Commercial equipment installation and delivery checklist

Commercial equipment installation goes well when the site is ready before the truck arrives. Five checks cover it: access, receiving, trades, inspection and handover. Work through them a week or two ahead of delivery and the day itself becomes routine instead of a scramble.

Confirm the access route before delivery day

The route from the truck to the final position is where deliveries most often go wrong, and you can check all of it in advance.

• Re-measure every door, corridor and turn on the path. Do not rely on the figures from order day if anything has changed since.
• Confirm the clear opening, width and height, at the narrowest points.
• Look for temporary obstacles: pallets, ladders, other trades' materials.
• Confirm the elevator is available, if the route uses one.
• Tell the supplier about unusual conditions (narrow doors, stairs, tight turns) before delivery day, so they can plan and price for them.

The full method is in our guide to measuring your space before ordering.

Arrange the receiving and prepare the site

Decide three things and write them down before the truck arrives:

• Who receives. A named person, on site, with time to do it properly.
• When. A confirmed delivery window, not "sometime next week".
• What happens on arrival. Where the equipment goes (its final position or a protected staging area) and who moves it there.

If the truck has to reach a dock or a specific door, confirm that access too, including the truck's height and turning room if your site is tight.

Then get the room ready:

• The final position is clear. Old equipment removed, floor clean and level, floor protection down if needed.
• Services are in position. Water, drain and power where the equipment expects them, checked by the responsible trade.
• The floor can take the load. Adjustable feet help on uneven floors, but they do not fix everything.
• There is room to work. Clear space around the position for the installers and their tools.

Coordinate the trades

Connected equipment, such as sinks and powered service cases, usually involves more people than the delivery team. Settle four questions:

• Who makes the plumbing connection: your plumber or the supplier's installer?
• Who makes the electrical connection, and is the circuit ready and checked?
• Who levels and positions the unit?
• In what order does it all happen, and who owns the sequence?

Put the answers in writing. An email to each party is enough. Ask your supplier to state the installation scope in the quote as well; our guide to comparing equipment quotes shows where to look. The day everyone assumed someone else was handling the connection is the day the equipment sits uninstalled.

Inspect the equipment before you sign

Do this before you sign and before the delivery team leaves:

• Check the equipment against the order: model, dimensions, components, finish.
• Inspect for transit damage: surfaces, edges, legs, doors and any glass.
• Note every damage or discrepancy on the delivery documents before you sign.
• Photograph anything questionable straight away.

A problem documented at receiving is simple to resolve. One found a week later is a negotiation.

Plan the handover

When installation is finished, confirm four things:

• The unit is level, in position and connected.
• You know the cleaning and care requirements. Our guide to stainless steel cleaning and care is a good start for your team.
• You have the warranty information and know who to call if something needs service.
• Any open items are written down, each with an owner and a date.

The site-readiness checklist

Print this and tick it off a week or two before delivery.

• Access route re-measured and confirmed
• Receiver named and delivery window confirmed
• Final position cleared and floor ready
• Services in position and checked by the responsible trade
• Trade responsibilities written down and shared with everyone involved
• Arrival inspection plan ready: checklist, camera, delivery documents
• Handover items ready: care instructions, warranty, open-items list

Quick answers

What if the equipment will not fit through a door on delivery day?

It becomes the most expensive afternoon of your year, and you can prevent it. Measure the route before you order and confirm it again before delivery. If access is genuinely impossible, talk to the supplier ahead of time. Some equipment may be modified or delivered in stages, but only if the supplier knows beforehand.

Who connects a sink or a powered case?

It depends on the agreement, which is why you write it down before delivery. Ask your supplier to state the installation scope in the quote, and confirm which trade handles each connection.

When should I tell the supplier about tight access?

As early as you know: ideally when you order, and no later than before delivery day. A supplier can only plan and price for conditions they have heard about.

Next step

Tell us about your site and your access conditions, and we will plan the delivery around them. Request a quote or call 1-877-336-9191.