Delivery & Warranty
Questions to Ask Before You Buy: Furniture Delivery in the Kathmandu Valley
Most furniture disappointments in the Kathmandu Valley have nothing to do with the furniture itself — they happen at the doorway. A wardrobe that measures fine on paper gets stuck at a stairwell landing in an Imadol apartment; a dining table arrives on the promised day but sits in a delivery van for two extra hours in Ring Road traffic near Koteshwor while the buyer waits; a damaged corner is discovered only after the crew has left and nobody is sure who is responsible for it.
None of this is inevitable. Almost every delivery problem we see traces back to a question that wasn't asked before the order was placed — about access, about assembly, about who fixes what if something goes wrong in transit. This guide lays out exactly what to ask, in the order it usually comes up, whether you're buying for a home in Jawalakhel or shipping a full house of furniture to Pokhara.
Stair access and building layout
How many floors, and is there a lift?
Many mid-rise apartment buildings across Imadol, Bhaisepati and Ekantakuna don't have a functioning lift, or have one too narrow for large furniture. Confirm this upfront rather than assuming — a showroom that knows your building has no lift can plan a knock-down delivery from the start instead of discovering the problem with the item already in the stairwell.
What are your stairwell and landing dimensions?
Spiral or dog-leg staircases with tight landing turns are common in older Valley homes and can block even a moderately sized wardrobe or sofa if it's pre-assembled. If your stairwell has a turn narrower than about 3 feet, mention it — this alone often decides whether a piece is built in one frame or shipped as panels for on-site assembly.
Knock-down assembly versus pre-built delivery
Knock-down (KD) furniture is built in sections and bolted or cam-locked together on-site, which is the standard approach for large wardrobes, modular kitchens and sectional sofas anywhere access is limited. Pre-built delivery works fine for smaller items — a study table, a single bed frame, dining chairs — that comfortably clear a normal doorway. Ask which approach applies to your order and, if it's knock-down, ask how long on-site assembly will take, since a full wardrobe or modular kitchen installation can take several hours to a full day depending on complexity.
Doorway, lift and room measurements to check yourself
Before ordering, measure your entrance door width and height, the internal lift dimensions if you have one, and the final room's door as well — not just the width of the room itself. A sofa can fit a living room easily but still fail to pass through a narrower bedroom-side entrance if it needs to go through that door first. For beds, wardrobes and dining tables, also check ceiling height near any staircase landing with a low beam, which is a common obstruction in older constructions around Satdobato and Balkumari.
Delivery windows and Valley traffic
Kathmandu Valley traffic, especially around Koteshwor, Gwarko and the Ring Road corridors during morning and evening peak hours, makes precise delivery-time promises unreliable. Ask for a delivery window rather than an exact hour, and ask whether the showroom will call ahead before dispatch. If your building has restricted vehicle access hours (common in some housing societies), flag this in advance so the delivery isn't attempted during a blocked slot.
Installation, wall fixing and finishing touches
Confirm whether installation is included for items that need wall fixing — wardrobes anchored to a wall for stability, wall-mounted TV units, or overhead kitchen cabinets. Ask what wall type your home has (brick, concrete, or a lighter partition wall) since fixing methods differ, and a partition wall may need additional support hardware that should be discussed before delivery day, not improvised on the spot.
Damage liability during transit and installation
Ask directly: who is responsible if a piece is scratched, chipped or damaged during transport or while being carried up a stairwell? A reliable seller will have a clear answer before you order, not after something goes wrong. It's worth doing a joint inspection with the delivery crew before they leave — check visible surfaces, drawer runners, and hinges together, and note anything unusual on the delivery slip immediately rather than discovering it a week later.
Sending furniture outside the Valley: Pokhara, Chitwan, Butwal, Biratnagar, Dharan
Intercity cargo adds its own set of questions. Ask whether the piece will be shipped knocked-down (almost always the case for long-distance cargo, since it reduces damage risk and cargo cost) and who handles reassembly at the destination — some cargo services deliver only to a local depot, leaving assembly to the buyer or a local carpenter, while others coordinate door-to-door delivery with setup. Also ask about realistic transit time: cargo to Pokhara or Chitwan is usually a matter of days, while Biratnagar or Dharan routes can take longer depending on the cargo operator's schedule and road conditions during monsoon.
Warranty paperwork you should walk away with
Before the delivery crew leaves, make sure you have: a delivery/invoice slip listing exactly what was delivered, any warranty card or written warranty terms specific to the item (frame warranty periods often differ from upholstery or mechanism warranty periods), and contact details for after-sales service. Keep a photo of the assembled piece from delivery day — it's useful evidence if a warranty claim comes up later and there's ever a question about the item's original condition.
| Check | Why it matters | Ask before ordering? |
|---|---|---|
| Lift availability and size | Decides pre-built vs knock-down delivery | Yes |
| Stairwell landing width | Tight turns can block large items | Yes |
| Entrance and room door width | Item may fit room but not the door to it | Yes, measure yourself |
| Wall type for fixing | Brick, concrete and partition walls need different hardware | Yes |
| Delivery window vs exact time | Valley traffic makes exact timing unreliable | Confirm a window |
| Damage liability policy | Clarifies responsibility if transit damage occurs | Yes |
| Intercity cargo assembly | Some cargo services stop at depot, others deliver door-to-door | Yes, if outside Valley |
| Warranty card and invoice | Needed for any future claim | Collect at delivery |
Talk to the workshop
Not sure how your building's access will work for a large order? Call us or send a few photos of your stairwell and doorway on Viber, and we'll tell you honestly whether it needs knock-down delivery — or book a free measurement visit anywhere in the Kathmandu Valley and we'll check it in person.
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