The box arrives, it is heavier than expected, the instructions are pictures only and there are 214 pieces in little bags. Some people enjoy putting flat-pack furniture together. Plenty of people do not, and large items like wardrobes, bunk beds and tall drawers really need two people and a bit of experience to get right.

Leongatha Handyman assembles flat-pack furniture in homes, rentals, holiday houses and offices across Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North, Meeniyan, Inverloch and the surrounding district. We build it square, check every fixing, anchor tall pieces to the wall and take away the packaging if you want.

What we assemble

• Wardrobes, including sliding and hinged-door wardrobes
• Beds, bunk beds and loft beds
• Chests of drawers and bedside tables
• Bookcases and shelving units
• Desks and office chairs
• TV units and entertainment cabinets
• Dining tables and chairs
• Kitchen and laundry storage units
• Kids’ furniture, cots and change tables
• Outdoor furniture and storage boxes
• Garden sheds’ small storage units and potting benches
• Gym equipment’ simple frames such as benches and racks

We assemble furniture from all the major retailers. If you live in Leongatha and have ordered online or brought it home from a bigger centre such as Wonthaggi, Warragul or Melbourne, we can put it together in your home.

Why professional assembly helps

Tall furniture must be anchored

Tall wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers can tip over if a child climbs on them or drawers are pulled out together. Furniture tip-overs cause serious injuries to young children in Australia every year. Most flat-pack furniture comes with anchoring hardware, but the fixings supplied often suit only one type of wall. We anchor tall pieces into studs or masonry using fixings suited to your wall.

Built square, built once

A wardrobe that is assembled out of square will have doors that never close properly. Cam locks that are over-tightened strip the chipboard. Dowels that are missed weaken joints. We follow the instructions, check alignment as we go and adjust doors and drawers at the end so everything runs smoothly.

Big pieces need two people

Large wardrobes are built lying down and then stood up. In a room with a low ceiling, that needs careful planning. We work out the order before starting so the unit can be raised without scraping the ceiling or stressing the joints.

Assembly and installation

Assembly often comes with related jobs, and we can do them in the same visit:

• Anchoring furniture to the wall
• Mounting a TV above a new entertainment unit
• Fitting wall shelves and hooks
• Hanging mirrors
• Moving furniture between rooms
• Removing and disposing of the old furniture

Before we arrive

• Leave the boxes in or near the room where the furniture will go.
• Clear space to lay out panels.
• Do not open the boxes and mix up the hardware if you can avoid it.
• Tell us the items, brands and model names when you request a quote so we can estimate the time.

Packaging and rubbish

Flat-pack packaging fills a lot of space. We flatten cardboard and can take away the packaging, or leave it neatly for your recycling. We can also remove old furniture you are replacing.

For holiday houses and rentals

Setting up a holiday house or furnished rental often means assembling several items at once: beds, bedside tables, drawers, outdoor settings. We can work through everything in one visit and set up the rooms.

Flat pack in the country

Living in South Gippsland means a lot of furniture arrives in boxes. Whether it was ordered online and delivered to the door, picked up from a store in Melbourne on a day trip, or bought locally in Leongatha, flat-pack furniture often sits in the garage waiting for a free weekend. Leongatha Handyman assembles it properly, safely and without the frustration, so it is ready to use the same day.

We assemble furniture for homes, rentals, holiday houses, offices, schools, clinics and community groups across Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North, Meeniyan, Inverloch and nearby towns.

What we assemble

• wardrobes, including large sliding-door units
• beds, bunk beds and loft beds
• chests of drawers, bedside tables and dressers
• bookcases, shelving units and storage systems
• desks, office chairs and filing cabinets
• dining tables and chairs
• TV units and entertainment cabinets
• kids’ furniture, cots and change tables
• outdoor furniture, garden storage boxes and small sheds
• kitchen pantry units and storage cupboards
• trampolines and playground equipment, following the manufacturer’s instructions
• gym equipment such as benches and racks

Doing it properly

Flat-pack furniture is only as solid as its assembly. Over-tightened cam locks strip particleboard, missed dowels weaken joints, and backs left unnailed let cabinets rack and wobble. We follow the manufacturer’s instructions, check every part against the parts list before we start, use the correct fixings, and do not overtighten. Drawers and doors are adjusted so they open smoothly and line up.

Anchoring tall furniture

Tall furniture such as wardrobes, bookcases and chests of drawers must be anchored to the wall to stop them tipping over. This is especially important in homes with young children. Most flat-pack furniture comes with an anchor kit, but the wall fixing it includes is often not suitable for plasterboard or masonry. We locate studs or use appropriate fixings for your wall, and fit anti-tip straps or brackets properly.

Big boxes and tight spaces

Older homes in Leongatha and Korumburra often have narrow halls, tight corners and steep stairs. Assembling large wardrobes in the room where they will go saves trying to manoeuvre a finished unit through a doorway. We measure first, and if a unit will not fit when assembled, such as a tall wardrobe that cannot be stood up under a low ceiling, we tell you before we start.

Outdoor items

Outdoor furniture, storage boxes and small garden sheds need extra care in South Gippsland’s weather. Exposed fixings should be stainless or galvanised, sheds must be anchored to resist wind, and timber items benefit from a coat of oil before use. For coastal homes in Inverloch and Venus Bay, salt air quickly corrodes standard screws.

Missing or damaged parts

Sometimes a box arrives with a cracked panel or a missing bag of screws. We check everything before starting so you can contact the retailer quickly. Where possible we can source common fixings locally so the job does not have to wait.

Removing packaging

Flat-pack furniture produces a mountain of cardboard and polystyrene. We flatten and stack it for your recycling, or take it away if you prefer.

Offices, schools and community spaces

Businesses and organisations in Leongatha, Korumburra and the smaller towns often take delivery of several desks, chairs, filing cabinets and storage units at once. We assemble them in place, check that height-adjustable desks and chairs work correctly and anchor tall storage to the wall. For schools, kindergartens, clinics and community halls, we can work after hours or during holidays so there is no disruption. We bring enough tools to work efficiently and keep the area tidy throughout.

Kids’ rooms and bunk beds

Bunk beds and loft beds need to be assembled exactly to the instructions, with every bolt in place and the guard rails secured. We double-check the ladder and rails, make sure the mattress size suits the guard rail height, and fix the unit to the wall where the instructions recommend it. Cots and change tables are checked for gaps and stability. These are not jobs to rush, and we take the time to get them right.

Holiday houses and rentals

Owners of holiday houses at Inverloch, Venus Bay and Tarwin Lower often refurnish between seasons. We can collect keys, take delivery of boxes, assemble everything and remove the packaging before guests arrive, so the house is ready for summer. For furnished rentals, we can assemble replacement items between tenants.

Moving house

When you move into a new home in Leongatha or nearby, the furniture that was taken apart for the move needs to go back together. We reassemble beds, wardrobes and desks, hang mirrors and art and fit curtain rods in the same visit, so the house feels like home quickly.

Second-hand flat pack

Furniture bought second-hand often arrives partly assembled with missing screws, damaged cam locks or stripped holes. We repair stripped holes with dowels and glue, replace missing hardware where standard parts are available, and tell you honestly if a piece is not worth saving.

Before we arrive

Have the boxes in or near the room where the furniture will go, clear enough floor space to lay out the parts, and let us know what you have bought so we can plan the time needed. For large orders, a list of items helps us schedule the day.

Assembly tips if you are doing it yourself

If you decide to tackle a smaller item yourself, a few tips help. Sort and count the fixings first. Read the whole instruction booklet before starting. Use a hand screwdriver for the final turns so you do not strip the particleboard. Assemble on a rug or the flattened box to protect the floor and the panels. And if a step looks wrong, stop and recheck; it is much easier to fix early than to dismantle half a wardrobe.

Taking furniture apart

We also dismantle flat-pack furniture for a move, a renovation or disposal. Fixings are bagged and labelled by unit so it goes back together easily at the new place, whether that is across Leongatha or further afield. Pieces that are no longer wanted can be taken away with your other rubbish on the same visit, or set aside for a local op shop if they are still in good condition.

Adjusting doors and drawers

After assembly, wardrobe doors and drawer fronts nearly always need fine adjustment so the gaps are even and they close softly. We adjust every hinge and runner before we leave, and show you how to tweak them later if the furniture settles on an uneven floor.

Where we assemble

Leongatha, Korumburra, Mirboo North, Meeniyan, Koonwarra, Dumbalk, Inverloch, Tarwin Lower, Nyora, Loch, Poowong and surrounding rural areas.

Frequently asked questions