Build-It-Yourself Furniture

Identification

• When you open the box, in most cases, you will find flat, broken-down furniture pieces, hardware such wing nuts and screws, and instructions. The more well-known, higher-end brands of build-it-yourself furniture like Ikea also often provide one-time-use tools, such as a screwdriver. This is convenient, as there is no need for you to buy one or spend time rummaging for one in your tool box.

Time Frame

• Putting together build-it-yourself furniture can take anywhere from approximately 15 minutes, for a small item such as a nightstand, to about three hours for larger pieces like shelving units. If you have bought lower-end items, which unfortunately sometimes come without instructions or with the wrong hardware, then be prepared to spend a long time on assembly. These time estimations will vary depending on how efficiently you work and how fast you are able to make sense of the assembly process if you have never done this before.

Benefits

• One of the advantages of build-it-yourself furniture is that it is often cheaper than pre-assembled items. A lack of high storage and transportation costs allows the store to sell build-it-yourself furniture at a competitive price. There are no pricey delivery fees for the customer to pay since he transports the items home himself. Build-it-yourself furniture is, therefore, a common and affordable option for college students decorating their first apartment or anyone else who does not have a big furniture budget. Using ready-to-assemble furniture can also be rewarding because you can be proud of your work every time you sit at the desk that you put together yourself.

Disadvantages

• However, there is a downside to this seemingly easy activity, especially if you buy lower-end items. Built from cheaper materials, they tend to break easily--for example if you accidentally put your all of your weight onto the wrong spot. Also, sometimes it is not clear how to assemble an item, especially if it is your first time putting furniture together. Picture instructions that do not describe assembly steps in writing do not always clearly differentiate between various hardware pieces. This can make the instructions more confusing than helpful. In the end, such frustrations may make you regret buying build-it-yourself furniture and wish that you had paid more for ready-to-use items.

Prevention/Solution

• Saving money on build-it-yourself furniture can be quite tempting despite its disadvantages. If you are set on putting your furniture together yourself, then consider opting for higher-end products. Not only are they likely to last longer, but they also often come with a help-line number to call in case you have problems with assembly.
  You can also strategically split your budget between build-it-yourself and pre-assembled furniture. Choose build-it-yourself products for the smaller, less important items in your home. This way, you won't be devastated if they do not last you a long time. Buy preassembled pieces when shopping for key items such as a couch or a dining room table. While more expensive, these are quality investments to ensure that your home looks great for a long time.