Freight and delivery
Venerabull · Freight & delivery
Heavy things arrive differently.
A sauna, a car lift and a deck oven do not come by parcel van. They come by freight, on a truck with a tail lift, on a day you agree to in advance. Here is how that works, and what to do when the truck pulls up.
Delivery levels
Know which one you are buying
Freight carriers sell delivery in levels. The difference between them is where the driver is obliged to stop, and it is the single most common surprise in heavy goods. Confirm the level before you order — call us and we will tell you exactly what applies to the item you are looking at.
Curbside
The driver lowers the crate to the ground at the end of your driveway on a tail lift. From the curb onward it is yours to move. Plan for equipment and people.
Threshold
The crate comes as far as the first dry space inside the door — usually a garage or entryway. It is not carried further, unpacked or assembled.
Room of choice
A two-person crew brings it to the room you nominate, unpacks it and removes the packaging. Some items add assembly or connection on top of this.
Before the truck comes
Two things worth measuring
Can the truck reach you?
- A standard freight trailer is 48 to 53 feet and cannot reverse down a narrow or steep drive
- Low branches, tight turns, soft ground and gated communities all matter — tell us in advance
- If a full trailer cannot reach you, the carrier can usually cross-dock to a smaller truck
- A tail lift is required for most crated goods unless you have a loading dock or a forklift
Will it fit once inside?
- Measure the crate, not the product — crating adds several inches on every side
- Check doorways, hallway turns, stair width and ceiling height on the whole route
- Watch the diagonal on stairwell landings; that is where large items usually stop
- Confirm the finished location can carry the weight, especially upstairs or on decking
Scheduling
The carrier will call you
Freight is not left on a doorstep. Once your shipment reaches the terminal nearest you, the carrier telephones to arrange a delivery appointment, usually offering a window of several hours rather than a fixed time. Someone over eighteen has to be there to inspect and sign. If nobody answers the carrier's call, the shipment sits at the terminal, and after a few days storage charges normally begin — so answer unknown numbers while you are waiting on a delivery.
Delivery day
Five minutes that decide everything
This is the part most people get wrong, and it is the only part that is hard to undo. Your signature on the delivery receipt is a legal statement that the shipment arrived complete and undamaged. Do these five things before you sign anything.
- Count the piecesThe delivery receipt lists a piece count. Count what is actually on the ground and make sure the two agree before you look at anything else.
- Walk all the way around itLook at every face of the crate, including the top and the underside of the pallet. Crush marks, punctures, torn shrink wrap, water staining, a leaning load or a broken pallet corner all count.
- Photograph it while it is still on the truck or the groundWide shots showing the crate next to the truck, then close-ups of anything that looks wrong. Photographs taken before the driver leaves are worth far more than photographs taken after.
- Write the damage on the delivery receiptNot "subject to inspection" — that phrase protects nobody. Write what you can see: "crate crushed lower left corner", "shrink wrap torn, box scuffed on end panel". Then sign. A driver who is in a hurry is not a reason to skip this.
- Uncrate as soon as you reasonably canSome damage only appears once the crate comes off. Open it promptly, keep all packaging until you are satisfied, and photograph anything you find before moving the item.
A clear signature makes a damage claim much harder for everyone, including us. Thirty seconds with a pen at the tailgate is the difference between a claim that resolves and one that argues.
If something is wrong
Tell us straight away
Contact us as soon as you find a problem, whether you caught it at the tailgate or after uncrating. Have these ready and it moves quickly: your order number, the carrier name and the PRO or tracking number from the delivery receipt, a photograph of the signed receipt showing what you noted, and photographs of the damage and the packaging it came in. We handle the carrier from there.
Have ready
- Order number
- Carrier and PRO number
- Photo of the signed delivery receipt
- Photos of the damage
- Photos of the crate and packaging
Keep hold of
- The crate, pallet and all packaging
- Any loose hardware or manuals
- The damaged item exactly where it is
- Nothing returns to a carrier until we tell you it has been authorised
Not sure what applies to your item?
Ask before you order. Access, delivery level and crate dimensions are worth two minutes on the phone.
VENERABULL
Heavy, premium goods for the home and everywhere that isn’t. Venerabull LLC · New York.
Company
United States · USD
Everything we carry