Furniture Assembly in Vancouver
Flat-pack furniture is designed to be assembled by anyone, which is true right up until the wardrobe with sixty steps and two hundred fixings. We do these daily, which mostly means we know which steps are easy to get wrong.
IKEA Richmond and Coquitlam pickup
The Lower Mainland has IKEA locations in Richmond and Coquitlam, and collection is straightforward if you have the vehicle for it. Large wardrobes and bed frames come in long, heavy boxes that regularly do not fit in cars people assume will take them.
We assemble what is already at your address and do not currently collect items on your behalf. If you are having items delivered, check whether delivery includes carrying them inside — kerbside delivery is common and leaves you moving the boxes yourself.
Typical timing per item
As a rough guide: a chair or small side table is minutes, a bed frame or desk is around an hour, a chest of drawers is one to two hours, and a large wardrobe with doors and internal fittings can be half a day. Sliding-door wardrobes take longest because the doors must be adjusted precisely to run true.
Multiple identical items go faster after the first. If you have three of the same bookcase, the second and third take noticeably less time than the first, and it is worth grouping them into one visit.
Brands and flat-pack systems
We assemble IKEA, Wayfair, Amazon, Structube, Costco and most other flat-pack brands. The systems differ in quality of hardware more than in principle — better brands use fixings that tolerate being adjusted, cheaper ones use particleboard that strips if a screw is overtightened even slightly.
Where instructions are poor or missing, the assembly is usually still recoverable. What is not recoverable is a panel with a stripped fixing hole, which is why we work to the right torque rather than as tight as possible.
Anti-tip anchoring — legally important
Tall furniture must be anchored to the wall. Chests of drawers and bookcases tip forward when drawers are opened or a child climbs them, and furniture tip-overs cause serious injuries and deaths every year. The restraint strap in the box is not optional packaging.
We anchor as standard and will tell you if the wall behind needs a specific fixing — concrete and plaster both need something other than the plastic plug supplied. If you would rather we did not anchor, we will ask you to confirm that, because it is a safety decision rather than a preference.
What this costs
$145/hr · $290 minimum · most items $120–$400
Charged by time because that is what a flat-pack actually consumes. Wall anchoring of tall units is included, never an extra.
Materials are always separate from labour and passed on at cost. Quotes are free and written, and the full rate card is published rather than given out on request.
Common questions
How long does a wardrobe take to assemble?
A large wardrobe with doors and internal fittings can take half a day, and sliding doors take longest because they need precise adjustment to run true. Smaller items are much quicker — a desk or bed frame is around an hour.
Can you collect the flat-packs for me?
Not at present — we assemble what is already at your address. If you are arranging delivery, check whether it includes bringing boxes inside — kerbside delivery is common and large wardrobe cartons are genuinely heavy.
Do you anchor furniture to the wall?
Yes, as standard. Tall furniture tips when drawers are opened or children climb it, and this causes serious injuries every year. Concrete and plaster walls need different fixings than the plastic plug in the box.