Guide · 12 February 2026
What white glove delivery actually means in Australia
White glove delivery means the piece is unpacked, placed, assembled and the rubbish removed. Here is what the term covers in Australia and what to check before you book.
White glove delivery means the item arrives unpacked, placed in the room it belongs in, assembled if it needs assembling, and the packaging taken away. The customer does not lift anything and does not dispose of anything.
That is the definition. The problem in Australia is that the term is used loosely, and two quotes using the same words can describe very different jobs.
What is usually included
Two person delivery. Removal of all packaging and crating. Placement in the room of choice, not the front door or the garage. Basic assembly, for example legs onto a table or a sofa back onto a frame. Removal of waste from site.
What is usually not included, unless stated
Anything requiring a tradesperson. Wall fixing, mirror hanging, electrical connection, plumbing. Stair carries beyond an agreed number of flights. Crane or hoist access. Rubbish from anything other than your own delivery.
What to check before booking
Ask whether the team is employed or subcontracted. Ask what the insurance covers while the item is inside the building rather than on the truck, because those are often different. Ask who is responsible if the piece does not fit through the entry, and whether an access check happens before the day.
Where it goes wrong
Almost every damaged delivery we see happens inside the property, not on the road. A sofa survives a thousand kilometres in a truck and gets marked on a stair return. That is why the handling matters more than the freight.
If you are moving fragile or high value goods and the quote does not mention access, it is not a white glove quote.
Related services
Tell us what you need.
Every proposal starts with understanding your business: what you move, how much, how often.