Finding a Qualified IKEA Cabinet Installer for Your IKEA Kitchen

Expert advice for finding an IKEA cabinet installer in your area

One of the most important decisions you can make with your IKEA kitchen is whether to assemble and install your IKEA cabinets yourself or hire an IKEA cabinet installer.

While there are many examples of successful DIY IKEA kitchen installations, we can tell you there are clear benefits to finding a qualified IKEA cabinet installer. And there are useful tips that will help you narrow down your search — whether you are a first-timer or an experienced DIYer.

For instance, while you research examples of IKEA kitchen designs on Web sites like HOUZZ and Pinterest, you also want to make sure you research the right professional for the job. You want to take into account the geographic areas they serve, if their company installs and understands IKEA cabinets, and whether their company provides other services, like moving electrical and plumbing, if needed.

Understanding these issues (among others) will help you make a clear decision about your project and, more importantly, save you time and money. It will also eliminate extra trips to your local IKEA as you try to figure out why your IKEA cabinets aren’t aligning properly! (Note: We’ve recently been referenced by Martha Stewart Living as experts on how to reduce kitchen renovation costs).

With this in mind, IKEA customers deciding on whether to hire an IKEA cabinet installer will surely appreciate the following information. It will help you determine if hiring a qualified IKEA cabinet installer is right for you.

Let’s take a look!

Why Hire an IKEA Cabinet Installer?

You may be thinking to yourself “I’m smart, how hard can it be to assemble IKEA cabinets?” Well, assembling IKEA cabinets are actually trickier — and more time consuming — than you might imagine.

“Experienced contractors refuse to touch IKEA cabinets and that’s why I’m in business,” says Michael O., owner of IBEABuilder in San Francisco, CA.

Specifically, IKEA cabinets are different than regular cabinets as they are installed on a railing system. Also, it takes two adults around eight hours to assemble 10 IKEA cabinets (the average IKEA kitchen has 20 cabinets).

There are several advantages to hiring an IKEA cabinet installer rather than DIY:

• A professional can ensure your kitchen will look and function perfectly.
• It’s a warranty issue. Many IKEA cabinet installers will not warranty the cabinets if they were assembled or installed by the customer.
• You may not be equipped to cut fillers or to align cabinets to create the built-in look.
• Additional labor beyond the cabinet installation will be handled properly. This includes potentially moving plumbing, electrical, aligning cabinets, legs, doors, drawers, aligning the rail (where cabinets hold against the wall), drilling into the cabinet itself, installing appliances, countertops, etc.
• Hiring a professional IKEA cabinet installer will save time and money in the end.

“For a kitchen you need to look at the overall cost of everything. You’ve got demo, cabinets, countertops, the backsplash and appliances. And if you’re trying to save $1,000 on labor you’re making a huge mistake,” Michael O. adds.

Using Social Media to Find Installers

You can take advantage of social media to find qualified IKEA installers too.

For instance, simply Google “IKEA installers” or “IKEA kitchen installation” and add your city or state. Or try Yelp, HOUZZ and Facebook. These are all useful online tools. Again, you can search for “IKEA installers” or “IKEA kitchen installation” based on zip code.

(Remember, just because an installer or a general contractor is in your area does not mean they know how to install IKEA cabinets!)

You really want to vet them properly. So after you find an installer in your area, visit that company’s Web site and check if they provide IKEA installation. If they don’t list IKEA installation as a service then email or call them and ask. Also, look on Yelp, HOUZZ or Google reviews and search the newest reviews (or at least the reviews from last year to the present). Lastly, see if the company has a social media account and check to see how responsive they are, especially with emails, phone calls, areas served and zip codes.

It’s simpler to find a qualified IKEA installer than you might’ve thought. In the end, hiring an IKEA installation specialist will put much less strain on your nerves — and your bank account — during the installation of your IKEA kitchen.