Resources Blog

October 01, 2021

Moving, in general, is always a stressful process. That said, some things are much harder to move than others.

Most of the time, the hardest items to move will be your large furniture pieces. Some will be too bulky to get through the door or down the stairs. Others will have fragile parts that could get damaged during a relocation.

If you're planning a move, this can put you in a bind. Should you disassemble furniture yourself or have the movers do it? Will the movers even accept to take your furniture apart—and how much would this cost?

As always, the best way to make a decision is to carefully consider your options. Here's all you need to know about assembling and disassembling your furniture during a move.

Will Movers Assemble and Disassemble Furniture?

As a general rule, yes: moving companies will assemble and disassemble your furniture. They'll also charge extra for this service.

As mentioned above, you'll need to take apart some items to move them safely. These may include bed frames, cabinets, wardrobes, large dining room tables, and so on.

If you opt to have movers disassemble these items, the cost will vary on several factors. These include the type of your move, the complexity of the job, and the moving company's tariffs.

If you're moving locally, the company will charge you its hourly rate. The total cost of moving will depend on how many hours the moving crew needs to finish the job. Needless to say, requesting additional services will make the move last longer.

For long-distance moves, movers will charge for their services by weight. In this case, the moving crew that dismantled your furniture may not be the same one that unloads it. If this happens, you may have to put the items back together yourself.

Should You Do the Assembly and Disassembly Yourself?

If you don't want to pay extra, you can disassemble and assemble the furniture yourself. That said, this method has its drawbacks as well.

For starters, dismantling furniture requires the right tools, an instruction manual, and some help. If you haven't done this before, it's also likely to take a lot of time and effort. Plus, there's always the risk of damaging some of the more delicate furniture.

The movers will have everything they need to finish the job as soon as possible. They'll come prepared with advanced tools, packing supplies, and property protection materials. They're also likely to have more experience than you when it comes to disassembly.

In essence, having the movers deal with furniture assembly allows you to trade money for time. It also ensures peace of mind, easing the stress of moving. You're the only one who can decide what that's worth to you.

Keep in mind that some furniture may not be a great candidate for moving. If a piece is too worn out or needs extensive repairs, you may be better off selling it. The same applies if a piece isn't likely to fit in your new place.

What Items Do Movers Usually Take Apart?

When moving preassembled items, it can be tough to decide whether to take them apart or not.

Both options have their pros and cons. If you leave an item in one piece, you save time and avoid potential assembly issues. Taking it apart makes it easier to carry and reduces the risk of damage during the move.

Fortunately, some large pieces will make the decision for you. Here are four types of furniture that you'll almost always need to disassemble:

Beds

King- and queen-size beds can often be difficult to maneuver. The good news is that they tend to be easy to disassemble. All you need to do is disconnect the screws connecting the bed frame to the mattress slats.

Bunk beds and beds with trundle drawers are a different story. These and other complicated types of beds are better left to professionals.

Dressers and Wardrobes

Wardrobes are quite bulky, so they're not often moved in one piece. Even if you have a small dresser, take out any shelves before moving furniture. You may also need to detach the doors, or at least secure them to the frame.

Most triple wardrobes and some double wardrobes should be fully dismantled. They're too wide and too tall to fit through the door in one piece.

Cabinets and Bookshelves

It's very hard to move cabinets and other wall units without taking them apart. This is a complex process, as you need to reverse the order of assembly. This task is best left to experienced movers.

As for stand-alone shelving like bookshelves, they're much easier to take apart. If they have floating shelves, lift them off and pack them separately. If the shelves are part of the bookcase, unscrew the bolts that hold them together.

Large Tables

Disassembling a large table will make it much easier to move through narrow spaces. Most tables are easy enough to take apart, but you should leave the complex leg fixings to the movers. The same applies to vanity tables and other delicate surfaces.

Particle Board Furniture

Furniture items made of particle board aren't great candidates for moving. Most of these items are prone to breaking, and it's best to assemble them in the room they'll be in.

What Items Will Movers Refuse to Disassemble?

Though most movers offer disassembly services, they won't take apart everything.

For example, movers tend to avoid disassembling antiques and pool tables. They're also unlikely to take apart pieces that are nailed or glued together. Most of the time, they won't have the wood-specific expertise to deal with these items.

Get Professionals to Move Your Furniture!

The bottom line: moving is tough enough without having to take apart your furniture. Having the movers disassemble furniture may not be cheap, but it's usually worth the money. This is particularly true if you have many bulky, fragile, or valuable pieces.

Before making your decision, consider your moving options as well. Moving trucks are fine, but The Storage Box is a quick, affordable, and professional alternative. Contact us here to learn more about why we're the right company for you!