When we moved in 2023, the new house came with a welcome gift.
Fitted wardrobes.
I’d never thought about fitted wardrobes before. But since then I’ve thought about them a lot. Good thoughts. Warm thoughts. In fact, I think I love them.
I then started wondering: how much did these cost? I started reading. One thing led to another, and here’s what I learnt.
The benefits of fitted wardrobes
Fitted wardrobes provide a lot more space. Sharps – the market leader – reckon they provide 40% more storage than freestanding units.
Crucially, they give you storage in those awkward spaces up by the ceiling, under sloping ceilings, or right in the corners of the room.
One very common application is in the alcoves next to a chimney breast. Another is in loft spaces.
So space is the main benefit. However there’s also an aesthetic benefit. Fitted wardrobes look more… well, like they fit in. And you have tons of options to customise them – mirrors, lights, drawers, sliding doors – to get exactly the look you want.
The downsides? Well, obviously you can’t take them with you when you move. And unfortunately the cost of fitted wardrobes is very unlikely to translate into a higher house price.
Then, of course, there is that cost. Which is significant.
How much do fitted wardrobes cost?
For a 4m wide wardrobe, you can pay anything from £1000 to £5000. £1000 if you DIY it from IKEA, £5000 if you buy from Sharps.
I’ve kept the estimate at 4 metres to give you a comparison. But obviously size is the main factor – just use this as a benchmark and increase or decrease based on your required width.
Apart from that, the price will depend on two main factors:
- Who you buy it from – I’ll go into more detail below.
- The specification – e.g. how many drawers, the finish on the doors. For my estimate above, I’ve assumed a ‘normal’ spec. No fancy lighting or anything.
Where to buy a fitted wardrobe
There are four main options:
- Nationwide market leaders: e.g. Sharps and Hammonds.
- Online providers: e.g. spaceslide
- Local carpenters, e.g. Mark from the down the road
- IKEA
Nationwide providers: ~£5000 for 4m wardrobe
The most expensive. The slickest. The most professional. The best?
Perhaps.
Certainly, Sharps get glowing reviews. They do a full design service, installation, and offer a 15 year guarantee. You’ll pay top whack though. Also, they do that irritating tactic loved by double glazing companies, of offering a ‘discount’ from an initial ludicrously high price (e.g. £10k). So make sure you haggle.
Hammonds are similar, but do seem a bit cheaper. They have quite mixed reviews, especially regarding customer service. I’d steer clear.
Online providers: £2000-£4000
You’ll find a few of these, such as Spaceslide, Online Bedrooms, and Slide Wardrobes Direct. They let you design your wardrobes based on pre-set components, and some will give you a price online.
I tried it with Spaceslide, and got a quote for £2,364 for a mid-spec 4m wardrobe. That’s a DIY version, but you can pay £349 for installation too.
So it’s roughly half the price of Sharps, although much less bespoke.
If you look on some of the others, they’ll give an indicative price. For instance, Slide Wardrobes quote £1274 for a four-door (not necessarily 4m), but that’s without internal additions (e.g. drawers). So be careful to judge like-for-like.
I saw Online Bedrooms got a great review here, and will also match your Sharps design. There’s an amusing/bitter comparison of them versus Sharps here.
Local carpenters: £2000-£6000
Probably everyone’s preferred option, right? If you can find someone local, and good, this is where you’ll probably get the best workmanship per pound spent.
However, this workmanship and pounds are very variable.
I’ve seen lots of lovely fitted wardrobes installed by local carpenters. And some… less lovely ones. But that’s what Instagram’s for, isn’t it.
As with all trades, the price will vary depending on your region, and the amount of work the company has. Which, right now, is a lot.
IKEA Pax: £1019.50
Yes, that specific. IKEA let you build your wardrobe online, and give you a price for it, which changes as you add each individual drawer.
Here’s my attempt:
For the user, it’s absolutely brilliant. And if you read the DIY forums, people absolutely love them. Quality seems good, which is always a concern with IKEA.
I can’t even say the designs are boring either. It’s up to you. You can add any combination of drawers and rails and lighting and doors and handles you like.
Obviously you will have to build it. Or pay someone else to do so. But even then you’ll be well below the price of other options.
If I’m being picky, the downside is probably that they’re not totally fitted. If you want to go right up to the ceilings or walls you’ll need to add some extra paneling or cornicing. But it’s a small job really.
How long do fitted wardrobes take to install?
If you DIY it, you could do it in as little as a day. For a professional install, it’ll be 1-2 days. Plus 1-3 days painting, if that’s the finish you’re after.
Most installers will take measurements and then cut the boards (usually MDF) off site. They’ll then assemble them in a couple of days. Then come back later to paint.
