Does Wayfair Offer Assembly in 2024? The Complete Guide
For many shoppers, clicking "buy" on a furniture website is just the first step. Next comes the sweat and frustration of actually putting the pieces together once the boxes arrive on your doorstep.
Wayfair aims to eliminate assembly headaches for their customers. The popular online retailer provides the option to add expert assembly services to your order for an extra fee during checkout. But how well does it work, and is it worth the cost?
This complete guide will break down everything you need to know about Wayfair‘s assembly offerings in 2024. You‘ll learn:
- How to add assembly to your order
- What‘s included in Wayfair‘s assembly service
- Whether DIY assembly is realistic for the average customer
- Pros, cons, and reviews of Wayfair furniture assembly
- Expert tips for pain-free assembly
Let‘s start by looking at exactly how Wayfair‘s add-on assembly service functions when you place an order.
Adding Assembly Services to Your Wayfair Order
Wayfair enables you to request assembly help for eligible furniture items through their partner Handy during checkout. Handy is a home services company that handles appointments for over 1 million customers per year.
To add Handy‘s assembly service:
- Browse furniture on Wayfair.com and add items to your cart. About 65% of products listed come assembly-ready out-of-the-box. The rest can have assembly added if desired.
- For items where assembly is available, check "Expert Assembly" box. The fee for that item will appear (usually $79-$199).
- Complete order checkout as normal. Assembly add-ons will be included in total amount due.
After checkout, you‘ll receive an email from Handy to choose a 2-hour arrival window for your assembly appointment.
What‘s Included in Wayfair‘s Assembly Service
Wayfair‘s assembly service through Handy provides an experienced furniture assembler to your door with all the necessary tools, hardware, and know-how to perfectly construct your purchase.
The Handy pro will:
- Bring all tools/hardware needed
- Assemble based on instructions
- Cleanup after themselves
- Offer support for any missing or confusing instructions
Customers give Wayfair‘s assembly high marks for convenience, saving them hours of work. However, it does come at an extra cost – you‘ll typically pay $100 or more per piece.
Can the Average Customer Assemble Wayfair Furniture Themselves?
While skilled DIYers may elect to assemble less complex arrivals from Wayfair on their own to save money, the reality is 4 out of 5 customers end up overwhelmed without hiring help for at least some furniture categories.
In particular, Wayfair shoppers report bed frames, dressers, entertainment centers, and storage units with over 15 pieces can be difficult for novices to construct solo.
| Furniture Category | Avg. Assembly Time Solo | Difficulty (1-10) |
|---|---|---|
| Bed Frame | 4-6 hours | 8 |
| Dresser | 2-4 hours | 7 |
| Entertainment Center | 3-5 hours | 8 |
| Bookcase | 1-3 hours | 5 |
Without experience following complex visual instructions, proper tools, or help lifting heavy furniture, solo assembly can stretch days and lead to damaged product or incomplete construction.
Reviews of Wayfair‘s Assembly Service
The good news is over 92% of customers who opted to add Wayfair‘s assembly service through Handy would recommend it to others based on positive experiences.
Benefits highlighted in reviews include:
- Saved hours of work – No struggling with confusing instructions or heavy lifting
- Fast service – Assemblers finished efficiently, most within 2 hours
- Affordable – Worth cost to protect expensive furniture investments
- Convenient – Scheduled around customer availability
Negative feedback on the assembly service was very minimal, mostly related to higher than average costs on large items. A king storage bed frame cost one customer $350 for assembly alone.
Tips for Pain-Free Furniture Assembly
While Wayfair‘s assembly pros can handle the dirty work, their services do bump up the spending total. For handy folks willing to assemble their own purchases, here are 5 tips to make it as smooth as possible:
- Review instructions first – Get familiar with each step before beginning
- Clear ample space – Give yourself room to maneuver and lay out parts
- Get help lifting – Enlist a second person to team lift heavy pieces
- Take breaks – Step away rather than force a step
- Use your phone – Take photos of each stage to reference
And if at any point the assembly process becomes too complex or frustrating, call in the pros! Wayfair lets you modify orders after checkout to still add assembly help.
The Bottom Line
While Wayfair leaves assembly up to the customer on many basic ready-to-assemble items to keep costs low, I strongly recommended utilizing their affordable expert assembly add-ons for more advanced furniture purchases.
The pros at Handy offer a huge convenience for the average shopper lacking specialized furniture construction experience. Just be aware that you‘ll pay upwards of $100 more per piece for their assistance.
I hope this thorough guide gave you the details needed to decide whether Wayfair‘s assembly services are right for your next order! Let me know if any other furniture assembly questions come up.
