Found a chiminea, fire-pit table or patio heater for winter evenings? How to get it home in one piece

There's something about a crackling fire pit or a glowing patio heater that makes a cold garden feel like the best room in the house. Second-hand chimineas, fire bowls, gas fire-pit tables and patio heaters turn up all the time as people move, redo their gardens or upgrade. They can be a lovely buy, but they're heavy, awkward or fragile, and rarely car-friendly. Here's how to get yours home ready for the first cosy evening.

1. Ask the seller the right questions

Roughly how tall and heavy is it? Is it cast iron, steel or clay? Does the chimney or lid come off? If it's gas, does a bottle come with it? And where is it: a back garden up some steps, behind a side gate, or round the front?

2. Make sure it's cold and clean

Ash and embers can stay warm for longer than you'd think. Ask for it to be fully cold and the ash cleared out before collection day, so nothing smoulders or makes a mess on the way.

3. Gas bottles travel separately

For gas patio heaters and fire-pit tables, the bottle should be disconnected and either left with the seller or carried separately and upright. Getting it connected and checked at your end is something to sort out yourself or with a qualified person.

4. Protect the fragile bits

Clay chimineas crack easily, and glass wind guards or lava rock trays can rattle around. Wrap them in blankets, take off anything that lifts off, and keep small parts like grills and lids together.

5. Getting it there

If it won't fit in the car, you can post the job free on Pink Pumpkin Logistics (https://pinkpumpkinlogistics.co.uk), a UK site where local drivers send quotes and you choose the one you're happy with. There's no obligation to accept. Give rough sizes, say what it's made of, mention any gas bottle, and note steps or side gates at each end. We move the item as it is, so setting it up and any gas connection are down to you.

Then all that's left is the marshmallows.