What To Know About Cabinet Delivery
"Cabinet delivery day marks an exciting point in your remodel process. Following a few simple pieces of advice can help your delivery and installation go smoothly."
When it comes to cabinets, our very own Eric Jaeger is one of the best resources out there. A former contractor, Eric has experience on both the installation and design sides of cabinet projects and offers a unique perspective to both homeowners and professionals. In this series, we sit down with Eric to learn more about the cabinet process from design to project completion—and the do's and don’ts in between.
Today, Eric gives us an overview of cabinet delivery day, what to do if your cabinets arrive damaged, and what to know before scheduling your cabinet installation with a contractor.
How to prepare for cabinet delivery day
Your cabinet delivery service will do the heavy lifting on delivery day, but there are a few key steps you should take to help things go smoothly:
- Make room for your cabinets to be offloaded. This point might seem obvious, but it can be difficult to visualize how big the actual delivery will be (crates, packaging, etc.).
- Clear a safe path from the delivery truck to your home. Safety is a top concern for delivery services, so you’ll want to ensure there are no obstructions or slippery areas along the walkway.
- Plan to be at home. Someone must be present in your home to accept the delivery.
- Inspect the cabinets to make sure there’s no damage. If you find any damage, call your cabinet designer and don’t install any cabinet components. Manufacturers will almost always replace damaged cabinets, but you don’t want to install something that may be difficult or impossible to remove and replace. It’s important to ensure all components are accounted for and intact before beginning the installation process.
When to schedule your cabinet installation
If you’re scheduling your installation with a contractor, we recommend pushing out the tentative start day well beyond your estimated delivery day. This buffer time will help protect you from having to reschedule if any of your cabinets arrive damaged and need to be rebuilt. If your cabinets aren’t ready to be installed on your scheduled installation day, you run the risk of losing your contractor's availability. If they have to move onto another job, they may not be able to come back for weeks, or even months, depending on their schedule.
What to do if your cabinets arrive damaged
If any of your cabinetry arrives damaged, call your cabinet designer right away—they will be able to tell you if the damage will have an impact on installation. Damage won’t always impact your installation timeline—for instance, a damaged cabinet door can easily be installed later—but any damage to base cabinets or specialty components will need to be remedied before installation can be completed.
It’s important to prepare appropriately for cabinet delivery day and understand your installation timeline, and we hope these tips help your next cabinet project go smoothly. For more cabinet tips from Eric, check out what to know about ordering cabinets and what to know about buying cabinets.
