A new sofa is at the door, the furniture transporter stops at the side of the road, and the living room is already waiting on the third floor. Then the driver opens the loading flap. The street in the residential area is narrow, there is no parking space directly in front of the house, and the old building does not have an elevator. The crucial question now arises:What is actually part of the service when furniture is delivered to the curb, and who bears the risk afterwards?
This handover point is quickly underestimated, especially in Switzerland. Every year around400,000 to 500,000 movestake place here, approximately1,300 per day. The average moving distance in 2024 was 13.4 kilometers. This shows how strongly the demand is characterized by short, regional transport and a well-organized last mile.Die Schweizer Güterverkehrsstatistikprovides the traffic background.
When the truck is on the side of the road holds
The driver sets down the lift and brings the sofa to the nearest place where the truck can stand safely. This can be right on the edge of the sidewalk, at a nearby parking lot or at another accessible unloading point.The front door is not automatically the destination.
A separate logistical phase then begins for the recipient. The furniture must go from the side of the street into the entrance to the house, through the stairwell and to the designated room. With a light shelf, this can be organized with a rolling board and another person. A heavy sofa, a glass table or a massive cupboard, on the other hand, requires a realistic examination of weight, width and load-carrying capacity.
The unloading point is decisive
In Swiss neighborhoods, parked vehicles often get in the way. A truck may be able to drive to the address, but cannot stop right in front of the entrance. A sloping surface, soft pavement, a construction site or a narrow driveway also change the practically accessible handover point.
Practical rule:It is not the house number that is important, but rather the next place where the vehicle used can be safely and legally unloaded.
Delivery to the curb is therefore not a shortened doorstep delivery. It is an independent achievement with a clear boundary. The driver unloads, drops off the shipment and documents the handover. Carrying people into the building is only included if it has been expressly booked and confirmed.
Why the last mile is so important
Swiss traffic causes a total of43 percent of CO₂ emissions. At the same time, freight transport has been at a high level for around 20 years, while the annual transport volume between 1990 and 2021 rose from15,537 million ton kilometers 29,472 million ton kilometers.Die Schweizer Statistik zu Strassen-, Schienen- und Güterverkehrmakes clear why consolidated tours and short unloading processes are logistically and ecologically relevant.
For the individual customer, the consequence remains very concrete: Anyone who does not prepare for onward transport will find themselves standing on the side of the road with a large piece of furniture. If you clarify the handover point, helpers and weather protection in advance, you can use this form of delivery in a controlled manner.
What curbside means for furniture delivery
CurbsideIn Swiss practice, it means that the delivery ends at the nearest point that can be safely reached by truck. This is often the side of the road or sidewalk, but does not have to be directly in front of the entrance door.Pfister beschreibt die Lieferung als separaten Logistikbaustein mit definiertem Lieferumfang.
The process can be divided into four steps:
- Directions:The transporter drives to the specified delivery address, as long as access, vehicle size and traffic conditions allow.
- Unloading:The driver unloads the furniture using the available vehicle technology and places it at the accessible handover point.
- Inspection:The recipient checks the packaging, number of pieces and visible damage before acknowledging the handover.
- Further transport:The way into the building, into the elevator, over the stairs or to the desired room is organized by the customer, unless an additional service has been agreed was.
The demarcation to the place of use
Withfree place of usethe delivery team brings the goods to the agreed location in the building. This can be the living room, an office or another accessible room. However, the service also requires that the route has been realistically assessed beforehand.
AFull-service delivery with assemblycontinues. It can include carrying, unpacking, setting up, assembling and, depending on the agreement, removing the packaging material. These points should be mentioned individually in the order. The expression “home delivery” is not sufficient because in everyday life it can mean both curbside delivery and room delivery.
What Swiss retailers specifically formulate
At Micasa, large parts are unloaded at the specified delivery address at the nearest point that can be reached by truck. The transport from there to the final destination remains with the customer, the curbside delivery costsCHF 79.–.Die Lieferbedingungen von Micasashow the typical operational demarcation.
Tradingzone also defines the curbside as the point on the street that is closest to the entrance door and can be reached by truck. Once payment has been received, delivery usually takes place within7 days. Curbside delivery is free for orders worth more thanCHF 6,000Curbside delivery.Tradingzone erläutert die Bedingungen für Lieferort und Versand.
However, the price says nothing about who carries the sofa up the stairs. It is precisely this service that must be agreed upon separately.
Curbside and full service in comparison
The right delivery method does not depend solely on the price. A small, handy piece of furniture has different requirements than a heavy sofa, a fragile glass table or a complete kitchen. The structural route also decides whether the standard service is sufficient.
| Criteria | Curbside | Free place of use | Full service with body |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unloading point | Nearest truck-reachable point | Agreed space or Target area | Agreed room or target area |
| Onward transport | Customer organizes stretchers and aids | Delivery team takes the route in the building | Delivery team carries, sets up and assembles according to order |
| Assembly | Not included | Not automatic included | Part of the booked service |
| Packaging | Frequently with the customer | Clarify in advance | Return or disposal by agreement |
| Accessibility | Especially truck access and unloading area | Additionally doors, stairs and Lift | Additional assembly area and work area |
| Liability issues | Document handover and visible damage immediately | Confirm performance limit in the building | Record the extent, damage and assembly in writing |
| Suitable for | Light or easy-to-handle furniture and existing ones Helpers | Heavy furniture without assembly requirements | Sofas, delicate furniture, kitchens and complex structures |
Swiss retailers report the delivery costs as their own logistics service. At Pfister, for example, such delivery prices are CHF 69 to CHF 79 per delivery, depending on the service booked.Die Liefer- und Montageangebote von Pfistermake it clear that scheduling, last mile and vehicle accessibility shape the effort.
Decision support:The fewer suitable helpers there are and the more difficult access is, the more important a delivery to the place of use becomes.
Specialized freight forwarders such as Planzer or Galliker can offer different handling levels depending on the order. However, without a specific order, no reliable flat-rate prices can be quoted. The same applies to IKEA and Conforama. Always check whether the stated amount only includes unloading or also floor, carrying, assembly and packaging return.
For direct delivery to the apartment with optional assembly, customers will find atTIXPI Möbeltransport mit Lieferung und Montagean opportunity to specify the scope of services in advance. This is particularly useful when the curb is cheap but practically insufficient.
Risks and liability at the curb
Damage to the curb often occurs not during the actual road transport, but at the moment of handover or during subsequent self-handling. A cardboard box can get dirty on wet asphalt, an edge can drag along the sidewalk when being moved, or a piece of furniture can hit the wall and floor when you are carrying it yourself in the stairwell.
The legal assessment depends on the specific contract, the agreed transport conditions and the time of the damage. A general statement that liability is always automatically transferred to the recipient would therefore be too inaccurate.The handover location must be documented together with the condition of the goods.
Three typical situations
A warehouse hands over a packed chest of drawers at the agreed point that can be reached by truck. During the visual inspection, the recipient notices dented packaging and notes this on the delivery document. Here, the visible damage must be immediately attributed to the transport process and should be secured with photos and a written complaint.
When ordering online, a delicate glass table is correctly placed at the handover point, but is then carried into the house by the customer without suitable aids. Damage that only occurs as a result of this personal handling does not automatically fall under the same area of responsibility as transport damage. The exact contract and documentation decide.
The situation is similar for a private move. The carrier must be responsible for the transport service ordered, but the recipient should not implicitly assume that a driver outside of the order will help with the transport. Voluntary assistance can make responsibility and insurance coverage unclear.
| Handover point | Responsible | Base of liability |
|---|---|---|
| Goods in the vehicle during the agreed transport | Transporter within the scope of the order | Contract, transport conditions and applicable legal regulations Rules |
| Unloading at the agreed, accessible point | Transporter for proper unloading and documented condition | Order, unloading agreement and condition report |
| Goods after confirmed handover | Recipient for securing, weather protection and onward transport | Agreed scope of services and actual Self-handling |
| Carrying in the house or apartment without booked additional services | Basically the recipient, provided he organizes the route himself | Self-organization, proof of the time of damage |
| Assembly or carrying by booked staff | Executive service provider to the agreed extent | Additional order, service description and Damage documentation |
Insurance is not a substitute for a clean handover. BecomeTIXPI-Überblick zu Transportversicherung und Kostencan check which protection suits the specific order. Damage reports should be made without delay, with photos, delivery note, reservation and a clear description of the process.
What the carrier still has to take into account
Even with curbside, the carrier is not allowed to act arbitrarily. Insufficiently secured or obviously unsuitable packaging, incorrect unloading or a lack of information about particular risks can give rise to personal responsibility. Whether SIA rules or general transport conditions also apply is determined by the specific contract, not by the word curb alone.
This is how delivery takes place directly to the door of the apartment
A door-to-door delivery does not just begin on the day of delivery. The transporter needs information beforehand that goes beyond the delivery address. This includes access, stopping options, floor, lift dimensions, stairwell width, door openings and the desired installation location.
A temporary no-parking zone or a permit may be required in Zurich, Geneva and other Swiss cities. If you cannot park the truck directly at the building, you should clarify an alternative unloading area and the permissible route to the entrance at an early stage. The transporter must not assume that a short stop in front of the house is easily possible.
The information that influences the price
Don't just measure the piece of furniture. The decisive factor is the combination of packing size and path:
- Access:Check garage door, street width, height restrictions and weight limits.
- Lift:Note down interior dimensions, door width and permissible load.
- Staircase:Measure narrow places, platforms and curves, not just the straight ones Stair width.
- Entrance:Consider door frames, thresholds and turning space.
- Installation location:Remove obstacles and protect sensitive floors.
Every bottleneck counts on site:A piece of furniture can fit through the apartment door and still not be turned on a narrow landing can.
Three service variants
TheFloor deliverybrings the furniture to the agreed floor. It is suitable if the room is prepared yourself and no assembly is necessary. ThePlace of use deliveryonly ends at the desired location, provided the path is accessible and safe.
TheFull-service delivery with assemblyalso takes care of assembly and, depending on the order, packaging disposal. Additional costs for floors, bulky goods, additional staff or special aids cannot be reliably generalized. They depend on weight, access, distance within the building and the staff required.
A furniture lift can be useful for special situations. Information on planning andMöbellift-Mieten und Preishelps to replace a difficult stairwell route with a suitable outdoor solution. This must be coordinated in advance with the access, the height and the local permits.
What options TIXPI offers for furniture delivery
TIXPI arranges the furniture delivery not only according to the unloading location, but also according to the scope of services actually required. The stagesStandard, Plus and Premiumcan represent different transfer points, personnel and insurance benefits. Which variant is available for an order depends on the furniture, address and transport conditions.
Standard, Plus and Premium
Standardis suitable for a clearly accessible handover in which the customer takes responsibility for the further journey themselves.Pluscan provide additional support for the transport route and the practical handover.Premiumis aimed at orders that require delivery to the home, more staff, special coordination or assembly.
The exact service should be checked in writing before booking. What is important is not the names of the stages, but the answers to four questions:
- Where does the delivery end?
- How many people are planned?
- Which activities are insured?
- What happens in the event of damage?
Address check instead of a surprise
With aAddress checkYou can Digitally record access, elevator and floor in advance. This allows the dispatcher and team to better assess whether a standard vehicle is sufficient, whether additional aids are necessary or whether the transfer point needs to be adjusted.
This is particularly important in Swiss residential areas. An address can look problem-free on the map, while on site a one-way street, a driving ban, a narrow courtyard or a lack of parking space changes the planning.
Documented handover
TIXPI can also create organizational transparency for a pure curbside delivery. This includes real-time shipment tracking, photo documentation of the handover and a direct damage channel. These elements do not replace a contractual check, but they make it easier to reconstruct the condition and the time of handover.
TIXPI organizes transport and furniture deliveries in Switzerland with a digital price overview and, depending on the order, can also coordinate direct delivery to the apartment, assembly or other services. It remains crucial that the customer selects the desired handover point before booking and provides the complete access data.
Checklist for a safe curbside furniture delivery
A curbside delivery works reliably if the recipient treats the transition from the transport vehicle to the building as a separate work step. The following points help to keep responsibilities and evidence clean.
Before arrival
- Confirm handover point:Have confirmed in writing whether the goods will be unloaded directly on the side of the road, on the side of the sidewalk or at another point accessible to trucks.
- Check access:Check access, parking, one-way regulations, construction sites and possible No parking.
- Plan for weather:Have suitable cover and a dry, protected reception area ready.
- Know the packing mass:Check the box dimensions, weight and number of packages using the order documents.
- Organize helpers:Plan people and aids for the route from Vehicle to the final destination.
When handing over
Do not just accept the goods based on the delivery note. Photograph packaging and visible abnormalities before the shipment is moved. Check the number of pieces, the box labeling and any visible damage.
If the packaging is damaged, a general note such as “subject to reservation” is often not enough. Describe the location as precisely as possible, take photos and have the reservation recorded on the waybill or digital handover protocol.
Document first, then move.As soon as a piece of furniture is in the house, the original condition is much more difficult to prove.
After unloading
Secure the shipment against rain, traffic and accidental movement. Inform neighbors about a storage area that is only being used temporarily and keep the path into the building clear. Packaging, pallets and protective material should also be planned for because their return is not automatically part of a curbside delivery.
If damage only becomes visible when unpacking, keep the packaging and delivery note. Report the case immediately via the agreed channel and describe when and under what conditions the damage was discovered.
The right choice for your next furniture transport
The right delivery option depends on four practical questions:How heavy is the furniture, how difficult is access, how much time is available and who is responsible for the further transport?A light shelf at an easily accessible address can be delivered curbside in a sensible and uncomplicated manner. The customer then only needs a free reception area and a realistic possibility of moving the furniture themselves.
The calculation looks different for a heavy sofa, a delicate glass plate or a residence on the top floor without a lift. The cheaper unloading point can cause additional organizational effort, helpers and an increased risk of damage. Delivery to the place of use with carrying and, if necessary, assembly may then be the more suitable choice, even if it costs more.
Time is a logistical factor
If you cannot be at home during the day, you need a reliably announced time slot. In the case of curbside delivery, someone should be present during the handover to check the condition of the goods and coordinate further transport. An unattended piece of furniture on the side of the road is not a viable plan.
Liability is also part of the comparison. Depending on the service, the relevant handover point shifts. When it comes to curbside, the focus is on documentation at the unloading location. For an internal delivery, it must also be noted which rooms, stairs, floors and assembly work are included in the order.
The decision in practice
Choose curbside if the access and unloading area are clear, the furniture remains manageable and suitable helpers are available. Choose where you want it to be used if you want the furniture to be safely transported to the desired room. Choose full service with assembly if this includes assembly, packaging disposal or a demanding interior route.
TIXPI can bundle transport, direct furniture delivery, assembly and team coordination via one platform depending on the order. Before booking, check the delivery point, access details, insurance cover and claims process. This is how furniture, delivery performance and expectations come together before the truck stops on the side of the road.
TIXPI coordinates furniture transport in Switzerland with selectable delivery levels, digital address check, appointment coordination and optional delivery to the home or assembly. Check your order now onTIXPIand choose the service that suits your furniture, access and desired handover point.