Who will carry my dishwasher up a flight and a half of stairs for me?

August 22, 2007 11:38 PM

I just moved into Seattle, and my new apartment doesn't have a dishwasher. Yesterday I picked up a portable dishwasher I found on Craigslist, but I was too exhausted to carry it up the 1.5 flights up to my apartment. I don't know anybody in town, much less know somebody well enough to ask them to help me carry a dishwasher--does anybody know someone who can carry this thing up the stairs for me?

I've looked into a couple moving companies, but they all seem to charge about $20 an hour, which wouldn't be so bad because it won't take very long, except that they charge a $30-$40 flat travel fee to get to my place. Does anybody know any cheaper options? Anybody know somebody who'd like to make an extra 20 bucks?

posted by silverspeak to Travel & Transportation (9 answers total)

This is a perfect chance to introduce yourself to your neighbors. Bring beer.
posted by yohko at 11:52 PM on August 22, 2007 [2 favorites]

Well, you could try posting an offer for the task on Craigslist and your whole story would come full circle. There's also this but I don't know how much it's caught on yet.
posted by quadog at 12:29 AM on August 23, 2007

Rent an appliance hand truck with a strap and stair climbers and do it yourself. All you'll be doing is pulling the appliance up eight inches at a time, with the ability to stop and rest at any interval. After all, there's a reason our caveman ancestors invented the wheel. ;-)

Or rent the hand truck and then make nice with the neighbors. If you have a hand truck, you'll make it easier for anyone to say yes to you.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 12:32 AM on August 23, 2007

I recently dragged a washing machine up the stairs with a hand truck. You pull slightly up and back to get the wheel up to the edge of the stair, and then you pull back, and the wheel rolls over the edge. I didn't have a strap so someone stayed behind and made sure the thing stayed in place on the handtruck and pushed slightly to get the thing rolling up each time. But you should try this only if you have a strong back. It's basically like doing a series of deadlifts and will be hard on your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. But for the guy helping you on the lower end it's no big deal at all.
posted by creasy boy at 12:42 AM on August 23, 2007

Well what I meant is: you don't need to have a super-strong back, but if you're somewhat in shape and don't have a lower back injury then I would do it this way.
posted by creasy boy at 12:45 AM on August 23, 2007

My GF recently hauled a frikkin loveseat hide-a-bed up two flights of stairs without me. TWO FLIGHTS! She used nothing but a blanket and her genetic superiority (Huzzah, Fulani!). There is something comforting to me in knowing that that girl can take me out whenever she wants. I feel safer.

Anyway, 2nding Yohko on this; it's time to find out how nice/mean your neighbors are.
posted by Pecinpah at 6:57 AM on August 23, 2007

Depending on where you are, you could cruise by the local Home Depot or U-Haul and see if there are day laborers hanging around looking for work. Decide what you're willing to pay--$10? $20?--and make someone an offer. It should only take a few minutes to haul it up and I'm sure you could find someone willing to do it. We did this when we needed help hauling a couch up to our apartment and it was infinitely helpful to have another set of (strong) hands.
posted by Bella Sebastian at 8:10 AM on August 23, 2007

The Millionair Club is a charity that finds day labor jobs for homeless people. They've been around for years and are very reputable. I would pick them instead of unscreened laborers from Home Depot or Craigslist.
posted by matildaben at 8:12 AM on August 23, 2007

Post a flyer in your laundry room or near the mailboxes offering $20(total) to any of your neighbors to help you haul it up the stairs. If I had a neighbor do this, I'd offer to help for free, but YMMV.
posted by BrotherCaine at 2:07 PM on August 23, 2007