Shelf fitting in London
Silver Saints put up shelves across London: floating, bracket and alcove shelving, fixed level and secure with the right fixing for your wall and what the shelf will carry.
Experienced handymen we know, not an app of anonymous bidders.
Plus parts. No call-out fee. Saturday at the weekday rate. A single shelf is often done inside the first half-hour.
What we fit
A shelf is only as strong as what holds it to the wall. Most shelves that sag or pull out were fixed with the wrong plug for the wall behind them, so we find out what the wall is before we drill.
Floating shelves
Concealed fixings set dead level, so the shelf looks like it grows out of the wall.
Bracket shelves
Brackets spaced to the load and the shelf length, not just to look even.
Alcove shelving
Measured and cut to fit the alcove, because London alcoves are rarely square.
Shelves on plasterboard
Into the stud where we can, with the correct cavity fixing where we cannot.
Shelves on brick or masonry
Drilled and plugged to suit the wall, from solid brick to soft old mortar.
Heavy-load book shelving
Load-rated fixings and closer bracket spacing for a full run of books.
Levelling a run of shelves
Several shelves lined up true to each other, not just to the floor.
Cupboard and wardrobe shelves
Extra shelves fitted inside built-ins to make the space work.
Sagging or failed shelves
Taken down, the wall fixings repaired, and refitted properly.
We fit floating, bracket and alcove shelves in timber and MDF, using plasterboard anchors, wall plugs, concealed fixings and load-rated fixings on brick, masonry and stud walls. You can supply the shelves, or we can fit ones you have had cut.
Different job? For bookcases and flat pack see furniture assembly, for mirrors and artwork see hanging pictures and mirrors, and for a TV see TV installation, all of which can be done in the same visit.
What it costs
Labour only, charged by time, plus fixings. A single shelf is quick. Alcove shelving takes longer, because the time goes on measuring and cutting each shelf to an alcove that is rarely square.
The right fixing for the wall
In plasterboard, a standard plug has nothing to grip. We fix into the timber or metal stud where the shelf allows, and use a proper cavity fixing rated for the load where it does not.
In solid brick the plug has to suit the brick, and in old London walls the mortar is often softer than the brick, so the hole goes where the fixing will actually hold.
Lath and plaster cracks if it is drilled carelessly, so it is drilled slowly and fixed through to the timber behind. Then every shelf is levelled and loaded before we leave.
Where we cover
We cover all London boroughs plus the TW, KT, CR and BR postcode areas. Victorian and Edwardian houses have chimney-breast alcoves that are rarely square and lath and plaster or soft brick behind them, while new-build flats are mostly plasterboard on studs, and each needs a different fixing. Engineers cross central London by motorcycle and scooter, which means faster arrival and easier parking.
Landlords and offices
Fitting out a let or an office is usually a list of shelves rather than one, and a handyman works through it in one visit at the same rate.
Fixings are matched to the wall so nothing pulls out mid-tenancy, and holes are kept to what the fixing needs.
Account invoicing and pre-approved spend limits are set out on our landlord services page.
Why shelves sag
A shelf sags when the brackets are too far apart for what it carries, or when the fixing behind it has started to pull out of the wall.
Books are heavier than people expect, so a run of book shelving gets closer bracket spacing and load-rated fixings from the start.
When we re-fix a failed shelf, we repair the wall fixings rather than drive a bigger screw into the same damaged hole.
Why Silver Saints
We are a managed service, not a bidding app: every Saint is a vetted professional we know personally, not a login on a marketplace.
Shelf fitting FAQs
How much does shelf fitting cost in London?
Charged by time at £60 plus VAT for the first 30 minutes and £30 plus VAT thereafter, plus fixings. A single shelf is often done inside the first half-hour.
Can you put shelves up today in London?
Often yes. Silver Saints usually has same or next day slots for shelf fitting in London, and every booking carries a one-hour arrival window.
Can you put shelves up on plasterboard?
Yes. Silver Saints fixes into the stud where the shelf allows, and uses a cavity fixing rated for the load where it does not.
Can you fit floating shelves?
Yes. Silver Saints fits floating shelves on concealed fixings, set level and secure, on plasterboard, brick and stud walls.
Can you fit shelves in an alcove?
Yes. Silver Saints measures and cuts shelving to fit the alcove, because London chimney-breast alcoves are rarely square.
Why are my shelves sagging?
Usually the brackets are too far apart for the load, or the fixings are pulling out of the wall. Silver Saints repairs the fixings and refits the shelf.
Do I need to supply the shelves?
You can supply your own shelves and brackets, or have them cut to size, and a Silver Saints handyman fits them with the right fixings.
Are you a job-board app like the marketplaces?
We are not a job-board app. Unlike marketplaces that match your job to the cheapest available bidder, Silver Saints contracts its own team of experienced, vetted, multi-skilled tradespeople, people we know personally and work with directly. From booking to billing, you get one accountable service and a real relationship, not an anonymous login from a gig-economy pool.
In summary
Silver Saints put up shelves across London, including floating shelves, bracket shelves, alcove shelving, heavy-load book shelving, runs of shelves levelled to each other, and extra shelves inside cupboards and wardrobes, and we re-fix sagging or failed shelves. Every shelf gets the right fixing for the wall, from plasterboard and stud to brick, masonry and lath and plaster, and is levelled and load-tested before we leave. Labour is £60 plus VAT for the first 30 minutes, then £30 plus VAT thereafter, plus fixings. Saturday is the weekday rate and there is no call-out fee. Call 0207 0999 199 or book at https://bookings.silversaints.com.
Shelves to go up?
Book online or call, and we'll sort it quickly with the Silver Service you deserve. Monday to Saturday, 8am to 5pm.
Why Londoners choose Silver Saints shelf fitting service
- Assessment of the wall type before drilling, with the correct fixing chosen for brick, plasterboard, dot-and-dab or stud
- Stud detection and fixing into solid timber where the bracket allows, for the strongest hold
- Heavy-duty cavity fixings, spring toggles or masonry anchors supplied where the wall needs them
- Shelves marked and set to a true level with a spirit or laser level
- Fitting of floating, bracket, adjustable, alcove and bespoke shelving
- Fitting of shelves you have already bought, or design and build from scratch
- A survey and fixed written quote for bespoke shelving at £35 + VAT
- A 12-month guarantee on labour and parts we supply, on insured work
We charge £60+vat for the first half-hour and £30+vat for any half-hour thereafter.
Meet the Saints
Martin 
Luke 
Stan 
Patrik 
Jeremy 
Raymond 
Mick 
Dave 
Lukas 
Graham 
Danny 
Jerry 
John 
Leon 
Simone 
Deon 
Stefan 
Paolo 
Juan 
Cosmin 
Eugen 
Paul 
Christo 
Kieran 
Adrian 
Pieter 
Sandor 
John P 
Oleg 
Szymon 
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