10 Questions to Ask Your ATP Before You Sign
That quote sitting in front of you is a contract. Once you sign it, the order goes to the manufacturer, and in most cases you're living with those choices for the next five years. Insurance won't buy you a second chair because the first one had the wrong axle plate.
I've seen too many people sign a 14-page order form they didn't read because the ATP was nice, the appointment ran long, and the paperwork looked official. Nice doesn't mean right. Here are the ten questions I'd ask before I put my name on anything.
1. "What's the total weight of this chair as configured — not the catalog weight?"
Catalog weights are marketing numbers. They're usually the smallest frame size with no cushion, no backrest, no anti-tippers, and sometimes without the rear wheels. A chair advertised at 13.5 lbs can easily land at 22 lbs once you add a rigid back, side guards, and a real cushion. Ask for the configured weight and the transport weight (what you lift into the car). If your ATP can't produce that number, they haven't done the math.
2. "Why this frame instead of the other two you considered?"
A good ATP considered alternatives. If the answer is a shrug or "this is what we usually do," that's a red flag — it often means the dealer has a preferred vendor relationship, not that this frame fits you. Ask specifically what they ruled out and why. "I chose the rigid frame over the folder because you transfer independently and the folder's 4 extra pounds and cross-brace flex would cost you push efficiency" is a real answer.
3. "Where exactly is my rear axle set, and how much adjustment is left?"
This is the single most important measurement on the chair. Axle position controls rolling resistance, turning radius, tip stability, and your shoulder health. Ask for the specific setting and how many more forward and rearward holes are available after delivery. A chair delivered at the rearmost position with no room to move forward is a chair you can never optimize.
4. "What's the seat-to-floor height at the front and back, and how did you get there?"
You need to know both numbers, because the difference is your seat dump. Then check the practical stuff: will you clear a standard 29-inch desk? Can you foot-propel if you need to? Does the front seat height work with your transfer surfaces at home?
5. "What happens if it arrives and doesn't fit?"
Ask for specifics. Who pays for a return? What's the manufacturer's window for a no-charge remake? Most manufacturers will fix genuine errors in the order but will not remake a chair because a measurement judgment call didn't work out. Know which category you're in before delivery day.
6. "Which parts here are covered by insurance and which are cash?"
Get a line-item breakdown. It's common for the base chair to be covered and the good cushion, the carbon backrest, or the specific wheels to be out of pocket. You may decide those upgrades are worth it — but you should decide, not discover it on an invoice.
7. "What's your realistic delivery timeline, including the funding stage?"
Manufacturer build times run four to twelve weeks. Prior authorization can add another four to sixteen. Ask what the dealer's average is for your insurer specifically, and ask what they'll do if a part goes on backorder — split-ship, or hold the whole chair?
8. "Who services this chair, and how fast?"
Find out if the dealer stocks common parts — casters, bearings, upholstery — or orders everything. Ask their current average turnaround for a repair visit. If it's six weeks and you have no backup chair, that's a serious problem regardless of how good the chair is.
9. "What's the warranty on the frame versus everything else?"
Lifetime frame warranties are common and mean less than people think. Casters, bearings, upholstery, and hardware typically carry one to two years — and those are the parts that fail. Ask what the warranty actually covers and whether labor is included.
10. "Can I have a copy of the order form to review overnight?"
Any ATP who resists this is telling you something. Take it home. Check every measurement against the notes from your evaluation. Verify the seat width — I've caught more wrong seat widths on order forms than any other error. Sleep on it.
The honest tradeoff
Asking these questions will make your appointment longer and may feel awkward. Some ATPs will love it — they're used to clients who don't engage, and a client who asks good questions makes their job easier. A few will get defensive. That reaction is useful information too.
You're the one who has to push this chair every day for five years. Twenty extra minutes of questions is cheap.
Ready for a Chair That Actually Fits?
The right questions only help if someone gives you straight answers. A properly specified custom ultra-lightweight chair starts with getting the details right the first time.
I work directly with clients to specify and order custom ultra-lightweight wheelchairs — no middlemen, no upsells, just the chair that fits your life.
Get started at wheelchair.direct — answer a few questions and I'll reach out personally.