Modular Delivery Site Checklist: 7 Questions to Answer Before Installation Day

A modular delivery site checklist helps confirm whether your property is ready before the truck leaves the factory.

The unit may be complete, but the site could still hold up delivery. Approvals, access, foundations, services and installation responsibilities all need to be settled.

Miss one detail and you could face a delayed truck, idle contractors or extra site costs.

Farm managers understand that good accommodation helps keep good people. However, that investment only starts working once the unit is safely installed and ready to use.

This guide gives farm owners and managers seven practical questions to answer before installation day. It follows Aruva’s guidance on approvals, site preparation, access, foundations, delivery and service connections.

The exact requirements vary by property, unit and approval pathway. The main questions do not.

Why use a modular delivery site checklist?

A modular delivery site checklist identifies gaps before they affect transport or installation. It confirms whether the site, access, services and contractors are ready. It also makes responsibilities clear between the owner, supplier and trades, reducing the risk of delays, idle crews and unexpected site costs.

Work through these questions before confirming the delivery date.

1. Have you confirmed the approvals and site requirements?

Confirm the approval pathway before starting site work or locking in the building position. You need to know what can be built, where it can sit and which documents are required. Local planning controls, the intended use, the building classification and site constraints can all affect the answer.

Do not assume a modular building is exempt because it arrives largely complete.

Confirm:

• What council or building approvals are required
• Whether planning and building approvals are separate
• Who will prepare and submit the documents
• What reports or supporting information are needed
• How long the approval process may take
• Whether approval conditions affect the site work
• Whether the approved plans match the unit being delivered

Aruva’s guide to council approvals for modular buildings explains why the pathway should be resolved early.

Is the proposed position affected by bushfire risk?

Rural property owners should check whether the building area sits on bushfire-prone land.

In NSW, owners can review council mapping and the property’s Section 10.7 Planning Certificate using guidance from the NSW Rural Fire Service.

A Bush Fire Attack Level assessment may also be required. Vegetation, distance from vegetation and slope can affect the result and the building requirements.

Check this before locking in the building position. Moving a unit on a plan is easier than changing completed site work.

2. Can the delivery vehicle reach the installation area safely?

The full access route must suit the dimensions, weight and turning requirements of the actual delivery load. A ute or farm truck reaching the paddock does not prove a modular delivery vehicle can do the same. Check the route from the public road through to the final building position.

Walk the route and check:

• The width of the property entrance
• Gate widths and gatepost positions
• The turning angle through each gate
• Internal road and driveway width
• Road condition and load capacity
• Tight bends and intersections
• Low branches and overhead obstructions
• Soft shoulders and boggy sections
• Steep rises, dips or grade changes
• Turning and reversing room near the site
• Wet-weather access

Do not assess access by eye alone. Give the transport provider the unit dimensions and clear details about the route.

Modular loads may operate under oversize or overmass conditions. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator’s route-planning guidance helps operators identify approved routes and where access conditions or permits may apply.

The operator will usually assess the public-road route. However, the owner and project team must also check access inside the property.

A gate may be wide enough but sit at the wrong angle. A driveway may work in summer but fail after rain. Low tree limbs can also restrict the full height of the load.

Your modular delivery site checklist should cover the route in dry and wet conditions. Fix access problems while there is still time.

3. Is the exact building position cleared, prepared and marked?

The exact building footprint must be cleared, measured and ready for the approved foundation and installation method. Choosing the general paddock is not enough. The position must match the approved plans, allow safe equipment access and manage drainage, levels, setbacks and future maintenance around the unit.

Check whether the area needs:

• Excavation or filling
• Removal of trees or branches
• Removal of fences, gateposts or old structures
• Clearing of debris and stored materials
• Drainage work
• Levelling
• Surveying or set-out
• Corner pegs marking the approved position
• A gravel pad or other ground treatment
• Clear space for maintenance and future access

Aruva’s design guide identifies demolition, excavation, removal, landscaping and gravel pads as site considerations.

It also notes that extra work may apply where the fall exceeds 400 millimetres across the building area.

This does not mean every site must be flat. It means the fall must be measured and included in the foundation plan.

Drainage matters as well. Water should not run beneath the unit or pool around piers, stairs or service connections.

Before earthworks begin, confirm that the marked position matches the approved plan. Even a small change can affect setbacks, foundations, services and delivery access.

4. Are the ground conditions and foundations resolved?

The foundation system must suit the unit, soil and site conditions. Before delivery, confirm the specified footing type, who will install it and when it will be ready. Do not select foundations from a photograph or assume a system used elsewhere on the farm will suit this position.

Confirm:

• Whether a geotechnical or soil report is required
• Whether the site contains rock, sand or uncontrolled fill
• Whether the planned holes can be bored
• What pier or footing system has been specified
• Who will supply the foundation materials
• Who will install the foundations
• Whether concrete is available nearby
• Whether pier locations match the current drawings
• Whether the foundations will be ready before delivery
• Who will inspect or certify the completed work

Aruva’s guide to foundation and adjustable steel pier options explains how concrete blocks, fixed steel piers and adjustable steel piers can suit different site conditions.

The farm owner does not need to design the foundations. However, the design, contractor, materials and timing must be confirmed.

Rock can change the boring method. Remote concrete supply can change the program. Sloping ground may require more equipment or site work.

The foundation section of your modular delivery site checklist should resolve these points well before installation day.

Early problems are manageable. Installation-day surprises are expensive.

5. Is there enough room to unload and install the unit?

Delivery access gets the unit onto the property. Installation space allows the crew to unload, manoeuvre and position it safely. Confirm where the truck will stop, how the unit will reach its foundations and whether cranes, outriggers or other equipment have enough firm, clear ground to operate.

Check:

• Where the delivery vehicle will stop
• How the unit will be unloaded
• Whether a crane or other equipment is required
• Where trucks and equipment will manoeuvre
• Whether the ground will support the equipment
• Whether crane outriggers have enough room
• Whether slopes will affect positioning
• Whether fences, sheds or trees restrict movement
• Whether powerlines or overhead assets are nearby
• Whether livestock can be kept clear
• Whether normal farm traffic can be redirected
• Whether crews need access to water or power
• What weather conditions could stop the work

The crew may need the area after unloading. They could still be levelling, securing or connecting the building.

Aruva’s guide to the modular delivery and installation process covers the process from site preparation through placement and final inspection.

Keep the installation area clear before delivery. Move stored materials, vehicles and farm machinery elsewhere.

Include this clearance in your modular delivery site checklist. A clear work area reduces unnecessary movement around heavy equipment.

6. Are water, wastewater and electricity ready to connect?

Service readiness means the source, route, capacity, approvals, contractor and timing are known for water, wastewater and electricity. The final connections may happen after installation, but they should not be left unresolved. Service requirements can affect the building position, trenching, approvals, equipment and the date the unit becomes usable.

Water

Confirm:

• Whether water comes from mains, a bore or tanks
• Whether more storage capacity is needed
• Where the connection point will sit
• How far the pipework must run
• Whether a pump is required
• How the pump will be powered
• Who will install and test the connection

Check the expected demand. Do not assume the existing farm supply can handle it.

One small unit may need little additional capacity. Several bathrooms or shared amenities can change the requirements.

Sewer or onsite wastewater

Confirm:

• Whether mains sewer is available
• Whether an existing septic system has enough capacity
• Whether a new wastewater system is required
• Whether council approval or another permit applies
• Where the system can be positioned
• Whether there is room for disposal areas
• Who will design and install the system
• Who will approve the work
• When the connection will be completed

Do not leave wastewater planning until after delivery. The system may affect the building position and approval pathway.

Electricity

Confirm:

• Whether the unit will use mains or off-grid power
• Where the connection point is located
• How far the supply must run
• Whether the current supply has enough capacity
• Whether voltage drop needs assessment
• Whether trenching or overhead work is required
• Whether the switchboard needs an upgrade
• Who will complete and certify the work

A licensed electrician should assess the load and connection arrangement.

Long runs across rural properties often need more planning than connections near the homestead.

Have underground and overhead assets been checked?

Before digging, request current information through Before You Dig Australia’s free plan service.

The supplied plans indicate the presence and approximate location of participating asset owners’ infrastructure. They do not confirm exact positions or depths.

Inspect the site and use a skilled locator where required. Domestic and private services may not be fully shown on supplied plans.

Pipes and cables between sheds, tanks, pumps and houses are easy to overlook. Older property records may also be incomplete.

Your modular delivery site checklist should include public infrastructure and private farm services.

Do not assume an empty patch of ground is clear.

7. Does everyone know what they are responsible for?

Every site task should have a named owner, due date and clear completion requirement before delivery is confirmed. This prevents the supplier, farm owner and contractors from assuming someone else is handling the work. Put the responsibilities in writing and review them together before the truck is booked.

For every item, record:

• What must be done
• Who is responsible
• When it must be finished
• What proves it is complete
• Who needs to be notified

The list should cover:

• Planning and building approvals
• Site reports
• Surveying and set-out
• Clearing and earthworks
• Foundation design and installation
• Public-road transport arrangements
• Property access preparation
• Unloading and positioning
• Crane or equipment bookings
• Water connection
• Wastewater connection
• Electrical connection
• Final inspections
• Handover

The unit price may not include every site-related task.

Aruva’s design guide lists several possible exclusions. These include transport, installation, piers, foundations and site preparation. It also identifies earthworks, external plumbing and external electrical connections.

The contract and project documents determine the final scope. Under some delivery arrangements, the supplier may manage more work. Under others, the owner may coordinate several contractors.

Neither approach works when responsibilities remain unclear.

Use the final section of your modular delivery site checklist to assign each task, owner and due date.

Then ask: Is it complete, or are we assuming it will be?

Final modular delivery site checklist

A site is ready when the main approvals, access, foundation, installation and service requirements have been confirmed. You should also know who owns every remaining task and when it will be finished. The aim is not to remove every variable. It is to prevent unresolved details from becoming delivery-day problems.

Before installation day, confirm these seven points:

• Approvals are confirmed.
• The truck can reach the site.
• The building area is prepared.
• The foundations are ready.
• There is room to unload.
• Services are organised.
• Responsibilities are documented.

An unresolved item may not stop the project. However, someone must own it, action it and finish it on time.

Farm operators expect accommodation to work from day one. Proper preparation is what makes that possible.

For Aruva, that preparation is part of delivering real living: a unit installed correctly, connected and ready for a proper night’s sleep from day one.

A site is ready when the critical details are confirmed and the responsibilities are clear.

Frequently asked questions

These answers cover the practical questions farm owners often have after completing a modular delivery site checklist. Exact requirements still depend on the property, local approval pathway, unit and agreed project scope. Aruva recommends resolving site-specific details with the relevant contractors and authorities before confirming delivery.

How early should I start preparing the site for modular delivery?

Start during the approval and delivery-planning stage. Access, building position, foundations and services can affect one another. Leaving them until the unit is nearly complete can limit the time available to fix problems.

Does a modular unit need council approval?

Approval requirements depend on the site, intended use, building classification and local planning controls. A modular unit is not automatically exempt because it was built off-site. Confirm the pathway with the relevant council or project adviser.

Does Aruva complete all site preparation and installation work?

The scope varies by project and delivery arrangement. Transport, installation, foundations, earthworks and external service connections may be separate items. The Aruva contract and project documents should clearly state who is responsible for each task.

Can a modular unit be delivered after heavy rain?

That depends on the route, soil conditions and installation area. Soft shoulders, boggy driveways and unstable equipment areas may make delivery unsafe. The transport and installation teams should assess the conditions before proceeding.

Which services need to be organised before installation?

You need a confirmed plan for water, wastewater and electricity. Know the supply source, connection route, capacity, approvals, contractor and timing. Connections may occur after placement, but they should not remain unresolved.