White Glove Delivery on Martha's Vineyard:
What It Actually Means
"White glove" gets used loosely, and on the island the difference between delivery tiers is the difference between a finished room and a 300-pound crate in your driveway. This page explains what each tier really means, why island delivery so often falls short of it, and how to get furniture all the way into the room - assembled, placed, and packaging gone.
We're Better Call Bosko - the "finish team" for exactly this.
The three delivery tiers, explained
• Curbside: the truck stops at the end of your driveway. That crate is now your problem.
• Threshold: inside the first doorway or the garage - and no further.
• White glove: into the room, assembled, placed, packaging removed. This is the tier people picture when they hear "delivery," and the one island buyers most often don't get.
On the mainland you can sometimes buy the top tier. For the Vineyard, most retailers quietly downgrade you - if they cross the water at all (see on & off-island delivery for why).
How to make sure furniture actually gets into your home
1. Before you buy, ask precisely which tier you're getting and whether they cross to MV.
2. If they stop short, plan the finish in advance rather than discovering a crate in the driveway.
3. That's the gap we fill: from the driveway, the ferry, or the store - inside, up the stairs, assembled, placed, packaging hauled away, and the old piece removed too if you want (see furniture removal).
Who this is for
Second-home owners furnishing from off-island, interior designers who need reliable island hands (see partners), anyone whose new sofa is stuck in the garage, and households replacing furniture who want the old one gone and the new one set up in one visit.
The care part (what "white glove" should actually include)
Floors and walls protected, door frames padded, and the piece measured before it's forced up a staircase - with doors-off or window-hoist solutions decided with you, not sprung on you. If you're off-island, we send photos as the piece goes in, and we inspect and flag any shipping damage while claims are still possible.
How we price it
We quote after reviewing the piece and the path - photos or the retailer's spec sheet, plus a photo of the entry and stairs. We confirm it'll fit, flag anything tricky, and send a clear quote before the piece leaves the driveway. Fully insured.
Quick answers
What's the difference between white glove and regular delivery?
Regular stops at the curb, driveway, or garage. White glove means into the room, assembled, placed, packaging removed.
Can you receive a delivery while I'm off-island?
Yes - we accept, inspect, photograph, and install on your schedule.
What if it won't fit up the stairs?
We measure and tell you before we try, and we're good at doors-off and window-hoist solutions.
Do you take the old furniture away too?
Yes, in the same trip - see junk removal.
Get a clear quote before we start
Text photos of the job to (970) 376-8687. We'll look at what you've actually got, ask what we need to ask, and send back a clear quote before any work begins - the number we quote is the number you pay. Or call - a human named Bosko answers. Fully insured. Serving all of Martha's Vineyard, including Chappaquiddick.