If you are trying to sort out the storage in a bedroom, you will probably end up comparing two options. One is a flatpack wardrobe from somewhere like IKEA, which you build yourself or pay someone to put together. The other is a fitted wardrobe, measured and made for the wall it is going on. We make fitted wardrobes in our own workshop in Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd, so we are not neutral, but we will tell you honestly when flatpack is the sensible choice.
What you are actually comparing
A flatpack wardrobe comes in set sizes. You choose the width and height that fits closest to your wall, and whatever is left over around it stays empty. A fitted wardrobe is measured to the room, so it runs from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling, and it is scribed around skirting boards and picture rails so it sits tight to the wall.
That difference matters most in rooms that are not a neat rectangle. Sloping ceilings, chimney breasts, alcoves and floors that are not level are all common in South Wales houses, and a standard-sized unit cannot follow any of them.
The space you get back
A freestanding wardrobe usually stops short of the ceiling, so the space above it ends up holding suitcases and dust. A fitted run uses the full height of the wall. Our doors can be up to 2,550mm high, and with an infill panel above them we have fitted wardrobes in rooms up to 3 metres high.
Sliding doors also save floor space. A hinged door needs around two feet of clear floor in front of it before it will open. Sliding doors move across each other, so the wardrobe sits flat against the wall and the walkway beside the bed stays clear.
What each one costs
Flatpack is cheaper on the day, and for a lot of people that settles it. Our made-to-measure sliding wardrobes start from £799, and glass door wardrobes start from £999. Most of our customers spend somewhere around £1,795 to £2,295, depending on the size of the run and the finish. Our guide to fitted wardrobe costs explains what moves the price up and down.
The fairer comparison is over the years you are planning to stay in the house. A fitted wardrobe is built once and stays where it is put, and ours come with a two-year warranty. A flatpack unit is more likely to need replacing if a door drops or the back comes away.
When flatpack is the sensible choice
If you are renting, or you know you will be moving in the next year or two, a freestanding wardrobe you can take with you is usually the smarter buy. The same goes if the room is only a stopgap, or if your budget does not stretch to made to measure right now. If that sounds like you, we will say so when you call.
When a fitted wardrobe is worth it
A fitted wardrobe makes sense when you are staying put, when the room has awkward angles, or when you want to use every bit of the wall. It is also worth thinking about if you plan to sell further down the line, because a fitted wardrobe typically adds value to a house.
Because we make every door ourselves, you can mix mirror, glass and solid doors in the same run, and plan the inside around what you own, with long hanging, double hanging, shelves and drawers where you need them.
How to decide
Measure the wall, think about how long you will be in the house, and look at what you actually need to store. If you would like a second opinion, we offer a free home design visit across South Wales, where we measure up and show you a 3D design of the wardrobe with a written price. There is no obligation to go ahead.