A flat-pack wardrobe, a bed frame and a desk can easily swallow a whole weekend. A furniture assembly service takes that job off your hands, but the person who turns up will be handling heavy panels in your home, drilling into your walls and, for some pieces, fixing them so they cannot tip over. Hiring well is mostly about agreeing the right things before they arrive.
This guide covers the main options, when the job really belongs to an electrician or plumber, wall anchoring, what sets the price, insurance and paperwork, and how to prepare. Where the United States and the United Kingdom differ, the difference is shown separately. It does not quote prices, because they depend too much on the items and the area; it shows you what to ask so that written quotes can be compared.
Your options for a furniture assembly service
There are three common routes, plus booking apps that connect you with self-employed assemblers. Each suits a different situation.
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| The retailer’s own assembly service | Furniture bought from that retailer, delivered and assembled in one booking. | Booking slots can be some way off; it usually covers only items bought there. Check whether wall fixing is included. |
| A local handyman or flat-pack assembler | A mix of items from different shops, wall fixing and small extras such as shelves in the same visit. | Experience varies. Ask what they assemble regularly, and ask for proof of insurance. |
| A removals firm | Dismantling furniture in the old home and reassembling it in the new one. | Confirm that reassembly is in the quote, and for which items. |
| Gig apps | A quick booking for one or two items. | The assembler is usually self-employed. Insurance and what happens after a problem depend on the app’s terms. |
If you are moving house anyway, it often makes sense to price assembly together with the move; our guide to hiring movers covers what to ask a removals firm.
When it is a job for an electrician or plumber
Assembly ends where power, water or gas begins. Kitchen units that hold a built-in oven or hob, a dishwasher that needs a water and waste connection, a vanity unit with a basin, or cabinets with integrated lighting all have two parts: building the units, and connecting them. An assembler can do the first. The connection belongs to a qualified tradesperson.
United States
Electricians and plumbers are licensed at state or local level almost everywhere. Look the license up on the official register yourself, and expect that some connection work needs a permit from the local building department.
United Kingdom
In England and Wales, some electrical work in a kitchen falls under the Building Regulations (Part P), so use an electrician registered with a competent person scheme, who can issue the certificate. Any work on a gas hob or gas pipe must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, by law. For a full kitchen or a larger refit, the checks in our guide on how to hire a contractor or builder apply.
Anchoring tall furniture to the wall
Dressers, chests of drawers, wardrobes, bookcases and TV units can tip forward when a drawer is pulled out or a child climbs them. Most come with an anti-tip kit in the box. Ask the assembler to fit it as part of the job, not as an optional extra, and agree this when you book.
The fixing has to suit the wall: into a stud or with the right plugs for plasterboard, and different fixings again for brick or concrete. Before anyone drills, check where pipes and cables run. A detector helps, and it is safest to avoid drilling directly above or below sockets and switches, where cables usually run.
United States
Since 2023, a federal safety standard has applied to clothing storage units, such as dressers and chests, sold in the US. It deals with how stable they must be and the warning labels they carry. A unit that meets it is still safer anchored, so the kit should still be fitted.
United Kingdom
The practical advice is the same: anchor tall and heavy furniture, especially in children’s rooms. If you rent, check your tenancy agreement before drilling and ask your landlord in writing if you are unsure.
Safety tip: do not let the anchor kit end up in the recycling with the packaging. If the assembler cannot fit it safely on the day, for example because the wall needs different fixings, keep the tall unit empty and away from children until it is fixed.
What sets the price of furniture assembly
Furniture assembly costs are built from a handful of items, and the same list explains why two quotes for the same job can differ.
- Number and type of items: a bookcase is quick; a wardrobe with sliding doors, a bed with storage, a corner desk or a run of kitchen units takes far longer.
- Wall fixing: anchoring, shelves and wall-hung units add time and fixings.
- Dismantling: taking old furniture apart first, and whether it is removed.
- Packaging: whether cardboard and polystyrene are taken away.
- Travel and access: distance, parking, stairs with no lift.
- Minimum call-out: many assemblers charge a minimum for any visit, which matters for a single small item.
- Timing: evenings, weekends or a short-notice booking.
Some assemblers price per item, others by the hour. Either is fine if you know which one you are getting. Send the same list, with each item’s name and model, to two or three assemblers and ask for a written quote. With hourly pricing, ask for an estimate of the time and what happens if the job runs over.
Posting a job on Hirovo is free. List the items, say whether anything needs fixing to the wall, and choose your area. People nearby who do this work can apply or message you in the app, and you decide who to hire.
Post a free job →Insurance and what to agree in writing
Ask for proof of liability insurance before you book: general liability cover in the US, public liability insurance in the UK. It is what pays if a panel goes through a window or a drill hits a pipe. Then put the job in writing; a short message is enough if it covers:
- the list of items, by name and model;
- which items are fixed to the wall, and that the anchor kits are fitted;
- whether packaging and old furniture are taken away;
- the date, arrival window and expected duration;
- the price, and how a missing part or return visit is handled;
- how and when you pay, with a receipt or invoice.
In the UK, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires a service to be carried out with reasonable care and skill, so poor work can be put right or the price reduced. In the US, consumer protection depends on the state; your state attorney general’s consumer office is the place to start if a dispute cannot be settled directly.
Before the assembler arrives
- Check the parts: open the boxes and compare panels and fittings with the parts list. Keep the small bags together.
- Clear space: each item needs room on the floor to lay out panels, ideally in the room where it will stand.
- Plan access: measure stairs and doorways for large pieces. In a flat or apartment building, check whether the lift needs booking.
- Sort parking: a nearby space, a visitor permit in a controlled zone in the UK, or loading access in a US building.
- Mark the walls: know where pipes and cables run before anything is fixed.
- Keep the area clear: children and pets away from tools and loose fittings.
Finding a furniture assembler through Hirovo
On Hirovo you post the job for free: the items, the area and when you need it done. People nearby who do this work see the post and can apply or message you, and you choose whom to hire. Hirovo is still growing in the US and the UK, so the number of replies depends on who is active near you.
Hirovo does not verify the people who reply and is not a party to the work you agree, so run the checks in this guide on anyone who responds: experience, insurance and a written agreement. When you describe the job, give your neighbourhood, not your street address; share the full address only with the person you choose.
In short
Decide whether the retailer’s own assembly service, a local assembler or a removals firm fits your situation. Leave power, water and gas connections to a licensed electrician or plumber, or in the UK a Part P registered electrician and a Gas Safe engineer. Have tall furniture anchored to the wall, after checking for pipes and cables. Compare written quotes against the same list of items, ask for proof of liability insurance, agree what is included in writing, and check the parts, space, access and parking before the visit.