Assemble your chest of drawers.

For UK homeowners, hiring a professional carpenter or skilled handyman saves hours of labour and avoids the common pitfalls of misaligned drawers or unstable frames. A professional finish not only looks better but extends the lifespan of your furniture by ensuring every cam-lock and dowel is fitted correctly.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Inventory & Inspection: Unboxing all components and checking them against the manufacturer’s manifest to ensure no parts are missing or damaged.
• Carcass Construction: Building the main frame of the chest, ensuring it is perfectly square before the back panel is attached.
• Drawer Assembly: Constructing individual drawer boxes, fitting runners, and ensuring handles are securely attached.
• Runner Alignment: Precision mounting of drawer slides to ensure smooth, snag-free operation.
• Levelling: Adjusting the feet or using shims to ensure the unit sits perfectly level, even on uneven UK floors or thick carpets.
• Safety Anchoring: Securing the unit to the wall using appropriate fixings (plasterboard, brick, or timber) to prevent tipping.

Typical Costs

Prices for furniture assembly in the UK are typically based on a minimum call-out fee or a fixed price per item. Complex units with many drawers or integrated lighting will sit at the higher end of the scale.

Labour rates vary by region, with London and the South East typically seeing prices 20-30% higher than the national average. If you have multiple items to assemble, most tradespeople will offer a discounted day or half-day rate.

How Long Does It Take?

• Small 3-drawer unit: 45 to 60 minutes.
• Large 6-drawer unit: 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
• Complex/Bespoke units: 3+ hours depending on the number of fixings and drawer mechanisms.
• Wall anchoring: Adds approximately 15-20 minutes per unit.

DIY or Professional?

While flat-pack assembly is a popular DIY task, it is deceptively difficult to get "perfect." A professional carpenter brings precision tools, such as spirit levels and impact drivers, and understands how to reinforce joints for longevity.

Pro Tip: If your chest of drawers is taller than 60cm, professional wall anchoring is highly recommended. In the UK, many older homes have "dot and dab" or lath and plaster walls that require specific heavy-duty fixings that standard DIY kits don't include.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Reviews: Look for specific mentions of furniture assembly or "flat-pack" expertise.
• Insurance: Ensure they have Public Liability Insurance in case of damage to your flooring or walls during assembly.
• Tools: Confirm they carry a variety of wall fixings (Gripit, Corefix, etc.) suitable for your specific wall type.
• Questions to Ask:
  • Do you charge by the hour or a fixed price per unit?
  • Will you dispose of the packaging, or just flatten it for my recycling?
  • What happens if a part is found to be missing mid-assembly?

UK Regulations

• BS EN 14749:2016: This is the UK/European standard for domestic storage furniture safety. A professional will ensure your assembly meets these stability requirements.
• General Product Safety Regulations: While these apply to manufacturers, a professional installer ensures the "safety by design" (like anti-tip kits) is actually implemented.
• Waste Regulations: If the tradesperson removes packaging, they should technically hold a lower-tier waste carrier licence.

Common Problems

• Misaligned Drawer Fronts: Often caused by the carcass not being perfectly square before the back panel was nailed on.
• "Bowed" Drawer Bottoms: Caused by overloading or failing to use the reinforcement clips provided in many modern kits.
• Wall Damage: Using the wrong rawlplugs for the wall type can lead to the unit pulling away or damaging the plaster.
• Sticking Runners: Usually due to screws not being driven fully flush, causing the wheels to catch.

Frequently Asked Questions