Sample project Illustrative photography

Flat-pack bookcase assembly

A pine bookcase built in the corner it was bought for, levelled on an old floor and strapped to the wall.

Example setting: a living room in a Heaton terrace.

Job type: Flat-pack assembly
Example area: Heaton, NE6
Visit: One short visit
Also on the list: Two picture frames

Flat-pack bookcase assembly: a light pine bookcase in a room corner with books and a trailing pothos plant on top

The brief

What the job involved

A tall pine bookcase arrives in two long boxes. It needs to go in the alcove beside the chimney breast, where the floorboards dip slightly towards the wall.

Small children visit, so it has to be fixed to the wall. There are also two frames to hang on the same wall while the drill is out.

Scope of work

Unpack and check every panel and fixing against the parts list
Assemble the bookcase in the room, not the hallway
Pack the feet so it stands level on the uneven boards
Fit the supplied anti-tip strap into the brick wall with suitable plugs
Set the adjustable shelves at the heights asked for
Hang two picture frames on the same wall, level with each other
Flatten the boxes and bag the plastic for recycling

Illustrative approach

How we would go about it

Step 1: Before the visit
The product link and a photo of the alcove are enough to confirm the bookcase fits and to bring the right wall plugs.
Step 2: Check first
Counting the fixings takes a few minutes and avoids finding a missing cam lock halfway through.
Step 3: Build in place
Tall units are built where they will stand, so there is no tipping one up through a doorway.
Step 4: Level and fix
Thin packers under the front feet take up the dip in the floor. The strap goes into brick, not just plaster.