Appliance Delivery Inspection Checklist: Document Damage Before You Sign
Before signing, photograph the packaging, verify the exact model, inspect all visible surfaces and connections, confirm included parts, and record any damage or installation exception on the delivery receipt. Do not let a rushed driver turn an undocumented defect into your problem.
What to know
- The model and condition must match the order before old equipment is removed or the new appliance is permanently installed.
- Photos and written exceptions on the delivery record are stronger evidence than a later verbal report.
- A successful power-on is not the same as a complete operational test, especially for refrigerators, dishwashers, washers, and dryers.
Appliance delivery is a handoff point. Before the driver leaves, the item changes from something the seller controls to something sitting in your home, often with packaging removed and the old appliance already gone. A five-minute inspection can preserve evidence that is difficult to recreate later.
Before delivery day
Save the order confirmation, product page, model number, color, dimensions, delivery terms, installation scope, haul-away terms, return policy, and warranty. Screenshot terms that may change.
Measure the path from the entrance to the installation location, including doors, stairs, corners, elevators, trim, and overhead clearance. Protect floors and move fragile items. Confirm who is responsible for disconnecting utilities and whether permits or licensed trade work are required.
Do not disconnect a gas appliance or hardwired equipment unless qualified and authorized.
Photograph the arrival
Before the package enters the home, photograph the carton, pallet, impact indicators, tears, punctures, water marks, crushed corners, and model label. Include one wide image showing the overall condition and close images of damage.
If the carrier refuses reasonable documentation, note that fact. Do not block a public area or create a confrontation; preserve the information you can safely obtain.
Verify the exact appliance
Compare the model number on the rating label or carton with the order. Confirm finish, door swing, capacity, voltage, fuel type, venting configuration, and included accessories.
A similar-looking model can have different electrical requirements, dimensions, features, or installation parts. Do not accept a substitute merely because it fits the opening.
Check the model against the CPSC recall database when the appliance is refurbished, old stock, or transferred from another owner. [1]
Inspect every visible surface
After unpacking and before permanent installation, inspect:
- Front, sides, top, back, corners, doors, handles, hinges, glass, and controls.
- Interior shelves, racks, drums, tubs, drawers, gaskets, and liners.
- Cord, plug, terminal cover, hoses, fittings, drain parts, and vent collar.
- Leveling feet, mounting hardware, anti-tip bracket, manuals, filters, and accessories.
Use a flashlight. Look for dents hidden by packaging, cracked plastic, bent frames, chipped enamel, broken glass, crushed tubing, damaged cords, missing screws, and water inside electrical areas.
Do not remove service panels or energize visibly damaged equipment.
Record damage before signing
Write each defect on the delivery receipt or electronic exception screen. Avoid vague notes such as “box damaged.” Identify the exact location and condition: “left rear cabinet corner crushed,” “door glass cracked,” or “drain hose missing.”
Ask for a copy or photograph of the completed record before the driver leaves. Record the delivery company, date, time, truck or job number, and names when available.
Do not sign a statement that the appliance arrived in perfect condition if it did not. If the device allows only a signature, ask how to add an exception and contact the seller immediately while the crew is present.
Decide whether to refuse delivery
Refusal may be appropriate for the wrong model, major structural damage, broken glass, damaged electrical components, crushed refrigeration tubing, evidence of water exposure, or a condition the seller cannot document and remedy clearly.
For a minor cosmetic defect, obtain the proposed remedy in writing before accepting: replacement, price adjustment, part order, or service visit. Verbal promises are difficult to enforce.
Watch the installation
Confirm that the installer follows the manufacturer instructions and the purchased scope. Check that shipping bolts are removed where required, anti-tip protection is installed, hoses and cords are not pinched, vents are connected correctly, and the appliance is level and stable.
Do not allow installers to reuse a prohibited old connector or improvise an adapter contrary to the manual. Gas, hardwired, and plumbing work may require qualified trades.
Photograph connections before the appliance is pushed fully into place when that can be done safely and without interfering.
Run a limited startup check
Confirm that the controls power on without errors, lights work, doors close, the drum or turntable moves normally, and no immediate leak, spark, smoke, burning odor, or severe vibration appears.
A refrigerator needs time to cool. A dishwasher or washer requires a controlled cycle to evaluate fill, drain, and leaks. A dryer needs the correct vent and supply. Record what was and was not tested.
Preserve warranty and return evidence
The Federal Trade Commission explains that written warranties and service contracts have specific terms, exclusions, and responsible parties. [2] Save the warranty, serial number, receipt, delivery record, registration confirmation, and every damage photo in one folder.
Report concealed damage within the seller’s stated deadline, but do not assume that a short retailer return window eliminates all warranty or legal rights. Keep communication in writing.
Final handoff record
Before the crew leaves, verify that packaging is removed only if agreed, the old appliance is handled as contracted, the room and access path are documented, and you have copies of all signed records.
A delivery inspection is not distrust. It is a controlled transfer of condition, responsibility, and evidence.
Limits and cautions
- Inspection rights, refusal procedures, return windows, installation responsibility, and warranty remedies depend on the seller, carrier, contract, state law, and product.
Source notes
- RecallsU.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
- WarrantiesFederal Trade Commission
See something wrong or out of date? Report a correction.