spiral, often icy. They are fine for boxes and chairs. They are not fine for a sectional sofa that will not take the turn, a queen box spring that cannot bend, a piano going to the third floor, or an armoire taller than the landing. Inside, older buildings add narrow doors and hallways, and condo elevators have a size limit.
When an item cannot come through the building, it comes in over the top. A crane lifts it from the street or the yard to a balcony, a patio door or a window opening, and the crew guides it in and carries it to its room. Done well, it is often faster and safer than forcing the item up the stairs, and it spares the staircase, the walls and the banister.
What we lift
- Pianos — uprights and grands to upper floors when the stairs have no straight route. See also piano moving.
- Sofas, sectionals and box springs that will not take the turn of a staircase.
- Armoires, china cabinets and large antiques that are taller than the landing or too fragile for a tight stairwell. See also fine art and antique moving.
- Hot tubs and spas that have to reach a backyard or a rooftop terrace.
- Safes, gym equipment and large appliances where the stairs or the floor cannot take the weight along the route.
- Office furniture and equipment for buildings where the freight elevator is too small or out of service.
How a crane move is planned
A crane lift is decided before moving day, not on the sidewalk. We ask for photos of the item and its dimensions, photos of the opening it must pass through — balcony, patio door or window — and of the street or yard where the crane will stand, including any wires, trees or fences in the way. For larger or unusual lifts we visit the site.
The plan answers four questions: where the crane sets up, how the item is wrapped and rigged, whether the opening is large enough or a window or railing must come out, and how long the crane is needed. You receive it in writing with the price.
On the day, the item is wrapped and padded before it leaves the ground. The crew works in two places at once — on the ground with the load, and at the opening to guide it in — and the lift is only done when the load can be controlled the whole way.
Permits, space and weather
If the crane stands on the street or the sidewalk, most Montreal boroughs require a temporary occupation permit, requested ahead of the day. We tell you how much space the crane needs and for how long, so the permit covers it. In a yard or a private driveway, a permit is usually not needed, but the ground has to be firm enough to support the crane.
Cranes do not lift in strong wind or during a thunderstorm. When the forecast makes a lift unsafe, we move it to the next safe window instead of taking the risk; the rest of the move can often go ahead as planned.
As part of a move, or on its own
Most crane lifts are one or two items inside a regular move: the crew moves everything else through the door and the crane takes the piece that will not fit. The lift is added to the same quote, and everything arrives on the same day. We also do single lifts on their own — a new sofa that the delivery company could not get upstairs, a piano bought from a neighbour, a hot tub for the backyard.
Price
A crane move is quoted per job, after photos or a site visit. The price depends on the item and its weight, the height of the opening, the distance from the crane to the opening, and the time the crane and the crew spend on site.
