Often times we get persons calling our office wanting a quote for assembly without wanting or having to provide the necessary information. As contractors, the last thing we want to do when quoting our services is to give a vague or "ballpark," quote. We like to provide our clients with exact quotes. Exact quoting leaves no room for misinterpretation on either parties end and lets the client know ahead of time what they'll be paying up front.
The more information the client provides about a product they want built/installed, the more accurate the quote. We receive calls and emails daily asking for quotes like; "how much do you charge to build a desk?" The answer to that question is based on....What type of desk? Who makes it? What is the retail cost of the desk? How labor involved is the desk?  There are literally hundreds maybe even thousands of different types of desks, Prices in our industry are usually based on a per item basis or flat rate, rather than quoted by the hour.* The per item fee basis is a combination of how long that particular item takes to build -labor wise, and many other factors like: the price of the product itself (yes it matters somewhat), and other considerations to arrive at a quote. We never advertise our services as being the "cheapest," we're not. Cheap implies inferior. We don't want that label. 
For us, it's not about offering the lowest prices, but rather....being the friendlest and most efficient, providing the best craftsmanship, and the best customer service, at a fair but competive price, all tailored to the needs of that individual client. Keep in mind that out of the $65.00 we may charge to build a small desk, the installer only gets a portion of that. Out of that same $65.00 amount, he has to pay for gas/auto expenses, several different insurances, uniform maintenance, licenses, tools, cleaning/touchup supplies, cell phone expense, etc. All of those expenses must be figured into the equation when determining and/or providing an assembly quote. As I often say, no one to my knowledge is getting rich in this industry....anytime soon! In years past the formula for setting the assembly price was 33% of the overall retail price of the product itself. That works OK for large orders but when the item is $19.00 it doesn't work so well. That's why service companies have minimums. Chair assembly fees usually range from $15-$30, but if the installer has to travel 100 miles roundtrip to build a chair set at a $15.00 fee, it would result in him paying much more than he would make.To get an exact quote for services....please provide us with the following information when calling or emailing us:
 
  • The item number-commonly referred to as SKU/model/unit/article- number, usually found on receipt, website, or item carton.
  • The retail company or place where you purchased the item, eg., IKEA, Costco, Office Depot.
  • What the item/product is; desk, bookcase, treadmill,
  • The quantity...how many of each; 2-desks, 1-file 
  • Who the manufacturer is; Sauder, Bush, Florenzia
  • What city the assembly will take place in; Temecula, San Diego, Los Angeles  
  • What day/time your preference for service is; Tues-am, Sat-late afternoon,  

We rarely match prices with other companies that provide assembly and/or installation services....WHY? Because most other companies are not legitimately licensed (possessing a CA. State License),  Therefore, as a result, we are held to higher standards and ultimately pay more $$$$ for everything; licensing, insurance, taxes, legal, and other misc. fees that the other guys don't. 
Robert's Assembly and Installation is a company fully in compliance with all licensing laws, background checked, finger printed and cleared, so YOU the client can rest assured that your product is literally in "good hands," when our installers are at your residence, or place of business!PLEASE NOTE: Larger jobs like entire office cubicle systems, kitchens, closet systems, etc. are not quoted by phone, but in writing AFTER we have had the opportunity to visit the site in person.
* In rare instances we charge by the hour $79.00 per hour, per installer, (considered straight labor rates) when product information is not available. FYI-No discounts are given on straight labor rates, or misc. fees like: pickup/delivery, room to room furniture moving, upstairs/downstairs flight fees, carton haul away.