Scope of this page: homes of two levels or top-floor units with private stairs or lifts. For flats in general see residential movers, for tall towers high-rise tower movers, and where there is no lift moving without a lift.
Why a duplex move is different
In an ordinary flat an item is carried from the door to a room and that is that. In a duplex it may be carried twice: from the street to the front door, then up or down an internal staircase with a bend. Many pieces that came in without trouble during the fit-out need dismantling to go up or out, typically bed frames, tall wardrobes and sectional sofas.
So before the date we ask for photos of the internal stairs from the bottom and the top, their width and, if you can, the ceiling height at the turn.
Internal stairs and private lifts
Internal stairs are usually narrower than a building’s shared staircase and may be spiral or turn through a half circle. We decide in advance which pieces go whole and which are taken apart, number the parts, and protect railings and walls with covers and blankets at corners. If the unit has a private lift opening into the lounge, we ask about its capacity and depth, because some lifts take people and boxes but not a long sofa.
Heavy book boxes are split into smaller cartons so nobody carries too much weight on a staircase. See book and library moving for more.
Penthouses and terraces
A penthouse sits at the top of a building and often has a terrace with outdoor furniture, planters and heavy pots. Pots full of soil must be emptied before lifting, and aluminium or wooden outdoor furniture is wrapped against scratches. If the railing is glass we keep long items away from it and warn the crew. For glass and mirrors, see glass tables and mirror moving.
Placing items on the right level
The biggest saving in a duplex move is at unloading: we do not stack everything in the lounge and carry it again. Before the date we ask what each room will be on both levels and we mark cartons and pieces with the level they belong to, so each goes straight to its place. A moving inventory list helps you organise this.
Assembly after unloading
Once items arrive we rebuild beds and wardrobes in their final places, check that tall pieces stand straight on the upper floor, and go through the list with you. If some pieces will arrive later, they can wait in furniture storage.
Request a quote for a duplex or penthouse move
Tell us the city and neighbourhood, how many levels the unit has, the stair width, and whether a lift reaches the door.