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Safe Fitting & Installation

Your Questions Answered

This guide has been produced to answer some of the questions we have been asked about our safe installation. If you would like to talk to us about safe installation please get in touch. 0161 819 6888.

All of our safe installations are carried out by our inhouse team of DBS checked, fully qualified fleet of engineers, who are based all around the UK.

Installation Lead Times

Installations can take up to 14 working days, but we try our best to get them completed sooner if possible.

Please note: Installations in the South West area and some parts of Scotland may have longer lead times. Please speak to a member of the team for more installation information in your area.

Get in touch on 0161 819 6888 or email us at support@totalsafes.co.uk

What do I need to know about having my safe installed?

If you have chosen to have your safe ‘Bolted’ to a floor or wall (most safes come with either floor or wall fixing holes as Standard). We advise that safes are only bolted to a SOLID wall or floor with all skirting boards removed. Please make sure this is possible before our arrival and be aware we are unable to check for pipes or wires. This is the safest and most efficient way to have your safe installed so there is a secure grip with all bolts and there is no leverage with no spacing around the safe.

Will my safe require installation?

Safes and cabinets with fixing holes in the base and/or rear are designed specifically for wall and/or floor (bolt down) installation. Your insurer may insist on a security safe being installed to meet the manufacturer's recommended cash cover. We recommend safe installations are carried out by a qualified installer. Our teams are fully trained and DBS checked.

Will you show me how to use the safe lock?

Once our team have installed your safe they will carry out a lock demonstration. You will also be left full instructions and telephone support is available on request. Lock demonstrations should not take more than 15 minutes after installation is completed. 

Do you charge extra to install the safe?

Please refer to the delivery tab on the product page where it will indicate which delivery/installation service is included.

Additional costs usually apply when:

  • The safe requires a special installation OTHER than the manufactures recommendations.
  • The safe needs to be taken to an upper or lower floor via stairs.
  • There are more than 2 steps along the access route.
  • The safe is too big to fit through doorways or along corridors.

It is the customers responsibility to let us know if there are any access restrictions. Any changes to location after the order has been processed may occur in an extra charge.

Can I book a specific time for my safe installation?

Our installation service does not allow for time slots or named dates but we will always try our best to accommodate requests if the schedule allows. Installations are booked in Monday to Friday only and will take place between 08:30 and 17:00. Our teams are provided with the contact name and number you supply and asked to ring when leaving their previous job to give you an idea of ETA.
We can usually accommodate more specific requests for installations by a certain date or within a time window but this is a special service which may incur additional cost. Please contact us to discuss before ordering.

Do I need to remove my skirting boards?

Skirting boards should be removed (prior to installation) to allow the safe to be installed flush against the wall.

If a skirting board is not removed, even with the safe bolted into the floor, the gap between the wall and the safe will provide useful leverage if there is an unauthorised attempt to remove the safe.
Our installation service does not include removal of skirting boards - this must be done prior to our engineer’s attendance. If the installation has to be aborted and rescheduled due to the location not being sufficiently prepared for installation you will incur additional charges and the installation may be further delayed by 1-2 weeks.

What is a suitable lift?

A suitable lift will be capable of carrying the item + any machinery + persons transporting it.
Please check the lift capacity against the weight of your safe. The capacity should be able to carry the weight of the safe + machinery + delivery staff.

Please also check the height, width and depth of the lift. There must be sufficient room for the safe to be easily placed inside and then brought out on the delivery floor so there must be plenty of space IN ADDITION to the safes own external dimensions.

It is important that you check the lift is suitable before we attend to avoid aborted delivery charges.
If in doubt, we offer a pre-order site visit and this service includes an assessment of the delivery route.

What are suitable stairs?

For safes under 1200mm in height, suitable stairs are:

  • Straight or right angled
  • More than 50cm wide (except when all safe dimensions are over 500mm)

It is important that you check your stairs are suitable before placing your order since an aborted delivery due to not having the correct information will result in additional charges.

Usually if the safe is over 1200mm or more in height and delivery is via stairs we will need to provide a bespoke quote.

We offer a pre-order site visit and this service includes an assessment of the delivery route.

Please fill in the form here to get a quote for upper/lower floor installation quote.

Do you provide your own installation services?

Yes, we carry out all installations ourselves. We do not contract out safe installations and we are the only UK online safe retailer that has a service using our own inhouse DBS checked safe engineers.

Do you install under floor safes?

We are also the only UK online safe retailer that offers installation of under floor safes. You will first require a site survey so we can provide a quote.

Can you install fireproof safes?

We can install any safe, whether it has fixing holes or not.

Most safes designed primarily to protect contents from fire damage do not include fixing holes, although some do include them. The model specification tab on our products pages tells you whether there are fixing holes and their location (wall, floor or both).

If the safe does not have fixing holes we can install it using a strong adhesive, this is called a Chemical Installation.

Chemical Installations cost extra so if you require this please contact us before ordering to obtain a quote.

Find all our fire safe here

Who will be installing my safe?

We have our own installation teams throughout the UK. Our staff are experienced, qualified in the field and are all DBS cleared.

Our installation teams will secure the safe in place and demonstrate your new purchase if required.
We also use our own fleet of vehicles including wagons with a hiab crane if required.

Do you offer safe installation if I already have a safe?

Yes. While it does work out cheaper to come to us for both the supply and installation of a new safe we will carry out installations of safes you already own. Please contact us for a quote. Please contact us for a quote and include the safe make, model, weight and dimensions (if known). 

Which safes can be bolted to the floor?

Most but not all safes can be bolted to the floor; it depends on its main purpose.

All free-standing Security Safes come with fixing holes allowing them to be bolted at the base. Most safes are supplied complete with Anchor Bolts which are designed to be used with a solid surface such as concrete or brick. Solid wood such as floor joists are also suitable but you would need to purchase alternative heavy-duty wood screws. We would advise against bolting just to floor boards as they are not strong/thick enough. If you do not have a solid floor surface you could consider a Chemical Installation or Wall Installation.

Safes designed to protect digital or magnetic media from fire cannot usually be bolted to the floor as this would impact the fire resisting barrier and affect the rating the safe had been given.

Some fire safes have been modified and designed overcome this problem so you can keep the fire rating but also have maximum security.

An easy way to identify if the safe can be bolted down is to look for 'Fixing' in the model specification. If it says 'floor' then it can be bolted down. If it says 'wall' this means fixing holes are location in the rear for wall mounting only (usually for key cabinets or lightweight safes).

Find all our safes that can be bolted to the floor here

Can my safe be bolted to a wall?

If the security safe includes fixing holes at the rear then it is suitable for bolting into a solid brick wall but it will still require support at the base. It is not advisable to install a safe to a stud wall as this could cause damaged to your property and will not be as secure.

If you do choose to install your safe to a wall you must make sure that a section of the skirting board is removed this is so the safe can be fitted flush to the wall. If you leave a space between the safe and the wall, it makes it very easy to pry the safe from the wall and will compromise the overall security.

Fire safes do not have rear fixing holes.

Find all safes that can be bolted to the wall here

Can my safe still be bolted down to the floor if I have under floor heating?

We would not advise bolting your safe down unless there is a specific area of the floor free from under floor heating as it could have potential to damage the flooring.

Another option that would avoid this potential damage is a Chemical Installation which involves securing the safe to the floor using an industrial strength adhesive.

What length bolts do you use for fixing to a floor?

Usually we use 180mm bolts but we can also use 120mm bolts. We would not recommend using shorter bolts for fixing a floor standing security safe to a floor.

What is a Chemical Installation?

Chemical Installation involves the securing of the safe to the floor using an industrial strength adhesive. There are many reasons to opt for this type of installation over bolting the safe down but generally it will be due to unsuitable floor or walls available for the installation.

Total Safes recommend checking with your insurance company if you are considering a Chemical Installation. Please note that this is more or less a permanent installation of the safe so if you were to want to relocate or remove the safe it would only be possible with serious damage to the floor.

Will you carry out structural survey prior to safe installation?

It is the customers responsibility to arrange for a structural survey prior to ordering a safe.
Structural surveys check the building/floor level is structurally sound and also for the presence of any electrics or plumbing. These should be carried out prior to installing a particularly heavy safe at an upper floor location or bolting a safe into a wall or floor where it is not known whether pipes or electrics are present.

If in doubt is it best that you arrange for an advice visit prior to ordering. These visits assess suitability of the safe for purpose and also review the access route. We will also advise whether we feel you need a structural survey prior to installation. Please note, advice visits are chargeable a £150 + VAT but the fee is discounted of future orders of £1000 (net) or more.

Do you need my landlords permission before installing a safe in rented accommodation?

We will not require your landlord’s permission but we strongly recommend you seek permission yourself prior to ordering a safe for installation.

**It is the customers responsibility to let us know if there are any access restrictions. Any changes to location after the order has been processed may occur in an extra charge.**

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