Flat-pack furniture assembly in South London

What Affects the Cost?

• •Number and size of pieces, from a single chest to a houseful after a move
• •Type of item, such as a Billy bookcase against a sliding-door Pax wardrobe run
• •Whether tall units and wardrobes need anchoring into masonry or plasterboard
• •Missing or damaged parts that need ordering before assembly can finish
• •Disposal and removal of the flat-pack packaging and pallet waste
• •Access, floor level and whether old furniture needs dismantling first

Areas We Cover

Frequently Asked Questions

What is involved in assembling flat-pack furniture properly?

I lay every part out first and check it against the instructions and the parts list before a single fixing goes in, because a wardrobe built in the wrong order has to come apart again. The fixings matter more than people think. A cam lock that is only half turned, or a dowel that has not seated, leaves a piece that flexes and creaks. I drive every cam home, glue dowels where the design allows it, and square the carcass with a set square before the back panel goes on. The back panel is what stops a unit racking, so it has to sit in its groove all the way round rather than getting tacked on skew. On drawers I check the runners line up and each one closes flush. When the piece is up I test it under load, not just by eye.

Do tall wardrobes and units really need anchoring to the wall?

Yes, and it is the part most people skip. A tall chest or wardrobe is light and top-heavy once it is built, and a child climbing the open drawers can pull the whole thing over. Furniture tip-overs are a real cause of injury to young children, which is why most flat-pack pieces now ship with an anti-tip strap or bracket in the bag. I fit it as standard on anything tall. In a South London flat that usually means fixing into a masonry wall with the right plug and screw, or finding the timber stud behind plasterboard and fixing into that. A fixing into plasterboard alone with no anchor will pull straight out under load, so I use the correct heavy-duty fixing for the wall I am working with. If you have small children, ask for everything tall to be strapped.

What happens if a part is missing or damaged in the box?

It comes up more than you would expect, especially on items that have been in storage or moved between addresses. I check the parts against the list at the start, so a missing cam or a cracked panel gets spotted before I have half-built the piece around the gap. Small fixings like cams and dowels I usually carry, so a single missing bolt rarely stops the job. For a damaged panel or a part that only the manufacturer supplies, I will build everything that can go together, fit the missing part on a return visit once it arrives, and tell you exactly what to order from IKEA or the supplier. You are not left with a half-built wardrobe and a bag of bits and no idea which piece is wrong.

Can you assemble a whole houseful in one visit after a move?

That is a big part of what I do. After a move people often have beds, wardrobes, chests, a desk and the kitchen units all flat in their boxes at once, and the last thing you want is to spend the first week on the floor surrounded by cardboard. I bring my own tools and work through the lot in order, usually beds first so you have somewhere to sleep, then the storage, then the living and working pieces. I anchor everything tall as I go. At the end I flatten and clear all the packaging so it leaves with me rather than filling your hall. For a full house, tell me the item list when you book so I bring the right fixings and set aside the time.

When is it better to replace a fixing rather than reuse it?

If a piece has been built and taken apart before, which is common with anything that has moved house, the original cams and dowels are often worn. A cam that has been turned a few times loses its grip, and a dowel that has been knocked out splits. Reusing tired fixings is how you end up with a wardrobe that feels loose no matter how hard you tighten it. I replace worn cams and split dowels rather than forcing the old ones, because the few minutes it takes is what keeps the piece solid for years. Chipboard that has blown out around a fixing hole can sometimes be repaired with the right glue and a longer screw, and I will tell you honestly when a panel is past saving and the part needs ordering.

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