Shipping and Delivery Guide
Playground shipping involves the careful packaging and transportation of playground equipment to ensure it arrives safely and on time at its destination. Our reliable delivery service ensures a smooth experience, allowing communities and families to enjoy their new playgrounds quickly and efficiently.
PLAYGROUND SHIPPING BASICS- WHAT TO EXPECT
- Noah’s commercial playground equipment will generally ship freight with the exception of small items such as swing parts.
- 95% of our equipment ships freight
- Our larger play equipment is usually packed into open crates
- For larger items, expect a large open-air crate full of lots of parts and pieces of equipment
- Our average crate size is 14ft long
- Most deliveries are made on an 18 wheeler
- Quick Ship items typically ship within 1-2 weeks, depending on the manufacturer
- Non-Quick Ship items typically ship within 3-10 weeks, depending on the manufacturer
NOAH’S SHIPPING Q&A
We hope the Q&A provided below will answers your questions. Mostly we hope it helps you arrive at a decision to allow us the opportunity to work with your organization on your park or playground projects. If we have not addressed your question, please feel free to contact us during business hours of M-F (9am-5pm CST). We want to answer all your questions so you are comfortable moving forward with your equipment investment.
Shipping
We work with numerous freight carriers to obtain the best freight rates/terms possible. This approach fits with our company philosophy - giving our customers the best prices, even when it comes to freight. The majority of our equipment will ship palletized freight on a large semi-truck or trailer. Some smaller items are shipped UPS-ground. Pallets can range in size such as 4' x 4' x 4' (an average pallet size) to much larger, extended or oversized pallets ranging in size from 8' to 16' long. Oversized pallets are typically 6' wide/tall. Large play structures arrive on oversized pallets.
Most items on our website show an estimated availability date on the product page. This gives you an idea of how long it typically takes to make and ship that item. If there’s no date listed, it might be a custom product or one that requires you to call for pricing. Lead times can change depending on the season and the type of product. Quick-ship items usually arrive within a few days to about three or four weeks. Larger or custom-made items, like big play structures, can take ten weeks or more. After you place your order, you’ll get email updates confirming your order and giving you shipping estimates. If you choose to customize your equipment, just know it may take more time to build and ship. We also offer a call-ahead notification service from the freight carrier so you can be ready for delivery. This service is optional and has an extra cost, available only if requested.
Noah's will ask you to be responsible for the following items, many of which must be determined BEFORE your shipment leaves the manufacturer. The items which must be coordinated ahead of time: 1) Disclose location type on final proposal, ie: residential, business, school, warehouse, etc. 2) Disclose if equipment delivery will require full size carrier or LTL delivery. Common carrier freight companies typically will not be able to deliver large, palletized equipment to residential locations or businesses with restricted parking lot access. Prior arrangements must be made before delivery. 3) Be responsible for additional freight service charges: lift-gate, forklift, dock pick-up, 24-hour notice, etc. 4) Fully inspect shipment upon arrival for any damages or product shortages. Many carriers have a 48 to 72 hour timeframe following delivery for recipient to notify them of any shortages or damage. 5) Submit proof (via photographs) of any damages. 6) Contact NPP within 48 hours following delivery if damages or shortages are found. Proof of damaged goods or shortages must be acknowledged per client's signature on freight company packing slip or bill of lading. 7) Contact NPP to make prior arrangements such as a lift gate, fork lift, inside delivery, 24-hour notification, dock pick-up, etc. 8) Pay any additional freight related charges incurred, other than original freight on final proposal. 9) Be responsible for contacting NPP in advance of delivery if shipping arrangements change after manufacturer has shipped products.
Please note: truck drivers will only move your equipment to the tailgate of the trailer. They are not required—or allowed—to help unload it. If you don’t have a loading dock or forklift, we recommend requesting a liftgate when getting your freight quote. Liftgates help lower items to the ground but may not work for very large pallets. If you're a school, church, or park without a warehouse, we’ll help find the best delivery option for you. Make sure your delivery location can handle a semi-truck and doesn’t have road restrictions, tight turns, or low wires. Customers are responsible for providing an accurate and accessible shipping address.
Yes we do! Look for this free shipping sticker on our products throughout our website! Go to our Free Shipping Specials page on our website to browse our free shipping options!
Call-Ahead Notification' is always available for any delivery for an additional charge. The charge varies per each freight carrier company. A Call-Ahead notification will help greatly if you need to have several people ready to offload items when they arrive. It also helps to be able to notify your receiving department that a shipment is coming in for delivery. Ask about this service if you need to prepare crews and staff ahead of time.
We are happy to work out multiple ship-to points for your orders. Many customers such as school districts, city parks departments, property management companies, developers, etc., often realize greater savings if ordering in large, bulk quantities. In this instance your orders may need to be shipped to different locations. Noah's will work hard to obtain the best freight rates possible for you. Please let us know when requesting quotes or bulk-rate orders, if your receiving point/address is a receiving warehouse/location. Freight sent to a receiving warehouse with a dock and/or forklift most often qualifies for lower freight rates. Freight delivered directly to a school, church, neighborhood or difficult delivery points are classified at higher shipping rates per all carriers.
We’ll keep you updated with tracking info and estimated delivery dates.
When your shipment arrives, please:
Check that all items match the packing slip before signing anything.
Count all pallets and items.
Note any missing items or visible damage on the delivery paperwork and contact Noah’s right away.
Take photos of any damage to boxes, pallets, or equipment.
You must unload your own shipment—drivers won’t help.
If anything is damaged but not visible until later (concealed damage), report it to Noah’s within 48 hours.
Freight carriers allow only 72 hours to file concealed damage claims.
Don’t throw away any original packaging—it may be needed for claims or replacements.
If any parts are missing or damaged, please contact us as soon as possible—ideally right after delivery and within 72 hours—along with photos of the issue. We’ll report your claim to the manufacturer right away, and in most cases, they’ll replace missing parts at no cost. Delays beyond 72 hours may affect your eligibility for replacements. While Noah’s Park and Playgrounds is not the manufacturer and not liable for shipping damage, we’re happy to help file claims and get any damaged parts replaced quickly.
If an item is backordered, we’ll let you know and provide an estimated ship date. If you prefer not to wait, it's your responsibility to cancel the backordered item—otherwise, it will ship when back in stock. If it ships and you didn’t cancel, our return policy will apply. We can’t offer discounts for delays, and while we provide estimated ship dates, we don’t control the manufacturer’s shipping schedules.
Please read carefully: You have 30 days from delivery to return eligible items. All returns must be approved in writing first—unauthorized returns may be rejected. Items must be in original packaging and good condition. Shipping fees are non-refundable, and a 25% restocking fee applies. Customized items may have an extra 5% fee. You must call us to get a return authorization number and the correct return address. You’re responsible for all shipping costs both ways.
**Non-returnable items include:** anything installed, customized, promotional/free items, orders under \$50, mulch or surfacing products, shade structures, partial orders, returns after 30 days, and items sent without approval or as C.O.D. returns.
You can cancel your order if it hasn’t been processed yet—no questions asked. To cancel, you must **speak directly with a representative** (no emails or voicemails), and receive a **cancellation authorization number**. Most orders are processed quickly—often within an hour of payment—so check if your order has already shipped. If it has, you must accept the delivery; refusing it will lead to extra shipping charges. Shipping costs are non-refundable, and if you return the order, you're responsible for all shipping fees. A 25% restocking fee applies to any processed or customized orders, including those already loaded for shipping.
We accept several payment options. For orders of $10,000 or less, you can pay by credit card using our secure online system. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. The process is quick and includes an e-sign form to finalize your order. If your order is over $10,000, please contact us directly to discuss available payment alternatives. We also accept purchase orders with prior approval, which can be sent by email, fax, or mail. Company or municipal checks are accepted but must be received before we can process your order. Wire transfers are also available but must be pre-approved before being sent. Additionally, financing is offered through PEAC Solutions for equipment orders over $1,000—you can apply directly through their financing application.
Lead times give you an estimate of how long it will take for your product to ship. For most commercial playground equipment, items are made to order—manufacturing starts once the order is placed. So, if the lead time says 8 to 10 weeks, that means it’ll take 8 to 10 weeks for your product to be built, packaged, and shipped out from the warehouse.
Currently, we don’t offer expedited shipping. Most freight carriers aren’t able to reliably speed up LTL (less-than-truckload) shipments for playground equipment due to the size and handling requirements. All orders are shipped according to the estimated lead times listed on each product page.
If you’re on a tight timeline, be sure to check out our Quick Shipping products—they’re ready to go faster than standard items!
We ship throughout the contiguous U.S. (the lower 48 states), as well as to Canada. At this time, we don’t offer overseas shipping by boat.
Lift gate delivery means the truck is equipped with a motorized platform on the back that allows the driver to lower your items to the ground. Please note, this service does not include bringing items indoors—the driver will not assist with inside delivery. If you need help getting items inside, that service is available for an additional fee.
While we stock a wide range of products at our headquarters warehouse, some items are made to order and ship directly from the manufacturer. When we can, we combine shipments to help save on freight costs and reduce the number of separate deliveries to your location.