How are sheds delivered? Kerbside, tail-lift or two-person

A plain white lorry on a road through green countryside.

Short answer: Wooden sheds, bulk bags and most furniture sets are too big for a parcel, so they come kerbside, by tail-lift pallet, by crane or with a two-person crew. Kerbside leaves it at the roadside and moving it on is up to you, while a two-person crew carries it to an agreed spot. Before you order, check that a large lorry can reach you and that there's a clear route to the garden.

By the Yard & Field team

Updated

How a shed or bulk bag arrives decides where it's left, so check the service before you order.

How large items are delivered

Delivery What it means
Kerbside Left at the roadside or the edge of your property, as close as the vehicle can safely get. Moving it further is up to you. A bulk bag of gravel weighs around 800kg and can't be moved by hand once it's down, so choose the drop point with care or plan to barrow it.
Tail-lift pallet A lorry lowers the pallet to the ground and a pallet truck moves it on a hard, flat surface. It usually can't cross gravel, grass or slopes.
Crane (HIAB) A lorry-mounted crane lifts bulk bags or heavy items over a wall or onto a drive, within reach of the lorry. Only some suppliers offer it, usually for larger orders and at extra cost.
Two-person A crew carries it from the lorry to an agreed spot. How far they'll carry it depends on the service, so check before you order.

Before you order, check

  • Whether a large lorry can reach you. A narrow road, low trees or cables, a low bridge or a kerb it can't get over can all stop it.
  • Whether it can park close by, and whether the ground at the drop point is hard and flat.
  • The route from the kerb to the garden, including side gates and steps, against the size and weight of the largest pack.
  • In a terrace with no side access, whether the pieces will go through the house.

On the day

  • Be in, or have someone there for you. Some sellers charge to redeliver if nobody's home.
  • Count the packs against the delivery note before the driver leaves.
  • Note any damage on the paperwork, and photograph it.
  • Check the parts before you start building, and tell us straight away if anything is missing.
  • Don't book someone to build it on the day it arrives.
  • Until you build it, store the parts somewhere dry and off the ground.

See also: will it fit? and shed bases.

Please note: this guide is general advice to help you choose, not professional or legal advice. Every garden and every product is different, so always follow the maker's instructions and check with your council or a qualified tradesperson if you're unsure.

Sources for this guide

The pages we checked this guide's facts against, so you can read them for yourself. A link here isn't a recommendation.