How to plan the pickup of a tub, vanity, countertop or appliance

A large kitchen or bath item leaves BVX Home Supply cash & carry, in a vehicle the buyer arranges. Know the carton's size against your vehicle's cargo space, decide how many people you need, and gather the right gear, before you drive to Paterson.

Will the item fit in your vehicle?

An item fits in your vehicle only when the carton is smaller than the cargo floor and the door or tailgate opening it must pass through. Measure the carton's length, width and height, then measure the cargo floor with the seats folded down, plus the door or tailgate opening it must clear.

A standard alcove tub measures 60 inches long, so compare that length against your own cargo floor and door opening before you load one.

If the carton is longer, wider or taller than your cargo space or the door opening it must pass through, rent or borrow a van or a pickup truck for the trip rather than trying to force a fit. If you live in a building with an elevator, measure its interior and door opening too.

How many people should you bring?

Bring at least two people for anything heavy or awkward to carry alone: a cast-iron tub, a stone countertop, a range or a refrigerator. Keep the item level between the two of you through doorways and up or down a curb or a step.

Plan for a third person on a stone or solid-surface top from the countertops range. Decide who carries which end before you start, not partway through the doorway. Confirm your helpers' plans ahead of the trip.

What should you bring to load and protect it?

Bring moving straps or blankets, cardboard for corners and edges, a hand truck or an appliance dolly for anything too heavy to carry, and work gloves and tape for doors and drawers that could swing open. Pad the edges of a stone or laminate top as well as the cabinet before you load it.

Tape a vanity's doors and drawers shut before you lift it, and check that straps sit under the item's frame, not across a door or a glass front. Bring a printed or saved note of your vehicle's cargo dimensions too.

Item Bring People
Bathtub Straps, moving blankets, a dolly At least two
Stone or solid-surface countertop Cardboard corners, moving blankets At least two, three for a long run
Range or cooktop Appliance dolly, tape for the doors At least two
Refrigerator Appliance dolly, tape for the doors, straps At least two
Vanity or cabinet Tape for doors and drawers, moving blankets One or two
Toilet Moving blanket, gloves One or two
Kitchen cabinet run Moving blankets, tape for doors, a hand truck for tall units One or two per cabinet

How should an appliance ride home?

Secure the appliance in the vehicle so it cannot slide or tip. If the appliance shows a model number, look it up and check the manual for exactly how that appliance should ride and how long it should stand before you plug it in. Tape the doors shut for the ride.

The appliances category page covers how to find the manual and the model number. If the appliance connects to a water line, such as a refrigerator with an ice maker, check that the fitting is still attached before you drive off. A dishwasher or a range should ride with its power cord coiled and taped to the unit, not left loose to snag on the door or the dolly.

Before you drive to Paterson

BVX is at 239 Lindbergh Pl, Paterson, NJ 07503. If you have a question about a specific item before you load it, call 551-283-2121 or use the contact page before you make the trip. Check your route and parking near the warehouse ahead of time as well, especially if you are driving a rented van or a truck for the first time.

When you get home

Clear the route into your home before you unload: the same doorways, turns and stairs you measured before you bought the item. Leave the item in its carton until you are ready to install it, and keep any hardware bag and manual together with the piece. If more than one person helped load the item, use the same care to unload it: keep it level, run it over a threshold on the dolly rather than lifting it across, and set it down on a padded surface rather than bare flooring. See what to measure before you buy if you have not measured the route yet.

Frequently asked questions

What size vehicle do I need for a bathtub?

A bathtub needs a vehicle whose cargo floor and door opening are both larger than the tub's carton, and a common alcove tub is about 60 by 30 inches. Fold the rear seats down, then measure the cargo floor and the door opening against the carton before you decide.

Should I unbox an item before loading it?

No. Keep the item in its carton for the trip home and until you install it. Unbox it only when the install is about to start, not while it is still in the vehicle or on the way inside. Check the carton against your order before you load it.

How long should a refrigerator stand before I plug it in?

Check the unit's manual for how long to let it stand before you plug it in, and note whether the manual says it should stand upright or on its side first. If the unit shows a model number, find the manual on the maker's site by that number.

What if the item does not fit in my car?

Rent or borrow a van or a pickup truck rather than trying to force a carton through a door opening or a trunk it does not fit. Measure the opening again before you try to fit a carton through it by hand.