I know I'm a perfectionist and like many self builders have an OCD gene, but for the love of all that you hold dear, why do suppliers insist on sending easily damaged goods (aluminium balustrade channel in this case) the length if the country, to be handled multiple times from one truck to another to the final long wheel based van, wrapped in no more than a single ply corrugated box?

 

Now my second set has arrived, damaged again, after I sent photos of the damage and politely suggested they wrap the ends with a bit more protection. This time the face of one piece has also been badly scratched.

 

I wouldn't mind if it was going to be hidden behind something else, but the whole channel will be visible.

 

Then I find out they stop work at 2pm (WTF?!!!!!) on a Friday.

 

Let's see what Monday brings when I talk to them less calmly than last time. 

I ordered a couple of high end easily damaged things for the house and found out that the company had gone back to employing its own delivery driver in there own van, they said it was far cheaper than all the damaged stuff from couriers. 
I think more companies should be looking at this. 

On 11/09/2026 at 20:28, Russell griffiths said:

I ordered a couple of high end easily damaged things for the house and found out that the company had gone back to employing its own delivery driver in there own van, they said it was far cheaper than all the damaged stuff from couriers. 
I think more companies should be looking at this. 

We had a 6-7m long metal roof panel delivered as the roofer was one short. Came on a rigid flat bed. 
 

Was on 2 long, separate pallets with an upturned sacrificial panel on top to prevent damage; very good to see that initiative! 
 

Delivery driver arrives, pokes his Moffatt in each pallet and up she goes…….and in half she bends, literally. Driver looks at it bemused, and plods on with dropping it off anyways.

 

Replacement panel arrives on a lorry without a Moffatt and he says he’s waiting on another lorry to turn up with one on that he can use. I say “get (expletive deleted)ed” and instruct the guys on site to take it off by hand.

 

First driver had 1 more brain cell than a plant. Ffs. 🤦‍♂️🤷‍♂️.

The cardboard tubes are good for protecting metal profiles.  I use a chop saw to cut them up for disposal.

In my case, the handrails came in such cardboard tubes. However, in this particular case all three have started to come apart.

 

I've decided the whole lot is being returned for a refund and I'll go somewhere else here in Kernow that has been recommended.

 

In a strange way, I am happy to hear that there are many other examples of crap packaging and delivery techniques happening across the country