How to Prepare for IKEA Kitchen Installation Day

Preparation Is the Key to a Smooth Installation

After installing hundreds of IKEA kitchens across Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington DC, we can say with confidence: the best installations happen when homeowners are well prepared. A few hours of preparation can save days of delays and hundreds of dollars in unexpected costs.

This guide walks you through exactly what to do at every stage leading up to your installation day.

Two Weeks Before Installation

This is when the most important preparation happens. Skipping steps at this stage is the number one cause of installation delays.

Finalize Your Kitchen Plan

• Confirm your final IKEA kitchen design with your installer. Any changes after this point may require reordering parts and pushing back your installation date.
• Verify that your design accounts for all plumbing, electrical, and ventilation requirements.
• Double-check that your design includes all necessary filler pieces, cover panels, toe kicks, and trim pieces.

Order Everything You Need

• Place your IKEA kitchen order if you have not already. Include every item on your plan: cabinet frames, doors, drawer fronts, hinges, drawer slides, interior organizers, handles, cover panels, toe kicks, and lighting.
• Order 10 to 15 percent extra toe kick material and an extra box of handles as backup.
• Order your countertop material. If you are going with stone such as quartz or granite, contact your fabricator now. They will need to template after cabinet installation, and fabrication takes 5 to 10 business days.
• Order your sink, faucet, and any other fixtures that need to be installed with or immediately after the cabinets.

Arrange Licensed Tradespeople

• Plumber: Schedule a plumber for pre-installation rough-in if you are relocating plumbing, and for post-installation hookup of sink, dishwasher, garbage disposal, and gas lines.
• Electrician: Schedule an electrician for any new circuits, outlet relocations, or hardwired lighting installations. Most kitchens need at least a dedicated 20-amp circuit for the dishwasher and appropriate circuits for the range or cooktop.
• Book these professionals now. In our service area, good plumbers and electricians often have 2 to 4 week lead times.

Handle Permits If Needed

• If your project involves plumbing, electrical, or structural changes, apply for permits now. Processing times vary by location:

- Pennsylvania: Varies by municipality, typically 1 to 3 weeks

- Delaware: 1 to 2 weeks for most jurisdictions

- Maryland: 1 to 3 weeks depending on county

- Washington DC: 2 to 8 weeks through the Department of Buildings

• Your plumber and electrician should pull their own permits for their respective work.

One Week Before Installation

Verify Your IKEA Delivery

• Confirm your IKEA delivery date and ensure it arrives at least 3 to 5 days before installation day. This buffer is essential for catching problems.
• When the delivery arrives, open every single box and check the contents against your order and the IKEA parts list for each item. Look for:

- Missing boxes or items

- Damaged panels, doors, or drawer fronts including dents, scratches, and chipped edges

- Incorrect colors or sizes

• If anything is missing or damaged, contact IKEA immediately to arrange replacements. IKEA can ship individual parts quickly, but you need to catch issues early.

Verify Appliances

• Confirm that all appliances have been delivered or have a confirmed delivery date before installation.
• If appliances have not arrived yet, provide your installer with the specification sheets showing exact dimensions, so cabinets can be installed with the correct openings.
• Verify that any panel-ready appliances like integrated dishwashers or refrigerators include all necessary mounting hardware.

Confirm Pre-Installation Trades

• Confirm your plumber's and electrician's schedules for any rough-in work that needs to happen before cabinet installation.
• Rough-in work should be completed before installation day, not on the same day.

Start Clearing the Workspace

• Begin emptying your existing kitchen cabinets and drawers. This takes longer than you expect. Most families need 2 to 3 hours to fully clear a kitchen.
• Set up a temporary kitchen in another room. At minimum, you will need:

- A microwave or hot plate for cooking

- A small table or cart for prep space

- Access to a bathroom sink for water

- Paper plates and disposable utensils since your dishes will be packed away

- A cooler with ice or a mini-fridge for perishables

• Identify a staging area for your IKEA boxes. The installation team will need easy access to all components. A nearby room, garage, or covered porch works well. Do not stack boxes more than 3 to 4 high to prevent damage to contents.

The Day Before Installation

Complete Kitchen Clearing

• Remove all items from the kitchen including food, dishes, appliances, cleaning supplies, and everything else.
• Remove any wall decorations, clocks, or mounted items from kitchen walls.
• If your installation includes demolition of old cabinets, disconnect and move the refrigerator to a temporary location. Leave the stove or range disconnected if your plumber has already capped the gas line.

Protect Your Home

• Lay drop cloths or heavy paper on floors between the staging area and the kitchen. Installation generates dust and debris, and heavy cabinet boxes can scratch hardwood floors.
• If you have hardwood, tile, or any finished flooring in the kitchen that will remain, cover it with ram board or heavy cardboard secured with painter's tape. Never use regular tape on finished floors as it can damage the surface.
• Remove or cover nearby furniture and rugs in adjacent open rooms, especially if demolition is involved. Drywall dust travels surprisingly far.
• If you have pets, arrange for them to be in a separate, closed-off area of the home. An open front door and power tools are a dangerous combination for curious animals.

Ensure Access

• Clear a path from the front door or nearest entry point to the kitchen for moving in cabinet boxes and tools.
• If you live in a condo or apartment building, confirm your elevator reservation and any building-required floor protection in common areas.
• Ensure the installation team has adequate parking close to your home. For row houses in Philadelphia, Baltimore, or DC, discuss parking logistics with your installer in advance.

Installation Day: What to Expect

Morning Arrival

Your installation team will typically arrive between 8:00 and 9:00 AM. Here is what happens first:

1. Walk-through and review: The lead installer will review the kitchen plan with you, confirm cabinet placement, and discuss any last-minute questions or concerns.
2. Wall preparation: The team marks level reference lines on the walls and identifies stud locations. This is the foundation for a straight, solid installation.
3. Rail system installation: IKEA's SEKTION wall cabinets hang on a metal suspension rail. This rail must be perfectly level, and the team will verify this with a laser level.

During Installation

• The team will install wall cabinets first since it is much easier to install upper cabinets without lower cabinets in the way. Then they will install base cabinets.
• Expect noise from drills, saws, and hammering. These are all part of the process.
• Stay available but out of the way. Your installer may have questions about placement preferences, and decisions sometimes need to be made on the spot.
• Provide the team with access to a bathroom and let them know where they can take breaks.

End of Day

• At the end of each installation day, the team will do a basic cleanup and walk you through what was completed and what is planned for the next day if applicable.
• They will ensure your home is secure with no open walls, exposed wiring, or trip hazards left overnight.

After Installation: Your Inspection Checklist

Once the cabinets are installed and doors and drawers are mounted, go through this checklist before your installer leaves:

Alignment and Fit

• All cabinet doors are aligned and even with consistent gaps between doors and no doors sitting higher or lower than their neighbors
• All drawers open and close smoothly without catching or rubbing
• Soft-close hinges and drawer slides engage properly so doors and drawers close slowly and silently for the last inch
• Cover panels and filler pieces are flush and secure
• Toe kicks are installed and continuous with no visible gaps

Structural Integrity

• All cabinets are firmly attached to the wall. Try gently pulling on each one to verify.
• Base cabinets are level and stable. Place a level on the countertop surface to check.
• Corner cabinets function properly with lazy susans spinning freely and blind corner pull-outs extending fully
• Island cabinets if applicable are secured to the floor and completely stable

Hardware and Accessories

• All handles and knobs are installed and tight
• Interior organizers including pull-out shelves, utensil trays, and spice racks are properly mounted and functional
• All doors open in the correct direction per your design
• Integrated lighting if applicable is working and evenly distributed

Appliance Openings

• Appliance openings match your specification sheets. Verify width, height, and depth for each appliance.
• Dishwasher mounting brackets are installed if applicable
• Range or cooktop opening is correctly sized
• Refrigerator enclosure has adequate ventilation clearance, usually 1 inch on top and half an inch on each side

Do Not Forget the Final Steps

After your cabinet inspection, you still have a few steps before your kitchen is complete:

1. Countertop templating: Your fabricator will visit to create precise templates. Schedule this within a day or two of cabinet completion.
2. Countertop installation: This typically happens 5 to 10 business days after templating.
3. Plumbing hookup: Sink, faucet, dishwasher, and garbage disposal connections.
4. Electrical connections: Cooktop, range hood, and under-cabinet lighting.
5. Backsplash installation if applicable.
6. Final touch-ups: Caulking, paint touch-ups, and final door and drawer adjustments.

We Make Preparation Easy

At Kitchen Fitters, we do not just show up and install cabinets. We guide you through every step of the preparation process and coordinate with all tradespeople involved. Our pre-installation checklist and planning support ensure that when our team arrives, everything is ready for an efficient, stress-free installation.

Contact Kitchen Fitters today to schedule your free consultation and start preparing for your dream IKEA kitchen.