How much to charge for furniture assembly
Updated 26 September 2026
Furniture assemblers tend to charge per item, with a higher price for bigger pieces and a call-out fee or minimum so a single chair still pays. Anchoring to the wall and taking the packaging away are normally charged as extras.
Example furniture assembly prices
| Job | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desk and office chair | $125 – $145 | £100 – £115 | A$190 – A$220 | CA$170 – CA$195 |
| Bed frame, 2 bedside tables and a wardrobe, anchored, packaging taken away | $325 – $375 | £260 – £300 | A$495 – A$570 | CA$440 – CA$505 |
| Kids' room: bunk bed, wardrobe, bookcase and 2 stools, anchored, packaging taken away | $445 – $510 | £355 – £410 | A$675 – A$775 | CA$600 – CA$690 |
Priced with the starting rates in our furniture assembly template, in each country's currency. They're a starting point, not a survey of local rates, so set your own from what your jobs take and what others charge near you.
How furniture assemblers and handymen set their prices
Per item by size
Small, medium and large prices, with examples of each so customers can sort their own boxes. Our template charges $25, $60 and $120 per item in the US, plus a $40 call-out fee.
By the hour
Your time at an hourly rate, with a minimum per visit. It covers you on complex pieces like sliding-door wardrobes or beds with storage drawers, but customers can't see the total in advance.
Room packages
A set price for a group of items, like a bedroom or a home office. It suits people who've just moved in. Spell out which items the package covers.
Sample furniture assembly price list
The prices in our template, as a list you can adapt. Percentages change the price of the job; fixed-price extras are added on top.
| Item | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base price, every job | $40 | £30 | A$60 | CA$55 |
| Small items, per item | $25 | £20 | A$40 | CA$35 |
| Medium items, per item | $60 | £50 | A$90 | CA$80 |
| Large items, per item | $120 | £95 | A$180 | CA$160 |
| Anchor furniture to the wall | +$30 | +£25 | +A$45 | +CA$40 |
| Take the packaging away | +$25 | +£20 | +A$40 | +CA$35 |
| Minimum job price | $90 | £70 | A$140 | CA$120 |
Put this price list on your website
Customers answer a few questions about the job, see the price and send you their details. This is our furniture assembly quote form with the prices above. Try it as a customer would, then start from these prices and change any of them.
Flatpack Fixers
Furniture assembly price
Count your boxes by size and see the price.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Charging the same for every item. A wardrobe with sliding doors takes far longer than a chair. Price by size, and move awkward pieces up a band.
- Anchoring for free. Finding a stud, drilling and fitting straps takes time and the right fixings for the wall. Our template adds $30 in the US for anchoring to the wall.
- Taking the packaging away for nothing. A bedroom's worth of cardboard and foam can fill a car. Our template charges $25 in the US to take it away.
- Skipping the call-out fee. Driving across town to build one stool loses you money. Our template adds $40 to every job and has a $90 minimum in the US.
- Not asking what they bought. Get the product names or links and look up the instructions. A bookcase can be a 20-minute job or a two-hour one.
Not sure what your time is worth? Work out your hourly rate with the pricing calculator, then check your job prices cover it.
Questions
- How much should I charge for furniture assembly?
- Set a price per item by size, add a call-out fee, and price extras like anchoring separately. Time yourself on a few common pieces to check the prices meet your hourly target.
- Should I charge by the hour or per item?
- Per item suits most flat-pack jobs, because customers can count their boxes. Switch to hourly for pieces you haven't built before, or jobs with a lot of fixing to walls.
- How do I price IKEA furniture assembly?
- Like any flat-pack, by size. Ask for the product names first, so you can look up the instructions and spot big systems with doors and drawers that belong in your large band or above it.
- What if parts are missing or damaged?
- Say in your terms that a return visit costs extra. A smaller call-out fee for the second trip is fair to you and the customer.
- How do I put my assembly prices on my website?
- Make a quote form where customers count their items by size and tick extras like anchoring. They see the price straight away, and you arrive knowing what you're building.