Help with carrying: when you need extra hands for heavy lifting

What is help with carrying?

Help with carrying means that a company sends one or more people to carry, load and unload for you. Unlike a full removal service, you often take care of the transport yourself, or the job involves moving things within the same building. Typical jobs are:

• Carrying things into and out of a hired van or trailer
• Moving furniture between floors or to and from a storage room
• Carrying up a new sofa, bed or household appliance
• Helping with a move within the same building or block
• Loading a container or a storage unit

If you need help with the whole move, including transport, read our guide to removal services.

What affects the price?

Help with carrying is often charged per hour and per person, sometimes with a minimum charge. Ask for a quote and describe the job carefully:

• The number of people needed and for how long
• The weight and size of what is to be carried
• Stairs, lifts and the carrying distance from vehicle to door
• Whether assembling or dismantling furniture is included
• Time of day and day of the week
• Travel costs and any minimum time

RUT deduction for help with carrying

Help with carrying can count as a moving service and qualify for the RUT deduction when it concerns your own household goods. You can deduct 50 % of the labour cost. RUT and ROT together may not exceed SEK 75,000 per person per year, of which no more than SEK 50,000 may be ROT.

Costs for a moving van, fuel and moving boxes give no deduction. The company needs to hold F-tax approval and show the labour cost separately on the invoice. If you are unsure whether a specific job qualifies, you can check with the Swedish Tax Agency.

Safety when lifting heavy items

Heavy lifting is a common cause of injury, both to people and to belongings. A reputable company brings the right aids, such as lifting straps, a sack truck, furniture dollies and blankets, and sends enough people.

Tell the company in advance about anything unusually heavy or awkward, such as safes, cast-iron baths or large aquariums. These may require special equipment or more people. There is a separate guide for pianos.

Preparations

• Pack everything in boxes that can be closed and are not too heavy
• Empty chests of drawers and cupboards and take apart whatever can be dismantled
• Measure doors, stairs and lifts against large pieces of furniture
• Make sure the car or trailer is parked as close to the entrance as possible
• Protect floors and door frames, or ask whether the company does this
• Have someone on site who can say where things should go

What should the quote contain?

• Number of people and estimated time
• Hourly rate per person, minimum charge and travel costs
• Which aids are included
• Labour cost shown separately for RUT
• How damage is handled and whether the company has liability insurance

Common mistakes

A common mistake is underestimating the amount of belongings, which makes the job overrun. Other mistakes are booking too few people for heavy items, forgetting to mention stairs without a lift and not having the boxes packed when the helpers arrive. Also check what applies if something is damaged before the work starts.

Book help with carrying via Fixtorget

Describe what needs carrying, where and when on Fixtorget, completely free of charge. Up to four vetted companies can get in touch. You can see whether the company has reviewed proof of insurance, and the price can be confirmed in a cost specification in the portal.

Frequently asked questions