How to start a furniture assembly service: tools, quotes and handover
A properly assembled wardrobe should work after you have packed away your tools, and the customer should understand the bill. If you are practical and want to offer furniture assembly, begin with jobs you can complete reliably: a familiar product, a prepared space and a written quote. This guide helps you turn that work into a clearly defined service without promising every kind of installation on your first day.
Contents
Before your first customer
- Choose furniture you know and state where your service ends.
- Ask for the model, instructions and photographs before confirming a final price.
- Allow for the whole job, including travel, preparation and handover.
- Follow the product instructions and assess wall anchoring separately.
Which jobs to accept first
Start with a narrow service: flat pack tables, desks, beds or storage units with complete instructions. Practise on your own furniture or with someone who knows you are learning. Record how long each stage takes and where you need help. An attractive photograph does not prove you can repeat the work in another home.
A kitchen, a bespoke wardrobe or furniture being adapted to an uneven wall needs a different assessment. Do not describe it as basic assembly. Cutouts, alterations, hanging cabinets and appliance connections need their own scope. For gas and electrical work, involve specialists competent to carry out the particular task.
Build a toolkit around the work you accept
| Purpose | What to prepare | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring | Tape measure, spirit level, pencil, portable light | You can see and measure the final position. |
| Assembly | Suitable screwdrivers, bits and keys; a torque adjustable tool where permitted by the manual | Tools fit the supplied fittings without improvised substitutes. |
| Protection | Work blankets, floor protection, containers for small parts | They will not mark or scratch the finishes. |
| Organisation | Phone with instructions, checklist, packaging bags | Documents are accessible and parts stay organised. |
You do not need equipment for every possible installation immediately. Read the manuals for the products you accept and expand your kit as suitable jobs arise. For bulky pieces, establish whether another assembler is needed before booking. Do not assume the customer will provide unpaid help or include that assumption in your timing.
Questions to ask before quoting
- Brand, model, product code, link and assembly instructions.
- Number of units, dimensions and options: drawers, sliding doors, internal fittings.
- Location, floor, access, where packages are stored and who brings them into the room.
- Photographs of the final position, skirting, floor and wall if anchoring is required.
- Whether the furniture is new, previously assembled or damaged.
- Who clears the space, what happens to packaging and when the job must be finished.
Confirm uncertainties in writing. If photographs do not show a part's condition clearly, offer an inspection with explicit terms. A final price based only on 'a two door wardrobe' may conceal drawers, accessories and adjustments that each person imagines differently.
Price the whole job
Use a simple costing sheet: total time × your internal hourly rate + travel + consumables + paid assistance + other job costs. Your internal rate also needs to cover business overheads. Money left after fuel is not automatically profit. Before copying a competitor's price, understand what their service includes.
A hypothetical calculation, not a market rate: allow three hours for assembly and another hour for travel, preparation and handover. At an internal rate you choose of 200 MDL/hour, plus 100 MDL for transport and consumables, the total is 900 MDL. Budget separately for an assistant or another visit if required. Time your early jobs to improve future estimates.
A short quote template
'Assembly of wardrobe [model and code] following the supplied instructions. Includes checking packages, assembly, adjustments and collecting packaging in an agreed place. Anchoring required by the manual is confirmed after assessing the wall. Carrying packages, altering parts and removing packaging must be specified separately. Total: [amount]; terms and timing: [details]. All extras require approval before work.'
When to pause and clarify
For missing parts, IKEA recommends checking all packages (opens in a new tab). Photograph the problem, record the part code and ask the customer for a decision. Do not choose replacement fittings by appearance. Explain what can be completed, how the space will be left and the conditions for a return visit.
IKEA explains that anchoring hardware depends on wall material (opens in a new tab). Do not promise a universal fixing or a guaranteed load capacity. If the substrate or concealed services are unclear, obtain a specialist assessment. Required anchoring that has not been completed means unfinished work; do not present the furniture as ready to use.
A careful handover builds your portfolio
CPSC recommends following the manufacturer's furniture anchoring instructions (opens in a new tab). At handover, go through the agreed checklist with the customer: door movement, drawers, accessories, surfaces and the status of fixings. Record unfinished items, who will resolve them and when. For larger jobs, see the guide to contracts and acceptance.
Keep photographs only with the customer's permission, without documents, people or private possessions in view. Describe the product and your actual work. Three clearly explained jobs with honest boundaries help a customer choose you for a suitable commission.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start without a workshop?
You can organise a service assembling flat pack furniture at customers' homes without a workshop. You still need tools, transport, competence and suitable space at the address. Manufacturing or modifying furniture is a different activity.
Should I charge by the hour or per item?
Either can work if the limits are clear. A price per item makes sense when the model and components are known. With hourly pricing, explain your estimate and how an overrun will be approved.
What if a customer refuses anchoring required by the manual?
Explain the issue and record that the job cannot be handed over as complete in those conditions. Do not hide the omitted stage behind a general acceptance statement.
What should my first listing contain?
Name the furniture types, area covered, information needed for a quote and additional work. Use your own photographs. The guide to hiring an assembler shows the questions customers may ask.
Sources
- Secure it! Wall anchoring guide (opens in a new tab), IKEA, accessed 15 October 2026
- AnchorIt.gov (opens in a new tab), U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, accessed 15 October 2026
- What can I do if my product is missing some parts? (opens in a new tab), IKEA Canada, accessed 15 October 2026