Measure the route before the day
In Dún Laoghaire the hard part of couch collection is rarely the couch. It's the way out: a turning stair in a converted Victorian house, a porch door in a Glenageary semi, or a lift in a seafront block.
You don't do any carrying. Five minutes with a tape measure just means we arrive knowing whether the legs come off, which way it tilts, and whether the lift or the stairwell is the way down.
The four measurements that matter
- 1The couch itself: width, depth and height. A three-seater is often around two metres wide.
- 2Its diagonal depth: from the top back corner to the front edge of the seat. That is its depth when tilted on its back.
- 3The narrowest door on the way out: often the flat's own door, a porch door or a landing door. Measure inside the frame with the door fully open.
- 4The tightest turn on the stairs: the clear width at the return, and the headroom above it.
Compare all measurements with the full route, including door height, hall space and the turn beyond the doorway. One diagonal measurement cannot guarantee a fit. Removable legs and cushions may help; measure the largest separate section of a corner couch and show any restricted turn before booking.
Flats in converted period houses
Many of Dún Laoghaire's flats are in converted Victorian houses: a shared front door at the top of granite steps, a narrow hall and a staircase that turns at every return. A couch coming down from the top floor is all about those turns, and the carrying is our two loaders' job, not yours.
Shared halls belong to everyone. Tell your neighbours the collection is happening and move bikes and the post table out of the way. Someone needs to be there to open the front door, or access agreed in advance, such as a neighbour letting us in.
Seafront and harbour apartments
The newer blocks along the seafront and around the harbour have lifts, but not always big ones. Measure the inside of the car, including the diagonal from floor to ceiling. A three-seater often travels standing on its end; if it won't fit, our loaders take it down the stairwell.
Check your building rules before the day. Some management companies want removals booked, the lift padded or the van in a set loading spot. Tell us what applies when you get your price.
Porches in Glenageary, Ballybrack and Killiney
In the semi-detached estates around Glenageary, Ballybrack and Killiney, the stairs are rarely the problem. The porch is. Many houses have had one added, and its door is often narrower than the original front door, with a tight turn straight into the hall.
Measure both doors. A couch that came in before the porch was built may need its legs off and a careful tilt to get back out.
Corner sofas and sofa beds
Corner sofas are usually two or three sections bolted or clipped together. Look underneath for the brackets and separate them before the day if you can. The price is the same either way.
Sofa beds are heavier than they look because of the steel frame. Fold the bed in fully and strap it closed so it cannot open on the stairs.
On the morning
- Check down the back of the cushions for keys, coins and the remote.
- Take off any throws and cushions you're keeping.
- Unscrew the legs if they come off easily, and put them on the seat.
- Lift loose rugs and move anything fragile off the landing and hall.
What couch collection costs
- Two-seater: €30
- Three-seater: €35
- Corner or L-shaped: €80
- Sofa bed: €35
- Armchair or recliner: €20
- Footstool: €10
The call-out covers the van and two loaders and is charged once per collection, so a mattress or a few bags can go on the same visit at their own list prices.
If the couch finds a new home first
A clean, sound couch may suit someone else. Our sofa guide covers selling, charities and the council. Try that before you book: your price is for the collection you book, and it doesn't go down if the couch goes elsewhere on the day. If it finds a new home after you've booked, cancel free more than 24 hours before, then book again for anything else that's going.
Collections run on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, 14:00–16:00. On narrow streets in Monkstown, Glasthule or Sandycove, tell us the nearest place the van can stop. When your measurements are ready, get your price. Our Dún Laoghaire junk removal page covers everything else we collect locally.