A room-by-room route check, from the building entrance to the exact spot where furniture will sit.
Use this guide to measure the route in order. When you finish, review the 10 easily missed measurements as a final check.
The short answer
Walk the exact route and record usable width, height and turn space at every checkpoint. The smallest opening and the hardest turn deserve a delivery team review.
Draw a simple path from the delivery vehicle or building entrance to the final room. Label every doorway, hallway, staircase, landing, elevator, and turn. A sketch makes it easier to spot a missed pinch point.
Measure clear space, not nominal size
Open each door fully. Measure the narrowest usable width and height, allowing for handles, railings, light fixtures, low beams, and door closers. At stairs, measure the narrowest tread area, ceiling clearance, and space on both landings.
Record each checkpoint in order
Use the actual path the item will take. At each checkpoint, record clear width, height and room for a turn. If the product comes in sections, compare the route with the largest rigid section and the package dimensions.
A route map helps you locate a bottleneck. The order and shapes will differ in your home.
Illustrative apartment route
The building entrance has a 36-inch clear opening. The apartment door is 33 inches. The hall narrows to 30 inches at a right-angle turn. The final room doorway is 31 inches. The 30-inch hall is the narrowest recorded width, but width alone cannot determine whether a sofa can turn there. Add ceiling height, the distance to the opposite wall and the largest delivered piece before asking for a delivery assessment.
Use these columns on your route sketch
Point
Clear width
Clear height
Turn / obstacle
Building entrance
___ in
___ in
Door hardware
Hall and tightest turn
___ in
___ in
Opposite wall ___ in
Stairs or elevator
___ in
___ in
Landing / cabin
Final doorway
___ in
___ in
Door swing
The printable checklist has space for these measurements and the product’s dimensions.
Check turns in two directions
Record the hallway width before and after each turn, plus the distance to the opposite wall. A wide doorway opening into a short, narrow hall is a common problem. Photograph the turns for the delivery team.
Check the final room
Measure usable wall length, room depth, windows, radiators, vents, outlets, and the space needed to open doors and drawers. Mark a walking path with painter’s tape before deciding a sofa size.
Confirm the product and service
Ask for packaged size, piece-by-piece dimensions, assembly rules, delivery restrictions, and the return policy if access fails. Some buildings require elevator reservations or specific delivery hours. Confirm these before setting a date.
Measuring tool
A 25-foot tape measure
For a long room or delivery route, a 25-foot tape can cover more ground than a short fabric tape. This Komelon listing is a two-pack; confirm the current details and price on Amazon. Any accurate tape measure you already own works too.
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