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FF&E logistics can make or break a hotel opening or renovation. The furniture is often the longest-lead item and the last thing installed, which means every delay lands on the most visible part of the project. If you are procuring delivery and installation for a hospitality project, here is what to ask before you sign.

1. Can you receive from all our vendors?

Casegoods, lighting, artwork, and accessories ship from different suppliers on different schedules. Your logistics partner should receive everything at their own warehouse, inspect and log each piece, and flag damage on arrival — not on installation day.

2. How do you handle phased installs?

Renovations happen floor by floor. Ask whether the partner can warehouse finished goods and release them in phases matched to your construction schedule, rather than forcing you to accept everything at once.

3. Will you work around our operation?

Guest-facing installs — lobby sets, restaurant dining rooms — often need to happen after hours or overnight. Confirm the partner does off-hours work routinely, not as a reluctant favor.

4. Who is my single point of contact?

You should have one dedicated agent who owns the shipment from receiving through final install, confirms 48 hours out, and calls 30 minutes before arrival. If the answer is “call our dispatch line,” keep looking.

5. What is the condition documentation process?

Every piece should be photographed at receiving and again after installation. On a 200-room project, this record is the difference between a clean closeout and a blame game.

6. Can you handle the building requirements?

Downtown hotels mean freight elevator bookings, certificates of insurance, union building rules, and strict delivery windows. Your partner should have done this before and be able to name the buildings.

7. What is your damage rate, and what happens if something is damaged?

Ask for the number and the claims process in writing. A partner with a sub-1% damage rate and a clear remediation process is telling you they have done this at scale.

Custom Crating & Logistics provides FF&E receiving, warehousing, white-glove delivery, and installation for hotels and restaurants across Chicagoland, with phased installs, after-hours work, and one accountable agent per project. Call (847) 258-5530 to talk through your timeline.