Moving House? How to Plan Flat Pack Assembly Around the Move

A move is when most people have the most flat pack at once: a new bed, a wardrobe or two, drawers, a desk, and a hallway full of boxes. It is also when you have the least time. A little planning turns that into one well-run assembly visit instead of a fortnight of living out of cardboard.

This plan runs from before the move to the week after. For what happens on the visit itself, see our assembly day walkthrough.

Two to four weeks before: measure, then order

• Measure the new rooms, not just the old furniture. Wall lengths, ceiling height (tall wardrobes need clearance to be tipped upright), and where radiators, sockets and skirting boards sit.
• Measure the way in. Front door, stair turns, landing and lift. Built furniture often won’t fit where its boxes did, which is another reason to build in the room it will live in.
• Check the delivery terms. Some retailers deliver to the kerb or the ground floor only. If you’re up several flights, you need to know who is carrying the boxes upstairs.

One to two weeks before: book delivery and access

• Delivery after you have the keys. Ideally a day or two after the removal van, so the two don’t fight over the hallway, lift or parking.
• Flats and new-build blocks: book the service lift. Many buildings want deliveries and trades booked through the concierge or managing agent. Ask what they need from you and from the assembler.
• Parking. If there is no driveway or loading bay, check with the council or your building what visitor parking or bay suspensions are available. Paid parking and congestion zones can add a little to a quote, so it helps to sort it in advance.
• Ask for quotes now, not on move day. Assemblers’ diaries fill up, especially at weekends. Give the items, the new address’s postcode and the date the boxes arrive; most will then offer a slot.

What to tell the assembler

The more of this you give up front, the more accurate the quote:

1. Every item, by product name if you have it (for example “IKEA MALM chest of 6 drawers”, not “a chest”). Our price list helps you build the list and see indicative ranges.
2. The order you need them in. “Beds by Saturday night, the rest can wait” lets them plan the day, or split it into two visits.
3. Access at the new address: floor, lift or stairs, parking.
4. Wall fixing. Which tall items need anchoring and, if you know it, what the walls are made of. In a new home you often don’t, so say so.
5. Photos of the boxes or labels once they’ve arrived.

Move day: label, don’t open

• Boxes into the right rooms, labelled by room. On an hourly rate, every trip up the stairs is paid time.
• Keep flat pack boxes sealed. Loose parts get lost among the removal boxes, and sealed boxes are far easier to return if something is damaged.
• Count the boxes against the delivery note before the assembler arrives. An incomplete delivery is the most common avoidable reason for a wasted visit; our missing parts guide covers what to do if a box is short.

Assembly day: one visit, the right order

Batching is where professional assembly earns its keep. Travel and setup are paid once, so the second and third items cost less per piece than the first, and a single small item still costs the assembler’s minimum charge (commonly £30–£50, see our cost guide). One visit for the whole house is usually cheaper than three.

A sensible order for most homes:

1. Beds. Everyone sleeps properly on night one.
2. Wardrobes and chests of drawers, anchored to the wall, so clothes come out of boxes.
3. Children’s furniture, with tip-over anchoring checked.
4. Living room and home office.
5. Garden furniture, which can nearly always wait.

Clear the floor in each room before the assembler gets there: a wardrobe needs roughly its own footprint again as working space.

Renting? Check before anyone drills

Anchoring tall furniture to the wall matters for safety, but many tenancy agreements limit drilling or ask you to get the landlord’s permission first. Check your agreement and ask the landlord or letting agent early, so the assembler isn’t left waiting on the day. If you’re a landlord furnishing a property between tenants, the same planning applies; you just need to arrange access for the visit.

After the build

• Do the two-minute checks before the assembler leaves: drawers and doors, a gentle rock test, wall fixings, spares handed over.
• Keep the spare fittings and instructions in a labelled bag. You’ll want them if you move again.
• Packaging. A furnished house produces a lot of cardboard. Agree beforehand whether the assembler takes it away (some charge a little, some include it) or flattens it for your recycling collection.

If you’d rather build some of it yourself, our DIY vs professional guide helps you decide which items to keep and which to hand over.

Prices and timings on this page are indicative, based on typical quotes we see across the UK. Your job may cost more or less — the only way to know is to get quotes for your specific items and location. This site earns a fee when we pass enquiries to assembly firms; this never changes what you pay.