Marketplace Furniture Pickup: A Buyer and Seller Checklist

1. Check the item and the delivered cost

A second-hand furniture bargain still needs to fit your home and your delivery budget. Before you agree to buy, ask for the item's dimensions, current condition and any parts that detach. Arrange the purchase with the seller separately from the transport booking.

For a pickup in Brisbane or the Gold Coast, tell us both suburbs and your preferred date. We can assess the transport scope before you commit to a collection window. A quote request is free; availability and the delivery price need to be confirmed before booking.

• Measure width, depth and height, including arms, feet, handles and packaging. Ask about weight or unusually heavy materials such as stone.
• Check the route at both properties: doors, stairs, landings, lift doors and tight turns. A piece that fits inside a room may not fit through the entrance.
• Compare the item price plus delivery, any agreed dismantling and any extra services with your alternatives. A short drive does not necessarily mean a simple pickup.

2. Agree the seller's collection arrangements

• Ask which dates and time windows work for the seller, and whether the item can be held until transport is confirmed.
• Confirm that somebody will be there to release the correct item. For a store or warehouse, ask about the order reference, collection authority and loading hours.
• Check whether the seller will have the item emptied and ready. Do not assume the seller can help carry a heavy piece.
• Give the seller the agreed collector details once the booking is confirmed. Share contact details and exact addresses privately with the people organising the job.

3. Describe loading and unloading at both ends

The crew and vehicle need to suit the whole job. Tell us about steps, steep driveways, long carries, limited parking and any restrictions on vehicle height. Include whether delivery is to the entrance or into a particular room.

In an apartment building, confirm the service lift and loading arrangements with management. A seller's availability and a booked lift window must work together. Mention any required building paperwork before confirming the collection.

Plan apartment lifts, access and parking

4. Ask what the delivery quote includes

• Number of movers and the vehicle needed for the item and access.
• Pickup and delivery addresses, agreed collection window and any extra stops.
• Loading, unloading, protection and placement, plus any agreed dismantling or reassembly.
• The total payable, including applicable GST, travel, tolls and other charges for the agreed scope.
• What happens if the seller is unavailable, the item differs from the description, or access or timing changes.

Compare removalist quotes on the same scope

5. Copy this brief into your enquiry

Please quote to collect [item and quantity] from [pickup suburb] and deliver to [delivery suburb] on [preferred date or date range]. Dimensions are [width x depth x height], with [weight or heavy materials, if known]. Pickup access is [stairs, lift, parking and carry distance]. Delivery access is [stairs, lift, parking and carry distance]. The seller is available [window]. I need [dismantling, reassembly or room placement]. Please confirm availability, crew, inclusions, exclusions and the total price for this scope.

If you already have useful photos of the item and access, mention them in your enquiry so we can arrange how to review them. Do not include payment card details or account passwords.

6. Confirm the handover before collection

Keep the agreed item description, quote and collection arrangements together. Check the item's condition with the seller and record any existing damage. Tell us promptly if the item, access or timing changes so we can confirm whether the plan or price needs updating.

A quote request does not reserve a truck or a time slot. Once the booking is agreed, make sure the seller, collector and person receiving the furniture all have the same collection and delivery details.