Fitted Wardrobe Prices: Complete Cost Breakdown 2025
After two decades of guiding clients through wardrobe installations, I’ve learnt that the question “how much will this cost?” rarely has a straightforward answer. Fitted wardrobes aren’t simply furniture purchases. They’re architectural interventions that need to work with your room’s proportions, accommodate your lifestyle demands, and remain functional for at least fifteen years. In my experience, clients often struggle with understanding why prices vary so dramatically between seemingly similar specifications. The reality is that bespoke fitted wardrobes reflect a complex equation of materials, craftsmanship, spatial challenges, and long-term value rather than simple square meterage calculations. This year, I’m seeing budget ranges from £1,200 for basic configurations to £25,000 for bespoke installations with premium finishes and integrated technology. Understanding these cost drivers before you commission anything will transform how you approach this investment and help you allocate your budget where it genuinely enhances daily life.
Material Choices and Their Price Implications
The material you select fundamentally determines your wardrobe’s cost structure and longevity. MDF with melamine finishes starts around £450 per linear metre and works perfectly well for rental properties or temporary solutions, though I rarely specify it for permanent homes. Painted MDF, which I use frequently, ranges from £650 to £900 per linear metre and offers exceptional versatility with colour matching and a sophisticated finish that conceals joints beautifully. Veneered panels in walnut, oak, or ash sit between £800 and £1,400 per linear metre, delivering that unmistakable natural warmth that photographs simply cannot capture. Solid timber construction, which I reserve for clients who truly value craftsmanship, exceeds £1,600 per linear metre and requires specific environmental conditions to prevent movement. The interior fittings matter enormously too. Standard hanging rails and melamine shelving add minimal cost, but integrated LED lighting, soft-close mechanisms, pull-out accessory trays, and velvet-lined jewellery drawers can add £1,500 to £4,000 to your final invoice.
Size, Configuration and Spatial Complexity
Linear meterage provides a starting point for estimates, but spatial challenges significantly impact installation costs. A straightforward three-metre run along a flat wall with standard ceiling height represents the baseline pricing scenario. However, rooms rarely cooperate quite so conveniently. Awkward alcoves requiring precise scribing add approximately 20% to labour costs. Sloping ceilings demand custom angled panels and careful planning to maximise usable space without creating dead zones. Floor-to-ceiling installations in period properties with three-metre-plus ceiling heights require scaffolding or specialist access equipment, adding £400 to £800 to your quote.
Corner configurations that turn through 90 degrees need additional structural support and more complex door mechanisms, typically increasing costs by 30% compared to straight runs. I recently completed a project in a Victorian terrace where original cornicing, picture rails, and an off-centre chimney breast created five separate measurement points along a four-metre wall. The additional templating, bespoke panels, and installation time added nearly £2,000 to what would have been a straightforward specification.
Door Systems and Hardware Specifications
Door selection represents one of the most visible cost variables and dramatically affects both aesthetics and budget. Hinged doors remain the most economical option at £180 to £450 per door, depending on size and finish, offering full access to your wardrobe’s interior and a traditional appearance that suits period properties beautifully. Sliding doors, which I specify frequently for space-constrained rooms, cost between £350 and £900 per door and require robust tracking systems that won’t distort over time. Pocket doors that disappear into the wardrobe carcass create that seamless, architectural look my design-savvy clients adore, but they add £600 to £1,200 per door due to the complex framework required.
Basic aluminium handles cost £8 each, whilst hand-finished leather pulls or integrated push-to-open mechanisms can exceed £85 per door. In my experience, clients often underestimate how much tactile quality matters. You’ll interact with these handles twice daily for years, and that physical connection with well-made hardware provides satisfaction that far outlasts any initial budget discomfort. I always recommend allocating at least 12% of your total budget specifically to door systems and hardware, as compromising here diminishes the entire installation’s perceived quality.
Installation, Surveying and Project Management
Professional installation isn’t an area where economising makes sense. A typical wardrobe installation requires initial surveying (£150 to £350 depending on complexity), precise templating to account for walls that are never quite plumb, manufacturing lead time of four to eight weeks, and installation by qualified fitters over two to four days. Installation costs typically represent 25% to 35% of your total project expenditure, ranging from £800 for straightforward configurations to £4,500 for complex installations requiring electrical work, plastering repairs, and coordination with other trades.
One common mistake I encounter is clients accepting quotes that bundle installation into a single line item without detail. This obscures what’s actually included and creates potential for disputes when unexpected complications arise. Reputable installers provide itemised breakdowns covering site protection, waste removal, minor making good, and guarantee terms. The finishing details matter enormously, too. Professional decorators charging £280 to £450 per day can transform visible joins and scribed edges into invisible transitions that make your wardrobe appear integral to the room’s architecture rather than added afterwards. I always factor in at least £400 for these finishing touches, as they’re what separates adequate installations from genuinely beautiful ones.
Hidden Costs and Budget Contingencies
Even meticulously planned projects encounter unexpected expenses that catch clients off guard. Electrical work for integrated lighting requires a qualified electrician and building control notification, adding £450 to £850 to your budget. Damp or structural issues discovered during installation need to be addressed before wardrobe fitting can proceed. Bespoke internal configurations with pull-out trouser racks, tie organisers, or rotating shoe carousels each add £180 to £650 per unit. Specialist finishes like lacquered surfaces, metallic paints, or fabric-wrapped panels increase costs by 25% to 40% compared to standard options. Delivery to properties without ground-floor access or requiring weekend installation attracts premium charges. I recommend maintaining a 15% contingency within your overall budget, specifically for these variables. This isn’t pessimism but rather professional pragmatism developed through countless installations where “simple” projects revealed complications once existing furniture was moved aside.
Making Your Investment Decision
Fitted wardrobes represent significant expenditure that demands considered decision-making rather than impulse purchases driven by sale prices or installation availability. The sweet spot for most clients sits between £6,500 and £12,000 for a well-specified, professionally installed wardrobe system in premium materials with thoughtful internal organisation. This bracket delivers genuine quality without the price premiums attached to ultra-luxury specifications that might exceed your practical requirements. Before commissioning anything, I suggest spending time in your bedroom at different times of day, noting how light falls, where shadows collect, and how you actually move through the space during your morning routine.
The right choice depends entirely on your household’s reality rather than abstract aesthetic preferences. If you’re ready to explore options that genuinely suit your space and lifestyle, book a consultation at our showroom where we can discuss your specific requirements and develop a specification that balances aspiration with practicality.