Freight delivery, explained honestly
Nobody writes about this part, and it's the number-one source of delivery-day surprises industry-wide. We'd rather you know everything up front: your sauna arrives on a full-size 18-wheeler, curbside, and unloading it is the customer's side of the deal. With a plan made at quote time, it's a non-event. Here's exactly how it works.
The delivery itself
Your order ships by freight carrier from the factory in Ontario. The carrier calls you to book a delivery window, then arrives with — most of the time — a full-size tractor-trailer. The driver delivers to the end of your driveway or curbside: they won't back into driveways, and they aren't responsible for unloading. First question to answer at quote time: can an 18-wheeler reach your curb? Tight rural lanes and gated communities sometimes need a terminal pickup instead — solvable, but decided in advance.
Getting the crate off the truck
Crates run 6 to 14 feet long and 800 to 1,600 lbs depending on the model. The dividing line is 84 inches: crates 84" and under fit the truck's liftgate, and the driver lowers them to the ground — done. Longer crates (the bigger barrels and cabins) can't use a liftgate, so you arrange one of: a forklift or tractor with forks (lift from the crate's end, with extensions) · a trailer pickup at the freight terminal — often the simplest: bring a utility trailer, their forklift loads you · a capable crew to hand-unload components from the truck · or, as a paid last resort, a tilt-deck truck delivery ($1,250). We confirm your plan before you order — it's a required field on our quote form for exactly this reason.
The two fees worth knowing about in advance
Respond promptly when the carrier calls to schedule: once your crate reaches the local terminal, delays can accrue storage fees of $35/day. And if you need to change the delivery address, do it before the order leaves the factory (free) — mid-route changes cost $350. Both are entirely avoidable with communication, which is most of what we're for.
If the crate arrives damaged
Rare, but the protocol matters and takes thirty seconds: accept the delivery anyway, photograph everything, and write “crate arrived damaged — possible hidden damage” on the driver's Bill of Lading before signing. Then contact us. That one notation is what makes the manufacturer's free replacement process effortless — damaged components are replaced at no charge and prioritized ahead of regular production. (Because everything is built to order there are no returns; damage replacement is the remedy, and it's a good one.)
After the crate is down
Everything from the crate moves by hand — staves, wall sections, bench stock, hardware boxes. Two people can carry every individual component. Stage it near the prepared base (see the site prep guide), keep the hardware box somewhere dry, and assembly typically takes a weekend with the included instructions and videos. The manufacturer's official drop-ship information sheet is here as a PDF — we send it with every quote, because informed delivery days are boring ones, and boring is the goal.