One of the most common questions we get asked, usually right after price, is how long fitted wardrobes actually take. The honest answer is that it depends on a few things, but there is a fairly typical pattern we can share, along with the things that tend to push a timeline out.
It helps to think of the process in two separate parts, the time spent building in the workshop and the time spent fitting in your home, because they are quite different and get confused fairly often.
Workshop time versus fitting time
Most of the actual work on a fitted wardrobe happens away from your home, in the workshop, where carcasses are built, doors are made or ordered, and finishes are applied before anything is delivered. This workshop stage is where the bulk of the total time goes, often several weeks depending on how busy our order book is and how complex the design is.
Fitting, by contrast, is usually the shorter part of the process. Once everything arrives on site, actually installing a fitted wardrobe run typically takes anywhere from one to three days, depending on the size of the run and whether it involves awkward angles, sloped ceilings or extensive scribing to existing walls.
Typical timeframes for common jobs
A single simple wardrobe fitted into an existing alcove, with a standard design and straightforward walls, can sometimes be fitted in a single day once it arrives from the workshop. A full wall of fitted wardrobes across a whole bedroom, particularly one with a sloped ceiling or built in dressing area, is more likely to take two or three days on site.
From the point of ordering to the point of final fitting, the whole process for a typical bedroom of wardrobes often runs to somewhere between four and eight weeks in total, though this varies with workshop demand at the time and how much customisation is involved in the design.
- Simple alcove wardrobe: often one day to fit
- Full wall of fitted wardrobes: typically two to three days to fit
- Whole process including workshop build: roughly four to eight weeks
- Busy periods, such as before Christmas, can extend these guide timeframes
What happens during the workshop stage
Once a design is agreed and measurements are confirmed, the carcass panels are cut and assembled, doors are either made from scratch or ordered in depending on the style chosen, and any painted or lacquered finish is applied and left to cure properly. Rushing a finish rarely ends well, since a coat that has not cured fully can mark easily once handled during fitting.
This stage is largely invisible to you as the customer, which can make the wait feel longer than it is, but it is where the quality of the finished piece is really determined.
Common causes of delay before fitting begins
The most frequent cause of delay is a change of mind partway through the design process, for example switching a door style or handle choice after the order has already been placed with a supplier. Every change, however small, can push the workshop schedule back because materials often need to be reordered.
Another common cause is the room not being ready when the wardrobe is due to arrive, for example decorating not finished, flooring not down yet, or old furniture still in place. We always ask that the room is prepared in good time so the fitting stage is not held up waiting on other work.
- Late changes to door style, colour or handle choice
- Decorating or flooring not finished before fitting is due
- Unexpected structural issues found once fitting begins
- Supplier delays on specific hardware or hinge types
How busy periods affect timelines
Like most joinery businesses, we get busier in the run up to Christmas and in the early part of the year when people start planning spring projects. If your heart is set on having new wardrobes finished by a particular date, it is worth getting in touch and booking in well ahead of that date rather than leaving it until the last few weeks.
We are always upfront if a particular timeframe is not realistic given how busy the workshop is, rather than promising a date we cannot actually meet.
Getting an accurate timeframe for your own project
Every wardrobe project is different, so the only way to get a genuinely accurate timeframe is to talk through your specific room and design with us. Call 02380 201687 or 07833 227576, or email info@vipwalls.co.uk, and we can give you a realistic idea of workshop and fitting time once we understand what you have in mind.
Common questions
- How far in advance should I book fitted wardrobes?
- For a specific deadline, such as before a house move or a special occasion, we would recommend getting in touch at least eight to ten weeks ahead, longer during busy periods like the run up to Christmas.
- Can fitted wardrobes be installed in a single day?
- A small, straightforward run into an existing alcove sometimes can be, but most bedroom projects take two to three days on site once delivered from the workshop.
- Why does the workshop stage take so long compared to fitting?
- Most of the skilled work, cutting carcasses, fitting doors and applying finishes, happens in the workshop under controlled conditions, which produces a better result than trying to do it all on site.
- What is the biggest cause of delay on wardrobe projects?
- Late changes to the design after ordering has begun, and rooms not being ready for fitting when the pieces arrive, are the two most common causes we see.
- Does a more complex design always take longer?
- Generally yes, particularly sloped ceilings, curved sections or bespoke internal fittings add time both in the workshop and on site compared to a straightforward rectangular run.
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