Is Your Site
Ready?

Most owners spend their prep time on the RV and give the destination a quick glance. But when a delivery runs long or has to be adjusted, the cause is usually the site, not the trailer: a gate that’s narrower than it looked, a low limb over the driveway, soft ground after a week of rain, or a pad that slopes more than anyone noticed. Our pickup-day checklist covers the RV. This is the other half: the walk-through we’d ask every owner to do at the delivery end, a few days ahead, with nothing more than a tape measure and your phone.

1. The Route In: Width, Height, and Turning Room

Think of the whole rig, not just the trailer. A pickup with a fifth wheel behind it can run 50 to 65 feet end to end, and a trailer swings wider at corners than the truck pulling it. A turn that a pickup makes without thinking can be tight for the combination.

• Width. A gate that looks wide enough for a pickup is often tight for a trailer. Measure it, and plan on 12 feet or more of clear opening.
• Height. Most RVs stand 11 to 13½ feet tall. Plan on about 14 feet of clear height, and look up: tree limbs, utility lines, carports, and the roofline of a covered storage bay.
• Turning room. Look for a straight approach. Sharp turns off a narrow road, a tight driveway apron, or a curve with a fence on both sides is where a delivery gets slow.
• Tight sites. If the truck simply can’t reach the spot, a powered trailer dolly can place the unit to the inch. It’s a different kind of move, so tell us when you request the quote rather than on delivery day.

2. The Ground: Firm, Dry, and Able to Carry the Weight

A loaded trailer and the truck pulling it can weigh 20,000 pounds or more, concentrated on a few small patches of tire. Ground that feels fine under a boot can give way under that load, and a truck that sinks in is a longer day for everyone.

• Soft spots. Fresh fill, a septic drain field, irrigation lines, a recently watered lawn, and the shoulder of a driveway after rain. You know where these are; we can’t see them from the road.
• Thin or crumbling edges. Driveway slabs and asphalt often fail at the edges first, right where a trailer tire tracks on a turn.
• Rural crossings. Culverts over a ditch, cattle guards, and low-water crossings all have weight limits. If your road has one, mention it.
• After rain. Fall rains can turn a good gravel drive into a soft one. If it has been wet, tell us. A day of drying is often the difference between a clean placement and a stuck truck.

3. The Pad: Level, Firm, and Big Enough

A pad that looks flat often isn’t. Slope matters more than people expect: a refrigerator that runs on propane needs to be reasonably level to work properly, slides sit and seal best on a level frame, and an unlevel unit is uncomfortable to live in. Stabilizer jacks steady a unit; they’re not made to lift one. If your pad slopes, leveling blocks or a bit of fill beforehand makes the final adjustment quick.

• Size. Count the footprint plus slide-outs (often two to three feet on each side), the awning, the entry door swing, and room to walk around the unit.
• Orientation. Decide which way the door should face and where the RV’s utility side sits relative to the pedestal or hookups. It’s easy to settle before the move and awkward to change after.
• Surface. Firm and well drained. Standing water under a trailer is a problem for the frame, the tires, and your floors.

4. Power, Water, and Sewer: Know What You Have

• Power. RVs run on either a 30-amp (three-prong) or 50-amp (four-prong) connection. Know which yours is, and which the pedestal provides. An adapter works, but it doesn’t add capacity. If the pedestal is old or damaged, have it checked before anything is plugged in to it.
• Water. Most RV plumbing is built for roughly 40 to 60 psi, and a city or well connection can run well above that. A pressure regulator at the spigot protects the lines.
• Sewer. Confirm the connection is accessible and that you have the hose and fittings to reach it.
• After the move. Propane is off in transit, so turn it back on following your owner’s manual. A refrigerator needs a few hours to get cold, so hold off on groceries until it has.

5. Rules, Windows, and Gate Codes

• Parks and campgrounds. Ask about check-in times, arrival windows, quiet hours, speed limits, and whether the park allows a drop-off when you’re not on site. Get the site number and the office contact.
• Storage facilities. Gate hours and access codes, and which row or space.
• HOAs and cities. Many neighborhoods restrict parking an RV in a driveway or on the street, even briefly. Check the rules and any permit you may need before delivery day.
• Tell us ahead. The quote form has a Unit/Lot/Site # field. Use it, and send the gate code and an on-site phone number with your booking.

You don’t need to be there. Many of our customers aren’t, and we document the unit’s condition at delivery with photos so you have a record. But if you won’t be on site, the details above matter even more: a clearly marked space, a code that works, and someone we can call.

6. Clear the Site

Move the vehicles, golf cart, fire ring, picnic table, planters, and anything else that sits where the unit and the truck need to go. Trim low limbs if you can. Look overhead for lines. If something can’t be moved, tell us where it is and we’ll plan around it. A photo marked up with the exact spot you want is the best instruction you can give.

7. Tell Us What You Want Done at the Site

Placement, leveling, and plugging in so you know the power works are different from a simple drop-off. Say what you want when you request the quote so it’s part of the plan and the price, not a surprise at the end of a long drive.