Bespoke fitted wardrobes built to the millimetre — designed around the alcoves, eaves and out-of-square walls that define Barnet and Hertfordshire homes. Floor-to-ceiling, walk-in, alcove or under-stairs, in primed or factory-sprayed finish.
Types of Fitted Wardrobe
Alcove wardrobes — the workhorse of Barnet bedroom storage. Built into the recess either side of a chimney breast, floor-to-ceiling, with hinged or sliding doors. Typical cost £1,200–£2,200 per alcove depending on internal layout.
Floor-to-ceiling wall wardrobes — an unbroken run of wardrobes along an entire wall, usually with sliding doors. Maximises hanging and shelf space in narrow Edwardian or 1930s bedrooms. Typical cost £2,200–£3,500.
Walk-in wardrobes — partition off the end of a master bedroom or a small adjacent room and you have a walk-in dressing area. Open shelving and hanging, full-length mirror, drawer banks. Typical cost £2,500–£5,500.
Under-stairs wardrobes — the most space-efficient use of the awkward triangle beneath a staircase. Often combines hanging space, shoe storage and pull-out drawers behind a flush single door.
Why Fitted Over Flatpack
Flatpack wardrobes are fine — they're cheap, they're modular, and they work. But they're a single rigid module sitting on a sloping floor, against a bowed wall, with a 40mm gap to the ceiling. Fitted wardrobes are scribed to the room: cut to the actual floor angle, scribed to the actual wall, and pushed flush to the ceiling. The result looks built-in because it is built-in.
The other reason is value. A well-built run of fitted wardrobes adds noticeably to a property valuation in Barnet and the surrounding areas — buyers see it as a feature, not furniture. A good carpenter using veneered MDF carcasses and solid hardwood facings will produce a unit that outlasts the next two paint jobs.
What Affects the Cost
- Size — measured in linear metres of wall length and floor-to-ceiling height.
- Carcass material — birch ply is premium; veneered MDF is the workhorse choice.
- Door style — hinged Shaker doors, full-height slab, sliding mirror, or in-frame panel.
- Finish — site-painted (lowest cost), factory-sprayed (best finish), wood veneer (highest cost).
- Internals — basic single hanging vs. soft-close drawers, pull-out shoe racks, lit shelving.
The Barnet alcove wardrobe
Many Barnet and Borehamwood homes are 1930s semis or 1950s terraces with a chimney breast eating the front bedroom. Two alcove wardrobes either side, floor to ceiling, painted out the same colour as the wall — and suddenly you've solved storage for a couple's worth of clothing without losing a square inch of useable floor. It's the single most common fitted-wardrobe job we connect carpenters to.
Cost Range in Barnet & Hertfordshire
Fitted wardrobes in Barnet typically cost £800–£3,500 depending on size, material and complexity. As a rough guide:
- Single alcove wardrobe — £900–£1,400
- Pair of alcove wardrobes (matched, either side of chimney breast) — £1,800–£2,800
- Full wall, sliding doors, factory-sprayed — £2,500–£3,500
- Walk-in dressing area — £2,500–£5,500+
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to fit alcove wardrobes?
Most pair-of-alcove jobs take 3–5 working days on site, plus a measure-up visit and one workshop day to cut carcasses. Larger floor-to-ceiling wall wardrobes typically take 5–7 days.
Do you need to remove the skirting?
Yes — the carpenter will lift the skirting in the alcove before fitting, then either reuse it or replace with matching new skirting cut into the wardrobe base.
Can you match existing painted finishes?
Yes. Site-painted wardrobes are colour-matched to the room — bring a paint swatch or tin to the measure-up. Factory-sprayed units can be matched to Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or any standard RAL colour.
Will the wardrobes be in the way during fitting?
Carpenters typically need full access to the bedroom for the fitting days. Most jobs work around the homeowner — clear the wall, sheet the floor, and the room is usable in the evenings between fitting days.