Spa Cover Delivery Information

Most SPA-MART spa covers are now delivered on our own company trucks through regularly scheduled regional delivery routes. This delivery method helps protect your custom spa cover, makes delivery more convenient, and keeps shipping costs as low as possible.

In some locations or circumstances, your spa cover may still be shipped by an LTL motor freight carrier. Because the delivery process is different, please review the section that applies to your order.

Delivery on a SPA-MART Company Truck

How Our Scheduled Delivery Routes Work

SPA-MART company trucks travel on regularly scheduled delivery routes, generally every 4 to 8 weeks. Your delivery timing will depend on your location, your cover’s production schedule, and the next available route serving your area.

This method allows us to transport spa covers with other spa covers rather than mixed commercial freight. It greatly reduces handling and the possibility of shipping damage while helping us maintain some of the best delivered prices available.

Do I Need to Be Home?

No. You do not need to be home when your spa cover is delivered by a SPA-MART company truck.

Our driver will provide curbside delivery and place the packaged cover in a safe, reasonable location near your home whenever possible. Common locations may include beside the garage, near the driveway, or another protected and accessible area.

Drivers cannot provide inside delivery, carry the cover through your home, install the cover, or move it to the spa.

How Will I Know My Cover Was Delivered?

After delivery:

• The driver will take a photo showing where the cover was placed.

• You will receive a delivery notification.

• The notification will show or identify the delivery location.

Please make sure the area around your driveway or preferred delivery location is accessible before your expected route.

Why SPA-MART Uses Company-Truck Delivery

Delivering spa covers on our own trucks provides several important advantages:

• You do not need to remain home or schedule a freight appointment.

• The cover is transported only with other spa covers.

• There is very little opportunity for damage from mixed freight or repeated terminal handling.

• No signature or on-site damage inspection is normally required.

• Efficient scheduled routes help control delivery costs and keep spa cover prices affordable.

Whenever this delivery method is available for your area, it is generally the safest and most economical way to deliver your new spa cover.

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Delivery by LTL Motor Freight Carrier

Some spa covers must be shipped through an independent less-than-truckload, or LTL, freight carrier. The following instructions apply only when your shipping notification indicates that an LTL carrier will deliver your cover.

Unlike SPA-MART company-truck delivery, LTL shipments may travel through multiple freight terminals and may be loaded with many different types of commercial products. Someone must therefore be available to receive and inspect the shipment.

Residential and Business Freight Deliveries

LTL carriers primarily operate commercial delivery routes using tractor-trailers and large straight trucks. Their requirements differ for residential and qualified business addresses.

Residential Delivery

Residential freight delivery normally includes advance contact to arrange a delivery appointment.

You or an authorized adult must be present during the scheduled appointment to:

1. Inspect the shipment.

2. Open the packaging when necessary.

3. Refuse the shipment if the cover is damaged.

4. Sign the delivery receipt only after confirming that the cover is in acceptable condition.

Do not miss a scheduled delivery appointment. Freight carriers charge substantial redelivery fees when no one is available, and those charges may be added to your order.

Qualified Business Delivery

A qualified business address must:

• Be a commercial location and not a residence or home-based business.

• Not be a school, church, construction site, or oil field.

• Be open Monday through Friday, generally from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

• Be staffed during normal business hours.

• Allow first-floor delivery or unloading from the street.

Business deliveries generally do not include advance notification. A carrier may charge an additional fee if advance notification is requested.

Schools and churches are classified by freight carriers as residential or limited-access locations and may require an additional charge.

Freight-Terminal Pickup

In many areas, you may be able to pick up your spa cover at the carrier’s local freight terminal.

Terminal pickup is not available everywhere, and a freight terminal may serve a radius of 100 to 250 miles. The servicing terminal may therefore be a considerable distance from your home.

Contact SPA-MART with your ZIP code if you would like us to check whether terminal pickup is available in your area.

Freight Delivery Hours and Services

LTL freight deliveries are normally made Monday through Friday, typically during daytime business hours.

Standard freight delivery includes assistance unloading the packaged cover from the truck. It does not include:

• Inside delivery.

• Carrying the cover to your backyard or spa.

• Installation.

• Delivery to an upper floor.

• Additional handling beyond the carrier’s standard service.

Inside delivery or other special services are subject to additional carrier charges.

Important: Someone Must Be Present for LTL Delivery

You or your authorized representative must be present to inspect an LTL freight shipment before signing the delivery receipt.

Never leave a signed note authorizing the carrier to deliver the cover without someone present. The carrier may treat that note as a signature confirming that the shipment was received in good condition. This can prevent SPA-MART from filing a damage claim on your behalf.

When no one can be present at home, possible alternatives include:

• Delivery to a qualified business where you can receive it.

• Pickup from the servicing freight terminal.

• Rescheduling the residential delivery appointment.

How to Inspect an LTL Spa Cover Delivery

Inspect the shipment thoroughly while the driver is still present and before signing anything.

Before Signing the Delivery Receipt

1. Examine the carton and packaging for tears, crushing, punctures, bending, or other signs of impact.

2. Look for any visible damage to the spa cover.

3. Open the carton while the driver is present when the condition of the cover is uncertain.

4. Do not rely only on the appearance of the outer packaging. Packaging damage alone is not necessarily a freight claim, and the cover itself must be inspected.

5. Refuse the entire shipment if the spa cover is damaged.

If the driver says you cannot inspect the cover before signing, do not accept the shipment. Call SPA-MART immediately at (800) 823-3618 while the driver is still present.

Never Accept a Damaged Spa Cover

Do not sign for or accept an LTL shipment when the spa cover is damaged.

You have the right to refuse a damaged freight shipment, regardless of what the driver may tell you.

When a damaged spa cover is properly refused:

• The carrier returns it for inspection.

• SPA-MART handles the freight claim.

• A replacement cover is placed at the front of the production queue whenever possible.

• A replacement is typically shipped as quickly as production allows.

Signing the delivery receipt generally confirms that the shipment was received in acceptable condition.

What Happens If I Sign for a Damaged Cover?

When a purchaser or authorized representative signs for an LTL shipment, responsibility for the freight claim may transfer to the purchaser.

In that situation:

• The purchaser may be required to file the claim directly with the freight carrier.

• A replacement spa cover may need to be ordered and paid for separately.

• The original and replacement invoices may need to be submitted to the carrier.

• Any approved freight-claim payment may be made directly to the purchaser.

• SPA-MART personnel can explain the process but may not be able to submit or manage the claim for the purchaser.

This is why it is extremely important to inspect the cover and refuse delivery when damage is found.

What About Concealed Damage?

Concealed damage is damage discovered after the delivery has been accepted.

If you discover concealed damage:

1. Contact SPA-MART immediately.

2. Contact the freight carrier immediately.

3. Keep all packaging and shipping materials.

4. Take clear photographs of the packaging and the damaged area.

5. Follow the carrier’s claim instructions.

Concealed damage reported more than 24 hours after delivery may jeopardize your ability to recover payment from the carrier. Inspecting the cover before signing is always the best protection.

Choosing a Different Freight Carrier

SPA-MART uses a mix of carriers selected to balance:

• Low damage rates.

• Reasonable transit times.

• Competitive shipping costs.

• Professional delivery service.

Customers may request a different freight carrier. However, the customer may be responsible for any cost above SPA-MART’s normal carrier rate.

Damage or loss involving a carrier specifically selected by the customer may also become the customer’s responsibility.

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Spa Cover Delivery Charges

With some exceptions, most new Thermal Guardian spa cover orders include home delivery to addresses in the continental United States.

Additional charges may apply to:

• Remote or difficult-to-service locations.

• Offshore islands.

• Dense metropolitan or restricted-access areas.

• Limited-access properties.

• Gated communities.

• Schools and churches.

• Alaska and Hawaii.

• Certain western states or other areas with unusually high transportation costs.

• Special delivery services requested by the customer.

Some, not all, gated-community deliveries are currently subject to an additional $200 delivery charge.  Please call our office to see if your gated-community delivery qualifies for a full-waiver of this fee.  (Our truck delivery routes only)

Shipping rates and carrier access fees are subject to change.

When an additional high-cost or limited-access delivery fee applies, SPA-MART will contact you before your spa cover enters production. You will be told the additional amount and may cancel the order if the delivery charge is more than you wish to spend.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Spa Cover Delivery

How will my spa cover be delivered?

Most current orders are delivered on SPA-MART company trucks through scheduled regional routes. In some locations or circumstances, an independent LTL motor freight carrier may be used.

Your shipping or delivery notification will identify the applicable delivery method.

How often do SPA-MART delivery trucks visit my area?

Company-truck routes are generally scheduled every 4 to 8 weeks. Actual delivery timing depends on your location, production completion, route capacity, and the next scheduled trip through your area.

Do I need to be home for company-truck delivery?

No. The driver will leave the packaged cover in a safe, reasonable location near your home, take a delivery photo, and send a delivery notification.

Do I need to be home for an LTL freight delivery?

Yes. Someone must be present to inspect the cover before signing the freight carrier’s delivery receipt.

Will the driver place the cover next to my hot tub?

Standard delivery is curbside. The driver will look for a safe and accessible location near your home but cannot carry the cover through the home, move it into the backyard, place it on the spa, or install it.

Can I leave a signed note for an LTL driver?

No. A signed note may be treated as your acceptance of the shipment in good condition. You could become responsible for filing any damage claim and purchasing a replacement cover.

What should I do if an LTL shipment is damaged?

Do not sign the delivery receipt and do not accept the shipment. Refuse it and contact SPA-MART immediately at (800) 823-3618.

What if the LTL driver will not let me inspect the cover?

Do not accept the shipment. Call SPA-MART at (800) 823-3618 while the driver is still there.

Can I have an LTL shipment sent to my workplace?

Yes, provided the address qualifies as a commercial business location and is staffed during normal weekday business hours. Home-based businesses, schools, churches, construction sites, and similar locations do not qualify as standard business deliveries.

Can I pick up my cover at the freight terminal?

Terminal pickup may be available. Contact SPA-MART with your ZIP code so we can identify the servicing terminal and determine whether pickup is an option.

Why does SPA-MART use scheduled company-truck routes?

Spa covers are large, custom-made products that require careful handling. Shipping them with other spa covers reduces damage risk, eliminates many freight appointment requirements, and helps control delivery costs. Those savings allow SPA-MART to continue offering premium custom spa covers at competitive delivered prices.

Questions About Your Delivery?

Call SPA-MART at (800) 823-3618 if you have questions about your delivery method, delivery area, freight appointment, terminal pickup, or shipment condition.