By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
Step1
Take vital measurements with you when you shop: lengths of walls, wall height under windows, width of stairwell and so forth.
Step2
Look at the joinery on the floor samples. The pieces should fit together tightly, without wobbles.
Step3
Check the floor samples for damage such as chipped veneer. This type of damage is difficult to impossible to repair, and if a floor sample shows signs of serious problems, it's reasonable to expect that your furniture will experience the same fate.
Step4
Choose pieces that are substantial and heavy. Flimsy pieces will be more easily damaged when moved and just won't hold up as well when loaded with books or electronics.
Step5
Ask about the instructions. Some foreign-made pieces have instructions that were badly translated into English, although some U.S. retailers are rewriting for clarity.
Step6
Ask whether there's a manufacturer's help line if you have a question while assembling your purchase.
Step7
Find out how long the piece typically takes to assemble. If you're not handy, you'll probably want to add to the time, but it gives you a starting point for deciding whether this is a project you want to tackle.
Step8
Look at the instructions if possible to find out what tools you'll need for assembly (a power screwdriver can be a godsend) and to see whether they're easy to follow.
Step9
Talk to the salesperson about having someone else assemble the piece if you decide the job isn't for you. Most stores can put you in touch with an independent assembly service or, for an additional cost, will assemble the piece for you.
Step10
Ask about the store's return policy. Be aware that it's sometimes difficult to get pieces back in the box exactly as they were originally packed, so beware if that's a condition for returning merchandise.
Comments
selen said
on 6/9/2008 checkout http://www.getafurniture.com i saw some at their web site.
visiondecor said
on 11/6/2007 There are a lot of good furniture companies you can purchase from. It might be a good idea to contact their customer service department and ask a few questions about their shipping provider and manufacturer. Make sure they are respectable services because it will indicate if they are a respectable vendor.
If you decide to purchase RTA furniture. Ask to make sure the company can provide parts (in case you can't assemble something correctly). And make sure they have a good return policy (in case you received your item damaged.) However, if you talk to a customer service representative they have all your valid information.
Remember, furniture is quite large, it takes time to pack and ship.
mwilson said
on 5/3/2007 Any one know of some particularily bad RTA furniture companies? in the home theater area... looking to buy a TV stand.