White Glove Delivery And Setup Service For Mattresses: Is It Worth It?
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive as mattress experts centers around the issue of add-on services like mattress delivery and setup service. A lot of consumers often overlook the fact that most bed in a box retailers use the same delivery method, either using FedEx or UPS to deliver a rolled up mattress to your door.
UPS and FedEx does not offer in home setup service, nor do they haul away your old mattress. Even worse, if you live in New York, as an example, and your apartment is in a four story walk up, figuring out exactly how you’re going to get a mattress up eight landings, and then figuring out what you are going to do with your old mattress just adds additional anxiety and stress to your project.
If you have a ground floor situation and you can drag the box containing your compressed mattress to the back bedroom, that’s one thing, but again, if you have to haul it up a flight of steps, you might want to factor that in. Remember that the average bed in a box mattress is fairly heavy, with weight ranges on a queen ranging from around 85 pounds to up to 150 pounds or more for a natural latex mattress for example.
If you have some friends around, that’s a big deal, since they can help get the new mattress to your bedroom, get out of the box, unfurl it, cut the bag away, and carefully install it, without getting the truck and box grime all over your pristine mattress covering.
Your friends might have a real problem trying to find a place to drop off your mattress, since dumping mattress can earn you a $500 fine, and most charitable organizations do not accept used mattresses. The Covid-19 pandemic has also made removing and disposing of used mattresses even more difficult, so bottom line, taking advantage of services such as mattress delivery and setup using what is called “last mile home” delivery contractors is wise choice in many cases.
We looked at about a dozen online mattress retailers and found that added services such as delivery and setup, as well as old mattress removal and disposal services, were actually very reasonably priced. Typical cost for “white glove service” was around $150, and many companies now refer to this service as “touchless” or “contact free “ service.
The $150 fee provides you with peace of mind, too. You’ll likely have the ability to schedule your delivery time when it is convenient for you, giving you enough time to clear an area for your delivery setup, strip your old mattress, and enjoy a leisurely approach to getting your new bed delivered and installed properly.
Most of the professional third party delivery services operate as franchises, with many large cities with large populations having many different kinds of fulfillment services from mattress and furniture delivery, assembly services, computer and tech installation services, and much more.
Some of the companies that we have worked with with our own mattress companies primarily included companies that strictly did mattress setup and old mattress removal, which is a bit of an art form. There is a lot of skill required to deliver, unpack, and properly place a mattress with out scuffing it up and getting the mattress dirty, and mattresses can be damaged when mishandled as well.
I’ve seen mattress get damaged while being hauled up a flight of steps, furniture and collectibles being knocked off tables and shelves, and improper installation of mattresses, when the service is not performed by a pro.
Our best advice is to add the delivery option on while you are checking out, if it is available, thereby putting all of the responsibility on the retailer to fulfill the delivery of your mattress correctly and promptly.
If for some reason you buy a mattress that does not offer an on-site add-on feature for mattress setup and delivery, and you need help, you can easily find a handyman service locally, and typically these guys will cost you about the same. Expect to pay about $100 to have a reliable, insured and bonded technician meet you at your home to setup your bed. We advise not setting up this service until Fedex, UPS, or the freight company has delivered your mattress and placed inside your front door.
Even if you do use a professional service offered by the mattress retailer you’re purchasing the mattress from, ask about the third party resource they use, and check them out, since these services are part of a vast network that retailers use, and not all of them are necessary as reputable as the rest.
For the most part however, the bigger online companies generally keep local delivery companies buys and therefor the standards are usually pretty high.
Also, please remember to tip your delivery and setup team. Providing third party fulfillment services is hard work, and if they are taking extra precautions for the pandemic response, and using masks and other protective gear, it can be stressful, so share a little bit with them.
If you end up hiring a company that provides only the delivery and setup service and they cannot remove your old mattress, don’t be surprised. In many cities, especially large urban centers, it’s difficult and expensive to dispose of a mattress. In New York, for example, because of the bedbug problem, it’s almost impossible to donate a mattress, even to homeless shelters.
Why you can do though, is try to sell your old mattress on Craigslist. This is a surprisingly easy way to have the mattress disposed of, but I’ll be hones with you, even a really great used mattress is hard to sell. You may end up simply offering it as free, rather than pay another removal service or disposal service $100-200 to haul it away.
Many cities are coming on board a nationwide mattress recycling initiative called Nationwide Mattress Recycling, but typically they do build pickups only. Contact your local waste management company (ask your landlord or simply look at your exterior waste bin for the contact information) and they might be able to help you with proper disposal, so your mattress doesn’t end up in a landfill, which is the worst way a mattress’ life can end.
Also, it’s also possible to simply find someone who has a pickup truck or van, pay them a small fee, and let them haul it to a dump to be shredded and reduced, in lieu of a proper recycling facility.
For years we worked with a company called 1-800-Got-Junk, a franchise junk removal service that offers removal and disposal services. We dealt with them for over ten years, and we referred our own mattress customers who needed to dispose of old mattresses and furniture, and while it typically cost about $100-150 for a pickup, you can also include other items you may wish to dispose of as well.
Their website address is https://www.1800gotjunk.com/us_en
