Furniture Assembly: Wardrobes, Shelves and Kitchens

A new wardrobe from a furniture retailer arrives as a box with a hundred loose parts, and a new kitchen arrives as a list of modules that only make sense once put together. Between the box and the finished piece sits furniture assembly, and how that job goes depends heavily on what is being assembled and which wall it is going on.

A free-standing bookcase needs different handling from a wall-mounted shelf above a radiator, and a wall cabinet on a plasterboard wall will only stay up if the framework behind it is found and the right fixings are used. For anyone renting a Swiss flat for the first time, this matters more than it might seem: many Swiss rental flats are handed over completely bare, without kitchen units, wardrobes or even light fittings in some rooms, so furnishing from scratch after signing a lease is normal here, not the exception it might be elsewhere. We assemble furniture to match the wall material, not to a single fixed method.

How furniture assembly is carried out

Before starting, we check which system is involved. IKEA Pax and Besta, for example, follow a different assembly plan from a kitchen by Metod or a regional kitchen retailer, and a bed with a storage base needs different fixings from a simple slatted frame. For wall fixings, we tap the wall to work out whether it is brick, concrete, or a lightweight partition of plasterboard on a metal frame, and choose plugs and screws to match. A concrete wall needs a hammer drill and concrete anchors, a hollow brick wall needs a different plug type again, and on plasterboard the position of the metal studs decides where the fixing point can go. Wardrobes and shelving are levelled and checked with a spirit level before being fixed in place. On a kitchen job, the carcass is followed by fronts, handles and connection to the existing water and power points, and for a TV or wall mount we check first whether the wall can actually carry the weight at the chosen spot.

Where furniture assembly goes wrong

The most common cause of a wobbly wardrobe or a shelf that comes down is the wrong wall fixing. A cavity plug rated for a light picture rail will not hold a wall shelf loaded with books. Conversely, a solid concrete wall needs a different drill bit and plug system from a brick wall. On plasterboard, the mistake is often screwing straight into the board instead of into the metal frame behind it, which holds for a while but gives way under load after a few weeks. On kitchen modules, the problem is usually in the detail, fronts that are not exactly level, or supply connections that were not checked against the actual position in the room before assembly began. We check the wall and the connections before the first fixing goes in.

When parts are missing or no longer fit

Furniture that has spent a while in a cellar or attic often has screws, plugs or fittings missing, or the original instructions have gone astray. In these cases we supply matching hardware from stock or from a retailer, so the piece can still be assembled properly instead of being thrown out for the sake of one missing screw. Where doors or drawers do not close cleanly after assembly, hinges and runners can usually be adjusted without rebuilding the whole piece.

Who this is for

We carry out furniture assembly for private individuals after a purchase from IKEA, a specialist retailer or a second-hand shop, for landlords and property managers furnishing a rental flat for a new tenant, and for small offices setting up new wardrobe or shelving systems. The request often comes right after a move too: furniture that stood against one wall in the old flat may need to go against a wall of completely different material in the new one, and the fixing has to be planned again from scratch.

Quote and booking

For a quote (Offerte), details of the furniture system, the number of pieces and the wall type, if known, are usually enough. For a kitchen or several rooms, a short site visit is worth it, so wall type and the position of supply points are settled beforehand. A photo of the wall and, if you have it, the assembly instructions also help, so the right tools and fixings are ready before the appointment. The assembly date is confirmed at a fixed price, and we take packaging and boxes away with us on request.

Where we work

We take on furniture assembly from Siebnen across March SZ and the Höfe, from Hinwil across the Zürcher Oberland, from Wetzikon and Uster to smaller communities such as Bubikon or Gossau ZH, and from our third location in Wil across the Wil SG area. On a house move, dismantling and reassembly combine directly with the removal or furniture transport service, so everything runs from a single booking.