Yes, if the contractor is bidding out a job, they will absolutely bill the time to assemble IKEA or any other RTA cabinetry.

:Our quote from our contractor includes installation of cabinets and we just needed to provide the finished materials so I would be surprised if we had to pay more for one type of cabinet."

That does not say anything about assembling the cabinets and I am sure they would charge extra if they need to assemble the cabinets and would do so for any RTA cabinet in my opinion. Its not really extra as it is charging for assembly. Only way to know for sure is to ask the contractor.

Putting together IKEA cabs isn’t difficult...it just time consuming...which is why a contractor will charge extra. Some contractors flat out won’t do it. If you’re at all DIY, I suggest you put them together, and just have the contractor hang them. That’s what my son did.

We used the Ikea installers, who also modified several cabinets for us. The assembled, modified and installed. Ask your contractor to build in two days time and have Ikea do it. Ours cost $3000, great work, great value, done correctly, no contractor learning curve, no contractor complaining.

Why would you think that extra time and extra services would not be charged?

Because to a layperson a line item in the quote that says installation of cabinetry it would seem like that would encompass installing a common product like IKEA cabinets? It’s fine if that’s not the market practice - I asked so that I can understand and learn from the community; not sure why you’re getting salty @User

@SF User, do a search in your area for IKEA installers. Based on your layout, they will be able to provide a quote. As @sushipup1 indicated above, installers dedicated to installing IKEA cabinetry have the install down to a science.

Super late to the party but we’re in the East Bay and worked with Oscar with 365 and he was amazing. Here’s a recap of our projeect in case it’s helpful to anyone https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6080437/before-after-ikea-kitchen-scherr-s-doors-living-room-bathroom

My neighbor is a contractor who installed IKEA cabs. He said it was very tricky due to European measurements.  Hard to match up w standard USA measurements. That's all the details I have but could be why.

"He said it was very tricky due to European measurements. Hard to match up w standard USA measurements."

He actually used that as an excuse? The metric system is easier than the imperial system we as Americans use. I really do wish we had switched like the country was supposed to do in the late 70's. Much simpler system.

@millworkman, actually, it was the late 1960s, when the whole conversion thing was attempted. I was in high school at the time. I have distinct memories of sitting in science class, when for weeks the teacher attempted to get us to understand and convert Fahrenheit into Centigrade, to no avail. The US population in general, revolted against abandoning imperial measurements.

As to the OP’s posturing, the contract for installing the IKEA cabs is just that…for hanging them, not putting them together. As I stated in my first post, putting the cabs together while not difficult, is quite time consuming. Any contractor is going to charge extra for that.

And to the contractor who said ”European” measurements make hanging the IKEA cabs difficult, poppycock. The same contractor who gutted and renovated my kitchen (with US semi-custom cabs), installed the IKEA cabs in my son’s apartment. Hanging the IKEA cabs, which my son put together by himself (over a weekend), took less time than it would’ve, had he been installing US made cabs. In fact, he remarked how easy it was.

I remember it when I was in school and I was born in 65 so I don't think it was the 60's. Possibly mid-70's.

And here we go, should have just Googled it earlier. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metric_Conversion_Act

@millworkman…Hmmm, well I definitely was in high school (graduated in ’69), so they must’ve started the process before the Conversion Act was passed. It takes many years for a population to adjust to dramatic changes. You don’t just pass a law, and presto, a mindset immediately changes. Besides, with the Vietnam War raging, and a young population in revolt, the people were in no mood for more upheaval to their daily lives.

Oh, and @heathermalia, the metric system is used worldwide, not just in Europe. We are the outliers. Though, the British have kind of a hybrid system. Road signs often have distance listed in miles. And, they’ve kept the very ancient way of measuring weight. Step on a scale in England, and you’ll see the measurement in stone. Now, that’s an interesting calculation…stone into pounds!

A layperson should understand that Ikea cabinets need to be assembled and obviously require additional labor time than other brands that show up already assembled. This seems obvious.

That said, unlike what designers on this site would have you believe, the additional assembly time/cost for Ikea is not much. Maybe a day of one person doing assembly. And when you add the assembly costs to the Ikea cabinet material costs, the total cost still doesn't come anywhere close to what similar quality already-assembled cabinets cost. You still end up out way ahead.