Furniture assembly: how to prepare the space
Measurements, access and walls: what to check before the fitter arrives.
In this article
Furniture assembly goes fast when the fitter arrives and can start straight away. It goes slowly when boxes have to be found, things moved or it turns out the wardrobe doesn’t fit. Ten minutes of preparation save an hour of work.
1. Measure before you buy
It sounds obvious, but it is the most common mistake. Width is not enough: count the height to the ceiling, skirting boards, sockets, radiators and the space to open doors and drawers.
- Clear height: tall wardrobes are assembled lying down and lifted up, so they need a few centimetres more than their height.
- Skirting boards: they can stop the unit sitting flush against the wall.
- Doors and windows: check they open with the furniture in place.
2. Check the access
Large boxes have to reach the room. Look at the lift, the stairs and the corners in the hallway. If something doesn’t fit, it gets assembled in the room itself, and that needs to be known beforehand.
3. Clear the space
Empty the area where the furniture goes and a bit more around it: room is needed to open boxes and lay out parts. If an old piece has to be taken apart, mention it when asking for a quote.
Tip
Keep all the boxes from the order together in the same room and unopened. That way it is obvious at once if something is missing, and parts don’t get mixed up.
4. Check the walls
Tall and wall-mounted furniture is anchored so it can’t tip over. That is why it matters what the wall is made of: brick, concrete or plasterboard. If you know where pipes or cables run, tell us.
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5. Have what’s needed to hand
- The order number or the furniture list.
- The instructions, if you have already opened a box.
- A free socket nearby for the tools.
6. What we do with the packaging
When we finish, we take away the cardboard and plastic from the assembly, free of charge. So the room is ready to use the same day.
Checklist before the fitter arrives
- Measurements checked, height too
- Access to the room checked
- Area empty with space around it
- Wall type known
- Boxes together and unopened
Founder of OSTEZA. I assemble kitchens and furniture, organise moves and coordinate the professionals on each job on the Costa Blanca. I write about what I see in homes every week.