Shipping Information

POTENTIAL LTL FREIGHT DELAYS: Due to nationwide freight shortages and pandemic-related issues, we are experiencing potential delays of up to two-weeks over our originally estimated timeframes for LTL freight shipments. Please contact our customer service department at 888-715-3007 with questions or concerns. We appreciate your patience during this time.

General Information

Here are a few common questions and answers we get relating to shipping:

How do I determine the appropriate delivery location?
We have defined each of the delivery locations with detail in the text following these questions.

How can I avoid having to pay the additional delivery fees (residential, metro area, limited access, lift gate etc)?
We encourage customers to select "Terminal Pickup" delivery location, when other options are not possible, to avoid additional fees or occasional delivery complications that can occur.  If you don't have access to a vehicle long enough, you can typically rent a truck large enough, and relatively affordably, to pick up the material.  We do what we can to locate a terminal within 30 miles of a specified zipcode, but it's not always possible.  Contact customer service with your zipcode and material request and we will help determine the terminal nearest you.  Read more about terminal delivery/pick-up option.

What should I expect when receiving material?
It is imperative to inspect the material before accepting it. Once you have signed for the material and taken possession, you are fully accountable for it.  Liftgates should be denied when unloading the shipment from the freight truck, as it is not included in shipping and delivery. If you request use of lift gate on site, you will be responsible for the additional charge which usually ranges between $165-$200.  Please review our accepting or picking up freight material page for more detail. 

How do I know if material will be shipped by LTL freight truck or parcel ground (UPS/FedEx/USPS)?
Full sheets weigh about 140lbs each and are shipped on pallets that are approximately 3’ wide x 12.5’ long x 1’ tall.  Most partial sheet material that is 72" long, or less, and weighs 70 pounds, or less, are shipped via UPS standard/ground.  Multiple sheets may be shipped by either method, typically determined by the least costly method.

Can I change the delivery address after it my order has been shipped?
In most cases, we can have the carrier reroute a shipment for a re-consignment fee, anywhere from $45-$400, depending on the shipment.  Please contact customer service as soon as possible to assist.

Can I delay the delivery, or specify a delivery date, of a shipment?  
If you are ready to place your order, but would like to delay the arrival of the shipment or specify a delivery date, please contact customer service.

Can I pick-up at will call instead of shipping? 
Not generally, as SolidSurface.com has many different warehouses around the country, but not all items sold on our website are carried at each warehouse.  Feel free to contact customer service  if you have a special request.

How do you calculate shipping?
In most cases, SolidSurface.com uses fixed shipping and handling rates, based on our historical shipping data, that are intended to reduce overall shipping costs and confusion to our customers.

 

Delivery Location Definitions

Freight Terminal Delivery (No Additional Cost)

Delivery is to the terminal nearest to the buyer’s zip code.  You will need the resources to pick up the material and get it to its destination. They use forklifts at the freight terminal to load the items onto your truck or trailer. The freight company will contact you once the items have arrived and you will need to pick up the items within 2 days in order to avoid any storage charges that will be your responsibility.  

We strongly encourage this as an alternative to more expensive delivery options, such as residential, metro area, and limited access.   Contact customer service with your zipcode and material request to help determine if freight terminal pick-up is a good option for you.

It is imperative to inspect the material before accepting it. Once you have signed for the material and taken possession, you are fully accountable for it. See more detail about accepting or picking up freight material.

Commercial Delivery (No Additional Cost)

If you select Commercial/Business Delivery, your business must be in a commercially zoned business area (we verify zones for all orders). If you run a business out of your home, this does not qualify as a business location and we will charge you the $135 home delivery fee.

It is imperative to inspect the material before accepting it. Once you have signed for the material and take possession, you are fully accountable for it. See more detail about accepting or picking up freight material. Since the truck driver will not offload the items, it is the responsibility of the buyer to have the equipment and/or people available to off load the items within 20 minutes. Liftgates are not included in any shipping costs or delivery options, including residential. Liftgates cannot be used safely, as most pallets are in excess of 12 feet. If you request or use a liftgate on site, you will be accountable for any fees charged which range from $165-$200.

Limited Entry Situations ($90 Additional Cost)

Limited entry situations are where a large freight truck cannot usually go. In such situations, the freight has to be delivered on a smaller freight truck. Therefore deliveries to the following locations will incur the additional cost:

  • Construction Job Sites
  • Schools
  • Airports
  • Churches
  • Parks
  • Rental Storage Units
  • Prisons
  • Camps
  • Military Bases
  • Marinas
  • Hospitals
  • Farms

It is imperative to inspect the material before accepting it. Once you have signed for the material and take possession, you are fully accountable for it. See more detail about accepting or picking up freight material. Since the truck driver will not offload the items, it is the responsibility of the buyer to have the equipment and/or people available to off load the items within 20 minutes. Liftgates are not included in any shipping costs or delivery options, including residential. Liftgates cannot be used safely, as most pallets are in excess of 12 feet. If you request or use a liftgate on site, you will be accountable for any fees charged which range from $165-$200.

Residential Delivery ($135 Additional Cost)

Large freight trucks are unable to deliver in residential areas so smaller trucks have to make the delivery.  When possible, we do encourage our residential customers to use the freight terminal delivery option to save on freight charges.  We understand that terminal pick-up is not always an option for some customers, so the residential delivery is the next best option.

It is imperative to inspect the material before accepting it. Once you have signed for the material and take possession, you are fully accountable for it. See more detail about accepting or picking up freight material. Since the truck driver will not offload the items, it is the responsibility of the buyer to have the equipment and/or people available to off load the items within 20 minutes. Liftgates are not included in any shipping costs or delivery options, including residential. Liftgates cannot be used safely, as most pallets are in excess of 12 feet. If you request or use a liftgate on site, you will be accountable for any fees charged which range from $165-$200.

Metropolitan Area Delivery Fee ($65 Applied to Shipping Price)

Metro area delivery surcharge applies when LTL carriers must drive in a major metro area. Bad traffic, tolls, one-way or narrow streets, tight receiving docks that can only accommodate straight truck deliveries, and other factors can cause longer pickup or delivery times than expected. When that occurs, or when carriers must service remote locations, carriers charge this accessorial to compensate for the extra time required. SolidSurface.com continuously works with carriers in attempt to minimize the impact these fees have on our customers.

Metro area delivery surcharges are automatically applied to the following zip codes, based on the shipping address zip code supplied:

  • New York: 100**-119**
  • Massachusetts: 021**, 022**, 024**-026**
  • Maryland: 206-212, 220-223
  • Washington DC: 200**-205**
  • Florida Keys: 33001, 33036, 33037, 33040, 33041, 33042, 33043, 33044, 33045, 33050, 33051, 33052 and 33070
  • Virginia: 220**-223**
  • San Francisco: 94102, 94103, 94104, 94107, 94108, 94109, 94111, 94123, 94133