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What changes the cost of fitted wardrobes?
Fitted wardrobe costs depend on whether the units are made to measure or built from standard carcasses, the width and height of the run, the doors and finish, the interior fittings, and how awkward the room is. This guide prints no price, so compare written quotes that describe the same design.
Last reviewed:What a fitted wardrobe job involves
A fitted wardrobe is built into the room rather than standing in it. It runs from wall to wall or into an alcove, often up to the ceiling, with panels scribed to fit the walls and floor. Done well, it uses space that a freestanding wardrobe would waste and looks like part of the house.
There are two broad ways to get one:
- Modular or flat-pack systems. Standard carcasses in set widths and heights, with filler panels to close the gaps at the sides and top. Some are sold through showrooms that send their own fitters, and some are bought by the homeowner and put together by a carpenter.
- Made to measure. A carpenter, joiner or furniture maker surveys the room and builds the units to fit, either in a workshop or on site.
Both can give a good result. The difference is how the space is handled and how much of the work happens before anyone arrives at your house.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. This guide does not print a price. It explains what changes the cost, what to ask, and how to compare quotes fairly.
What changes the cost of fitted wardrobes
| What is being priced | What makes it bigger or smaller | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Size of the run | Width, height, depth, number of sections | How many doors and sections are included |
| Made to measure or modular | Workshop time, standard sizes, filler panels | How the units will fit the walls and ceiling |
| Carcass material | Board type, thickness, finish on the inside | What the carcasses are made from |
| Doors | Hinged or sliding, painted, veneered, mirrored | Which door style and finish is quoted |
| Interior | Shelves, rails, drawers, shoe racks, pull-outs | Exactly what is inside each section |
| Awkward spaces | Sloping ceilings, chimney breasts, bay windows | How the design deals with each one |
| Lighting | Battery, plug-in or wired | Who does any wiring |
| Removal and making good | Old wardrobe, skirting, decorating after | Whether these are included |
| VAT | Whether the business is VAT registered | Whether the total includes VAT |
A business must register for VAT once its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S4]. Some smaller makers are below that, so ask whether each total includes VAT before comparing.
Doors and finishes
Doors are the part of a wardrobe you see every day, and they make a big difference to the total. The choice usually comes down to:
- Hinged doors. Simple and easy to adjust. They need space in front to swing open, which matters in a small bedroom.
- Sliding doors. Good where floor space is tight. They run on tracks top and bottom, and the quality of the track system changes how they feel over the years.
- Painted doors. Often MDF, sprayed or hand painted. Ask whether the paint is applied in a workshop or on site, and how it can be touched up later.
- Wood veneer or solid timber. These need more care in making and finishing.
- Mirrors and glass. Ask whether mirror doors have safety backing.
Handles, knobs and push-to-open catches are small items, but they add up across a long run. Ask whether the ones you have seen are included.
Inside the wardrobe
Interiors are where a fitted wardrobe earns its keep, and where quotes most often differ. A basic design may have one rail and one shelf per section. A fuller design adds drawers, double rails, shoe shelves, pull-out trouser racks, tie and belt racks, and adjustable shelving.
Each extra fitting means more materials and more fitting time. Before you ask for quotes, think about what you actually store:
- long items such as coats and dresses, which need full-height hanging
- shirts and jackets, which suit two rails one above the other
- folded clothes and knitwear, which suit shelves or drawers
- shoes, bags and suitcases, which need deep shelves or space at the top
A sketch showing which section holds what helps every business quote for the same thing.
Awkward rooms and older houses
Few rooms are perfectly square. Floors slope, walls lean and ceilings dip. Made-to-measure units are scribed to fit, and modular systems use filler panels and trims. Both take time, and a very uneven room takes more.
Spaces that change the design include:
- Alcoves either side of a chimney breast. A common place for fitted wardrobes, but each alcove is usually a slightly different size.
- Sloping ceilings in loft rooms. Doors and carcasses need cutting to the slope, and the space at the low end is less useful.
- Bay windows and radiators. These limit where units can go.
- Skirting and coving. Units may be scribed over them, or the skirting may be cut back. Ask which.
If the wardrobe needs fixing to a stud wall, the fitter will need to find the studs or use fixings made for plasterboard. Ask how the units will be fixed to the wall, especially for tall runs.
Lighting and power
Lights inside a wardrobe or along the top of a run are a popular extra. Battery and plug-in lights need no new wiring. Wired lighting, or a new socket nearby, is electrical work and should be done by a registered electrician. Ask whether the wardrobe business uses one, or whether you need to arrange your own.
Fitted wardrobe costs in Cheshire
When you ask for quotes, give the room size, ceiling height, photos of the walls where the wardrobe will go, and any awkward features such as a chimney breast or sloping ceiling. A carpenter or furniture maker covering Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach or the villages nearby can then tell you whether they would build in a workshop or on site, and how long the job would take.
Some makers survey before quoting and some quote from photos and measurements. A survey usually gives a firmer price. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business on QuoteZila.
Deposits, lead times and cancelling
Made-to-measure furniture is often built before fitting day, so many makers ask for a deposit. Before you pay one, ask:
- how much the deposit is and what it covers
- when the balance is due
- what happens if the measurements turn out to be wrong
- the lead time from order to fitting
Cancelling is harder once something is being made for you. Citizens Advice says you don't automatically get a cooling-off period if you have something specially made, giving made-to-measure curtains, windows or a conservatory as examples [S2]. Read the cancellation terms before you sign, and get them in writing.
What to have ready before you ask for quotes
- the room and the wall where the wardrobes will go, with photos
- the width, height and depth of the space, if you can measure it
- the door style you like: hinged or sliding, painted or wood
- a rough plan of what goes inside each section
- whether you want lighting, and whether there is a socket nearby
- whether an old wardrobe needs removing
- your postcode and when the work could be done
How to compare fitted wardrobe quotes
Check each quote for:
- The size of the run and the number of doors and sections.
- The carcass material and the door material and finish.
- A clear list of interior fittings for each section.
- How the units will be fitted to walls, floor and ceiling.
- Removal of old furniture and any making good afterwards.
- Lighting, and who does any wiring.
- The deposit, the balance and the lead time.
- Whether VAT is included, and whether the price is fixed.
Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three different traders, and says to be cautious if one price is a lot lower than the others [S1]. It also says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is a rough guess [S1]. Ask which one you are being given.
If something goes wrong
Once the units are in, check the doors open and close smoothly, the drawers run freely and the panels sit tight to the walls. Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill to be used while working [S3]. If something is not right, tell the business in writing, with photos, and give them a chance to put it right.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Made-to-measure wardrobes in both alcoves of a back bedroom, painted doors, shelves and a rail in each." Or: "Sliding-door wardrobes along one wall of the main bedroom, floor to ceiling, with a mirror on the middle door." Or: "We have bought a modular wardrobe system. Please quote to assemble and fit it, with filler panels to the ceiling."
Get quotes for fitted wardrobes
Describe the room, the space and the design you have in mind, with photos and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See the carpenters page or the joiners page. For wired lighting, see the electricians page. If the skirting needs replacing too, see what changes the cost of replacing skirting boards.
Official and public sources
QuoteZila is not affiliated with these organisations.
- Quotes and estimates: Citizens Advice: before you get work done on your home [S1].
- Cancelling made-to-measure orders: Citizens Advice: cancelling building or decorating work [S2].
- Poor work: Citizens Advice: problem with building work or home improvements [S3].
- VAT: GOV.UK on when to register [S4].
Questions about fitted wardrobe costs
How much do fitted wardrobes cost?
This guide does not print a price. The size of the run, whether it is made to measure, the doors, the interior and the room itself all change what you pay. Ask each maker to quote for the same width, height, door style and interior so the totals can be compared.
Are bespoke wardrobes always dearer than modular ones?
Not always, but they usually take more workshop time. A modular system uses standard carcass sizes and fills gaps with panels. A bespoke maker builds to the exact space. Ask both types of business to quote for the same room before deciding.
Can I cancel an order for made-to-measure wardrobes?
Citizens Advice says you don't automatically get a cooling-off period if you have something specially made, for example made-to-measure curtains, windows or a conservatory. Treat a bespoke wardrobe order the same way, and read the cancellation terms before you sign or pay a deposit.
Do fitted wardrobes need an electrician?
Only if the design includes wired lighting or a new socket. Battery or plug-in lights need no new wiring. If new wiring is planned, ask who will do it, and use a registered electrician for any new circuit or connection.
How long does it take to fit wardrobes?
It depends on the design and on whether the units are made in a workshop first. Ask each business for the lead time from survey to fitting, and how many days they expect to be in your home.
What if the finished wardrobes are poorly made?
Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill when work is done, and that you can ask a trader to fix poor work. Raise any problems in writing as soon as you find them.
Does QuoteZila check the businesses?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related guides
- Carpenters: made-to-measure furniture and fitting
- Joiners: workshop-made joinery
- Electricians: wired lighting and sockets
- All cost guides
Part of Cost guides. All services
Related trades
Related pages
- Floorboard repair: what changes the price. Floorboard repair in Cheshire depends on how many boards have failed and whether the joists are sound. No repair price is printed. See what to ask a joiner.
- Loft Ladder Cost in Cheshire: What to Ask. A loft ladder in Cheshire is access to storage, not a stair for a bedroom. Ask about the hatch, the ladder type and whether the loft floor can take a person.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ "How does getting quotes work?".
- S1: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S2: Cancelling building or decorating work, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/cancelling-building-or-decorating-work/
- S3: Problem with building work, decorating or home improvements, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem-with-home-improvements/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat