Handling A Heavy Terrazzo Shower Pan

I am getting ready to install a terrazzo shower pan in a small guest bathroom. There is no room or access to get machinery anywhere near to where the pan needs to be. The walls to the shower room are already built and closed. (This is a remodel, not new construction.)

The problem is that the terrazzo shower pan will weigh about 450 pounds. Any ideas on how to safely get it into position and lower it onto the concrete slab so that the drain is properly lined up and engages? That's a huge amount of weight to deal with without the use of machinery.

I can get about 6 big guys to help me, but I am worried about the alignment, as well as the possibility of someone getting hurt.

Grateful for any helpful ideas.

I could be wrong about this, but it is something to think about. A little voice in the back of my head recalls that back in my CA days terrazzo pans were not approved (cracking issues). You might want to verify it is OK to use before you put it in.

I think you are correct, going back quite a ways in time. However, the new ones have reinforcing, and they are set on mortar beds, so cracking is no longer and issue. Further, the surface it is going to be installed on is a very flat, well-poured and well-reinforced conrete slab, that has been there ofr about 8 years, and so is very stable. So I am not concerned about cracking. Unless we screw up and drop it while trying to get it in place.

However, I am still very concerned about safely handling all that weight in tight quarters. Not only do we need to tip it up on edge to get it thrgouh a narrow dorrway, but then we need to position it very precisely and lower it slowly onto a thin, wet mortar bed and make sure the drain lines up and engages. I am having serious nightmares about doing this aspect of the job.

I am most concerned about doing this safely so that no one gets hurt. Again, the pan is 32" by 54" and will weight just under 500 lbs. Any suggestions or ideas gratefully received and considered. Thanks, all!

If the surface is smooth enough, you might want to rent some heavy duty glass or stone slab suction cup handles. You could rig a cross-beam and a come-along winch to lower it into position using the handle, and have something to grab onto so you don't crush fingers. Personally, I'd have built a tiled shower base. Good luck.