How to Prepare for a Furniture Assembly Visit in Toronto

Clear the Space

The single biggest time-saver is having the room ready before the assembler arrives. Move existing furniture out of the assembly area, roll up rugs that would be in the way, and make sure there's 4–6 feet of clear floor space around where the piece will be assembled.

Building a dresser in the centre of a clear room takes less time than working in a cluttered space where every step requires moving something out of the way. At $30/hr, clearing the room yourself saves real money.

Open the Boxes

Open all boxes and lay out the hardware and panels before the visit. This lets you spot missing or damaged parts before assembly starts — not mid-job when it's too late to easily swap. For IKEA pieces, check that the hardware bags match the step list on the first instruction page.

Don't need to sort everything — just open and do a quick visual check. If a panel is cracked or a hardware bag is missing, contact the retailer before the assembly visit, not during.

Decide Placement

Know where the piece is going before assembly starts. Assembling a dresser and then deciding it belongs on the other side of the room means either moving it assembled (heavy, risks damage) or partially disassembling it. For pieces that will go against a wall, know which wall before the first screw goes in.

For TV mounting, decide on height before the assembler arrives. The standard is eye-level when seated — typically 42–48 inches to the centre of the screen. If you have a preference different from standard, have it ready to communicate at the start.

Have Product Info Ready

For IKEA, have the product link or article number. For complex pieces like PAX wardrobes or BESTA systems, knowing the exact configuration (which doors, which hinges, which inserts) saves the time of figuring it out at the start. The IKEA order confirmation email is the fastest reference.

For non-IKEA flat-pack, have the instruction booklet out of the box. Some Amazon and Wayfair pieces come with instructions that are printed in a small format and buried under the foam — having it accessible at the start saves the dig.