Appliance Repair · Service

Appliance installation — what "free" does not include

Delivery teams work to a tight script. Knowing before the truck arrives what they will and will not connect is the difference between a finished kitchen and a box in your hallway.

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In short

What is appliance installation?

Retailer "free installation" usually means uncrating the appliance, sliding it into an existing opening, and connecting it to services that are already there, already compliant, and already accessible. The exclusions are the interesting part: haul-away, new hoses and connectors, gas work, altering a cabinet opening, and anything electrical beyond an existing outlet. Establish them before delivery day, not during it.

Triggers

Signs you need appliance installation

The delivery confirmation says "hookup where existing connections permit"
The new range or dryer is a different fuel type from the one it replaces
The appliance has to come through a doorway narrower than it is
The dishwasher space has no dedicated shutoff you can reach, or no obvious drain arrangement
The laundry outlet does not match the plug on the new dryer

Seeing something not on this list? Browse appliance repair problems by symptom →

The job

How appliance installation actually works

Measure the opening, and then measure the route to it

Two measurements matter and people usually take one. The opening — width, depth including door swing and handle, and height including levelling feet. And the path — front door, hallway turns, stair widths, kitchen door casing. An appliance that fits the space perfectly and cannot reach it is the most avoidable delivery-day failure there is.

Watch for: Countertop overhang and cabinet stiles that shave a critical fraction of an inch off a nominal opening. Measure the actual gap.
Confirming what the delivery team is contracted to do

Retail installation is fulfilled by a delivery crew working from a job sheet, and their remit is narrow. Ask specifically about haul-away of the old appliance, whether new hoses, cords and connectors are supplied, and whether they may touch gas at all. Crews decline work outside their remit, and they are right to.

Watch for: Assuming the crew will reuse your existing hoses and cords. Many are instructed to install new ones only, and if you have not bought them the appliance stays unconnected.
Electrical — 240 volts, cords and dedicated circuits

Ranges and electric dryers run on 240-volt circuits, and dryer cords come in three-prong and four-prong versions — the appliance often ships with no cord so the right one can be fitted. Where a circuit does not exist or an outlet needs replacing, that is licensed work and must happen before delivery. See electrical services.

Watch for: Discovering an outlet and plug mismatch with the crew standing in your kitchen. Photograph your existing outlet and check it against the new appliance's requirement when you order.
Gas, water and drain connections

Gas appliances need a shutoff at the appliance, an approved flexible connector and a leak check, and in many jurisdictions only a licensed fitter may make that connection. Water-fed appliances need a serviceable shutoff, a sound supply line, and for a dishwasher an air gap or a secured high loop. See plumbing services.

Watch for: A shutoff valve that has not been turned in years. They frequently will not close, or will not reseal afterwards, and finding out on delivery day turns an installation into an emergency.
Anti-tip brackets, levelling and securing

A freestanding range must be secured with an anti-tip bracket — a safety device that ships with the appliance and fixes to the floor or the wall behind. Dishwashers are fastened to the countertop or adjacent cabinets so they do not tip when the loaded door opens. Front-loading washers need transit bolts out and all four feet firm. None of this is optional finishing, and everything should be run and leak-checked before the crew drives away.

Watch for: A range slid into place with the bracket still in the box, or a delivery note signed before anything has been run. Once the crew has gone, an installation defect becomes a scheduling problem.

Money

What does appliance installation cost?

Basic hookup is often bundled with the purchase where the connections already exist. Extras — haul-away, new lines and cords, gas connection, an added circuit, or altering a cabinet opening — are charged separately and are frequently the larger number. Get every exclusion priced before delivery day rather than on it.

See the full appliance installation cost guide — by material, size and region →

Straight answer

When appliance installation is the wrong call

Everyone else ranking for this is paid when you say yes. Here's when you shouldn't.

The required circuit, gas line or water supply does not exist yet. Do not book delivery first, or you will pay for a delivery, a redelivery, and the trade visit in between.
The cabinet opening needs modifying. Delivery crews do not cut cabinetry. A different-sized appliance means a joinery job scheduled ahead of it arriving.
You are switching fuel types on a range or dryer. Gas to electric or the reverse is not an installation — it is a new service to the appliance location, planned weeks out, not on delivery day.
The old appliance cannot be safely disconnected. If the shutoff is seized or the wiring is unclear, sort it before the truck arrives — a crew that cannot remove the old unit will not fit the new one.
You are mid-renovation and the flooring is not down. A range or dishwasher set on a subfloor sits at the wrong height once the finished floor goes in, and a dishwasher can end up trapped under the counter.

Your options

Types of appliance installation

Compare appliance types

Fuel, mounting and size, decided before delivery is booked.

Connection equipment

Connectors, cords, hoses and brackets.

Pre-delivery checklists

Measurements, access and services before the truck arrives.

Warranty and registration

What records a manufacturer asks for later.

Compare appliance repair options side by side →

Straight answer

Can I do this myself?

Gas connections are not a DIY task. An appliance gas connector has to be the approved type, correctly made up, and leak-tested — and in most jurisdictions the work is restricted to licensed fitters. If you smell gas at any point during or after an appliance move, leave the building and call the gas utility from outside rather than trying to tighten anything.

Reasonable to DIY

Measuring the opening and the delivery route before you buy, including door swings and handle projection
Photographing your existing outlet, shutoff valves and connections and checking them against the new appliance specification
Clearing the path, lifting rugs and protecting flooring ahead of the delivery window
Removing the transit bolts from a new front-loading washer before its first cycle

Call a licensed pro

Any gas connection, disconnection or fuel conversion
A new dedicated circuit, a 240-volt outlet, or replacing a mismatched dryer or range receptacle — see electrical services
New shutoff valves, supply branches or drain arrangements for a dishwasher, fridge or laundry
Built-in, panel-ready and column appliances, fitted into joinery where trim kits have to line up
Over-the-range microwaves and anything lifted overhead, which need two people and a hard-wired connection

Before you sign

What to check when hiring for appliance installation

Exactly what is included in the installation, and what is billed separately?

Get it itemised in writing at the point of sale. Haul-away, new lines and electrical or gas work are the usual exclusions.
Are you permitted to connect gas, and are you licensed for it here?

Many crews are prohibited from touching gas. If yours is, you need a fitter booked for the same day or the appliance sits idle.
Will you supply the cord, hoses and connectors, or should I buy them?

Crews often cannot reuse existing ones by policy, and buying in advance prevents a wasted delivery.
Will the anti-tip bracket be fitted and can you show me it in place?

A safety device that ships in the box and gets skipped under time pressure. Verify it, do not assume it.
Will you run the appliance and check for leaks before you leave?

A cycle run and a dry connection is the only proof it worked. After the crew leaves it becomes a return visit.

All appliance repair hiring checklists →

Local pros

Appliance Installation near you

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Related work

Often done at the same time

Refrigerator Repair

Before you decide to replace it

Dishwasher Repair

Air gaps, drains and install defects

Dryer Repair

Venting done right from day one

Oven and Range Repair

Gas and electric cooking faults

All appliance repair services →

FAQ

Appliance Installation — questions people ask

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What does free appliance installation actually include?

Generally uncrating, positioning, and connecting to services that already exist in acceptable condition — nothing more. Removing the old appliance, supplying hoses, cords or connectors, gas connections, added circuits and cabinetry changes are chargeable or excluded. Ask for the exclusion list in writing when you buy, because the crew works from a job sheet, not a conversation.

Why does my new dryer not come with a power cord?

Because electric dryer outlets come in more than one configuration and the manufacturer cannot know which is in your laundry. The cord is bought to match the receptacle you have. Photograph your outlet before delivery — a plug mismatch found with the crew in your house is one of the commonest reasons an installation is not completed.

What is an anti-tip bracket and does my range really need one?

A small metal bracket fixed to the floor or wall that engages a foot or the rear of a freestanding range, so it cannot tip forward when weight goes on an open door. It ships with the range, it is a safety device rather than an accessory, and it is skipped often enough that you should confirm it is engaged.

Can the delivery team connect my gas range?

Often not. Many retail delivery crews are prohibited from making gas connections, and in many jurisdictions that work is restricted to licensed fitters regardless. Establish the position when you order, and if the crew cannot connect it, arrange a fitter for the same day.

Should I install a new dishwasher myself?

Positioning and cabinet fixings are within reach of a confident owner, but three things catch people out: the drain needs an air gap or a properly secured high loop, the connection may be hard-wired rather than a plug, and a disposal knockout plug must be removed. Get those wrong and the machine leaks or never drains.