Shipping & Freight Delivery
Greenhouses ship on a pallet by freight carrier, which works differently from an ordinary parcel delivery. Here is exactly what to expect, so nothing on delivery day is a surprise.
Your greenhouse ships by freight, not by parcel
A greenhouse kit is long, heavy, and fragile in exactly the wrong combination for a parcel courier. It ships strapped to a pallet on an LTL — less-than-truckload — freight carrier.
That means the delivery works differently from an ordinary online order in four specific ways. None of them are difficult, but all of them are easier when you know about them in advance.
What happens, step by step
- Your order is prepared and handed to a carrier. We confirm the order, the manufacturer prepares and palletizes the kit, and it is collected by the freight carrier.
- The carrier contacts you to book a delivery window. Freight delivery is by appointment, not a surprise van. The carrier calls or texts to arrange a window, usually a few hours wide. Someone needs to be present.
- Delivery is to the curb. The driver brings the pallet to the end of your driveway or the edge of your property. They are not required to bring it further, and they will not carry it to your build site.
- You move it from the curb. Pallets commonly weigh several hundred pounds. Have two or more people and a hand truck, wheelbarrow, or garden dolly ready before the window opens.
- You inspect before you sign. This is the important one. See below.
Inspect before you sign
Walk the pallet before the driver leaves. Look for crushed corners, punctures, torn shrink wrap, water staining, and any box that has shifted or split.
If anything looks wrong, write it on the delivery receipt before you sign, and photograph it while the truck is still there. A signature with no damage noted is the carrier's proof that the shipment arrived intact — and it substantially limits what can be claimed afterward.
Noting damage does not mean refusing the shipment, and it does not delay your build. In most cases the kit is completely usable and a single damaged panel is replaced. The note simply preserves the claim.
If the damage is severe enough that you think the shipment should be refused, call us before the driver leaves and we will make that decision with you.
If something arrives damaged
- Note it on the delivery receipt before signing, in as much detail as you can.
- Photograph everything — the pallet as delivered, the packaging, the damaged part, and the delivery receipt itself.
- Contact us the same day. Freight carriers apply strict time limits to damage claims, and a claim filed promptly is a claim that gets paid.
- Keep all packaging until the claim is resolved. Carriers can require inspection, and discarded packaging can void a claim.
Timing
Two separate periods make up the total, and it helps to think of them separately:
| Stage | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Time to ship | From your order being confirmed to the pallet leaving the manufacturer. Varies by model and season. |
| Transit time | From carrier pickup to your delivery appointment. Varies by distance and carrier routing. |
Estimated ship time is listed on each product page where the manufacturer has confirmed it. We do not quote a guaranteed delivery date, because freight transit is not ours to guarantee — and we would rather tell you that plainly than promise a date and miss it.
Before you order, check access
A freight truck is large. Before ordering, have a quick look at whether one can reach you:
- Can a full-size truck get down your street and turn around?
- Are there low branches, tight gates, or a steep or narrow driveway?
- Is there somewhere flat to set a pallet down near the road?
- Do you have help and equipment available on delivery day?
If any of that is uncertain, get in touch before you order. Sorting it out beforehand is far easier than solving it with a driver waiting.
Returns and refused shipments
Return terms, including responsibility for return freight and any restocking fee, are set out in our refund policy. Because return freight on a palletized shipment is a significant cost, please read it before ordering rather than after.