Guide · 6 May 2026
What to ask a logistics partner before an install
Eight questions interior designers should ask before handing an install to a logistics partner, and what the answers tell you.
An install goes wrong in ways the client always sees. The piece arrives marked, or late, or in the wrong order, or it does not fit. These are the questions worth asking before you commit.
Can you hold stock, and for how long?
Most installs need pieces to arrive over weeks and go in on one day. If your partner cannot store, you are coordinating multiple deliveries to a site that is not ready.
Who does the access check, and when?
The answer should be before the day, by someone who will be there on the day.
Are the teams employed or subcontracted?
Subcontracting is not automatically a problem, but it changes accountability. Ask who you call when something goes wrong at four o'clock.
What is covered while the item is inside the building?
Transit cover and handling cover are different policies. Ask for the second one.
Can you sequence a release?
On a fit out, order matters. Rugs before furniture. Large pieces before the entry is blocked. A partner who has done this will have an opinion before you ask.
Who unwraps and removes the rubbish?
On a styled install the client should never see packaging. Confirm it leaves with the team.
What happens if the site is not ready?
It happens. Ask what the reschedule policy is and whether stock can go back into storage.
Who is on site on the day?
Names, not a company. The difference between a good install and a bad one is usually the person running it.
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