DELIVERY
INFORMATION
HEY, LOOK AT THAT
You’ll notice that all of Hallmark’s buildings include 4×6″ pressure treated runners attached to the bottom of the structure. They serve a number of purposes, including separating the flooring from the ground, keeping the building in place during transit and are a necessary part of our delivery process.
MEET THE MULE
This machine, or “Mule”, is an essential part of delivery. Our drivers’ trailers are outfitted with a special section to carry this handy piece of equipment. After arriving, the truck and trailer can be parked and the Mule is used to unload your portable building, maneuver it across your property and level it at its new home. Often described as a forklift crossed with a riding mower, the Mule makes it much easier for drivers to move, turn and place your building while being more gentle on your property and yard.
THE PROCESS
Remember those 4×6″ runners? They make the delivery process possible. As shown here, the arms of the Mule slide under the building, using the runners to hold the building in place. Then, a set of wheels, with metal slots attached to the top, are slid onto the runners on the opposite side of the Mule. Those slots are made to fit, and slide onto, the runners. Now, your building can be “driven” over your property to the intended spot.
IT TAKES A LITTLE ROOM
In order to keep your building, property and our drivers safe, we require at least a foot of clearance on both sides of your building for delivery. This means a 10′ wide building needs a 12′ wide path. Gates, fence openings and space between trees and structures need to be at least 2′ wider than your building. Please ensure that the ground conditions can support the weight of your building and our Mule. Our rule for soggy weather is, “If a riding mower can go across the area, our Mule can too.” We ask that the area be clean and clear of debris, allowing for the driver to get under the building during the leveling process.
WE’LL LEVEL WITH YOU
Included with delivery, our drivers level your buildings for you. This keeps the doors and windows working properly and prevents the building from leaking. They carry wood shims and blocks for fine tuning, but we ask that you provide the recommended blocks, or similar leveling materials, near the spot you’ve picked for your building’s new home. Drivers set them in place, as needed, during installation, so there’s no need to worry over placing them correctly yourself.
Our drivers level the building, not the ground. Please have any desired ground preparation completed prior to delivery. Also, please keep any type of ground preparation limited to 4″ or less above, or below, ground level.
RECOMMENDED LEVELING BLOCKS
*If your building size is not listed, please round UP to the closest size.*
“Feet out of Level” refers to how flat your ground is. 1′ or less out of level means your area looks fairly flat to the eye. 1-2′ out of level means there is a visible slope. 2-3′ out of level generally refers to a hillside.
The above chart and block recommendations are for customers having their buildings installed on their yards, which can be more lumpy than we realize. If you have a level gravel or concrete area prepared, no block should be necessary. If you prefer an extra barrier between the concrete or gravel and your building, you could opt to have 2″ thick paver stones on-site for the driver to place.
If the building’s site is less than 6″ out of level, concrete blocks are not required. The delivery driver will use treated wood blocks, which are free of charge.
If the building’s site is MORE than 6″ out of level, we require concrete blocks on site.
Our drivers set the blocks so that the buildings are supported every 8’, on each of the foundation runners.
LOOKING FOR A DATE?
Inventory sales (new and used buildings available on our sales lots) normally deliver in 7–10 business days.
Custom orders are sent to one of our builders and can take 4–6 weeks to be completed. Most of our builders are Amish and contact us weekly with their list of completed orders. Once your order is reported “complete”, we can pair your address with a driver’s route and then confirm the delivery date with you. Custom ordered buildings typically remain at the Amish build-shop, where photographs are not available, until delivery day.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING
Delivery is scheduled for weekdays, holidays excluded. After your address is paired with a driver’s route, a member of the delivery team contacts you to confirm the date.
Drivers set the time of day, independently, based on their route. Time slots cannot be scheduled. They reach out either the night before, or morning of, delivery to provide a 2-hour window they expect to arrive in.
Once your driver arrives, delivery and setup normally take around 45 minutes.
Delivery can be accepted by yourself, a family member or a friend. We draw the line with your dog, as they have trouble signing the delivery checklist.
THINGS TO NOTE
You MUST respond to your driver. We enter your property at your request and the driver must hear from you before delivery can happen.
Permits and zoning are solely the customer’s responsibility.
If there are underground lines or septic systems, please inform your driver.
If the driver cannot complete the delivery due to lack of a clear or wide enough path, cannot level the building due to not enough materials provided or you fail to respond to your driver, there is a fee for additional delivery attempts.
For additional questions, you can call us at 765-232-2456, weekdays 9am-5pm, Eastern Time.