How much to charge for furniture assembly
Furniture assembly is billed hourly with a minimum, or flat-rate per item once you know your speed. Complex flat-pack wardrobes and beds eat far more time than they look, so per-item pricing usually pays better.
You should charge
$64
per hour · typical $40–$120
Why this number. Move to per-item flat pricing once you know your pace, and set a minimum visit fee. Hourly punishes you for getting fast at the same wardrobe you have built fifty times; a flat per-item price rewards it.
Typical furniture assembly prices
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Small item (per item) | $40 – $80 |
| Large item (wardrobe, bed) | $80 – $200 |
| Hourly rate | $40 – $100 |
What changes the price
- Item complexity (shelf vs. wardrobe)
- Number of items
- Brand (some flat-pack is notoriously slow)
- Packaging haul-away
The pricing move most people miss
Move to per-item flat pricing once you know your pace, and set a minimum visit fee. Hourly punishes you for getting fast at the same wardrobe you have built fifty times; a flat per-item price rewards it.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for furniture assembly?+
Most furniture assembly is priced $40–$120 per hour, with a typical rate around $65 per hour. Where you land inside that range comes down mainly to item complexity (shelf vs. wardrobe) and number of items. Use the range as your anchor, then adjust up for experience, strong demand, and a higher cost-of-living area.
Should I charge by the hour or a flat rate for furniture assembly?+
Charging by the hour ($40–$120 per hour) is the simplest way to start and protects you when the scope is unclear. But once you know how long a typical job takes, a flat per-job price usually earns more: it pays you for getting faster instead of punishing you for it, and clients prefer a fixed number they can budget around.
How much should I charge for furniture assembly as a beginner?+
Starting out, price near the lower end of the range, roughly $40 to $65 per hour. Resist going below that to win work: a price that is too low attracts price-shoppers, signals low quality, and is hard to raise later. Once you have a few happy clients and reviews, move toward $120.
What affects how much furniture assembly costs?+
The biggest factors are item complexity (shelf vs. wardrobe); number of items; brand (some flat-pack is notoriously slow); packaging haul-away. Two jobs that look alike can price very differently once these are accounted for, which is why a quick walkthrough or a few questions before quoting protects your rate.
How do I quote furniture assembly so the client says yes?+
Move to per-item flat pricing once you know your pace, and set a minimum visit fee. Hourly punishes you for getting fast at the same wardrobe you have built fifty times; a flat per-item price rewards it. Put the quote in writing with exactly what is included, state the price once without apologizing for it, and give one clear next step. A confident, well-structured quote wins jobs at a higher price than a vague one at a lower price.