Space & setup
Reformer delivery and assembly
The short answer
Reformers ship by freight as a crated item of 150–250 lb and are delivered curbside. Most arrive largely assembled, needing 30–90 minutes to fit the footbar, ropes and springs. Measure your delivery route before ordering — the crate is longer than the machine.
Curbside means curbside
Standard freight delivery puts the crate at the curb or the end of your driveway, not in your house. The driver is not obliged to help move it further, and on most contracts is not insured to.
Plan for two people and a route into the building. Threshold or white-glove delivery, where available, takes it to the room of choice and is worth the surcharge for anyone without help.
Measure the crate, not the machine
A crate for an 8 ft reformer is typically 8 ft 6 in long and can be 30 in wide. That extra length and width is exactly what fails to make a stairwell turn.
Measure your narrowest doorway, tightest turn and lift depth before ordering. If any of them is marginal, unbox at the curb — the machine itself is narrower and much easier to carry.
- Typical crate: 8 ft 6 in × 30 in × 20 in, 150–250 lb
- Two people minimum for a stairs delivery
- Unbox outside if any doorway or turn is tight
- Keep the crate until the machine is checked and working
Assembly and first checks
Most reformers arrive with the frame and carriage assembled, needing the footbar, shoulder rests, ropes and springs fitted. Budget 30 to 90 minutes and follow the rope-length setting in the manual — it is the step people rush and then live with.
Before the first session, level the machine, check every bolt, and run the carriage through its full travel with no springs to confirm it is quiet and free.
Frequently asked questions
- Do reformers arrive assembled?
- Mostly. Frame and carriage are typically assembled; footbar, ropes, shoulder rests and springs are fitted on site in under 90 minutes.
- How heavy is a crated reformer?
- Typically 150–250 lb including packaging, which is why standard delivery is curbside and two people are needed to bring it inside.
- Is white-glove delivery worth it?
- For anyone without a second person or with stairs, yes. It takes the machine to the room of choice and usually includes unpacking and removal of the crate.