Online furniture prices look great—until the boxes arrive. What seems like a quick project often turns into a multi-hour build involving dozens (or hundreds) of parts. At Handy Homes, we assemble furniture every week for members and non-members. Here’s what really goes into assembly—and why the “cheap” online price rarely includes the true cost of your time.
Most flat-pack furniture isn’t complicated—it’s repetitive. Each piece requires a sequence of steps:
Multiply these steps by dozens—or sometimes hundreds—of parts. Many furniture pieces include 150–300 components, and each one requires multiple actions. That’s why a “simple” build often becomes a multi-hour project.
Product: Fameill / Makeup Vanity Desk with Mirror, Lights & Storage
Time to Assemble, Test & Install: 4.5 hours
Around 200 total parts
Even though this vanity looks small, the drawer rails, hardware packs, and LED wiring add significant time.
Time to Assemble, Test & Install: 8 hours
This model included over 350 pieces
This is the kind of project that looks simple online but becomes a major build once the boxes are opened. Each of the 11 drawers is made up of 10 pieces and about a dozen fasteners. The rails have to be mounted to both the desk and drawer. If each drawer takes 7 minutes that's well over an hour.