Will my sofa fit? A question that is easy to forget to consider when you are wrapped up in the excitement of buying a new sofa. The disappointment of your brand new arrival not squeezing through the front door is something we definitely want to avoid so we have put together this short but handy guide of things to think about before ordering a sofa.
We would love to be able to tell you the exact measurements you need to take in order to achieve a smooth delivery experience but unfortunately it is not that simple. With our customer’s homes ranging from the 60’s semi to French Chateaus, Georgian town houses to contemporary London loft apartments, it would be virtually impossible for us to put together a definitive guide that managed to cover all shapes and sizes. Instead, we are going to give you some handy hints for alternative access and what to do when it seems like nothing will ever fit!
Narrow Doorways
The most popular problem when it comes to delivering a shiny new sofa. Never fear though, it may well be possible to take the doorframe out or to find another way in! Often the width is not actually the problem, a common mistake is to underestimate the importance of the doorway height.
Sharp Corners Navigate
People often think that as long as the sofa will get through the narrowest doorway then it is plain sailing from there, unfortunately, this is often not the case. Sharp corners are our nemesis but are not impossible to overcome… read on for alternative access points!
Alternative Access Points
Do you have a set of French doors at the back of the house or is there a window that we could take out going directly into the room where the sofa is going to live? It’s certainly worth bringing us in a floor plan of the house for us to help you find alternative access routes.
Access to Flats
Access to flats can add an extra element of difficulty. As older buildings often don’t have a lift, or a lift that is too small to fit a sofa in, delivery can often involve a trip up several flights of stairs. We have also had to arrange delivery via windows when the stairs are going to be too challenging or the sofa won’t physically fit! None of this is a problem to arrange, but is essential for us to know in advance.
Extra info to tell the delivery company
Giving the delivery chaps as much information as possible on what they can expect to come across when they arrive makes the job easier for everyone. Be sure to tell us if they are going to have to carry the furniture very far, up a long driveway for example. Are they going to need to lift it over anything? Even if they only have to pass it over a one-meter high gate, they would prefer to know in advance so as to allocate the right people for the job and also the correct amount of time to get the sofa sitting pretty in your sitting room.
Choosing the right sofa for the job!
Many of our larger sofas come split in half or with the option of bolt on arms such as our Kentwell sofas. So now there is no reason to let an access issue prevent you from your full slobbing potential!
Sofas and Stuff would always recommend you arrange an access check with us if you have concerns about whether your sofa will fit, we cannot take responsibility if it doesn’t fit on the day. Please get in contact with your nearest barn to discuss this further.
We would love to hear from you if you have any extra tips to add to our guide Send us a Tweet or write on our Facebook wall.