When renovating a kitchen or bedroom, you can choose a ready-made solution or you can go for a custom solution. A custom designed solution has the advantage that it can be built to fit the layout and design of your kitchen or bedroom to exact the dimensions. This means you are not restricted to cabinet sizes, designs or colours and you can make the most out of the space you have.
A while ago we did a survey on custom kitchen and custom wardrobe prices for our blog. We asked tradesmen how much including materials and labour would it cost per foot, excluding vat, to make 1. A custom fitted wardrobe and 2. A custom fitted kitchen. We also asked if they had any tips for the customer on having a good experience with the tradesman. We have attached a sample of the replies below:-
David from Dublin: It’s very hard to give quotation as each job is very different. But fitted wardrobes double door units start €1000 excluding VAT. Kitchens start €7000 excluding VAT.
Martin from Dublin: It’s hard to give exact prices for wardrobes and kitchens. I don’t work in price per meter as there will be different fittings in every kitchen or wardrobe. In frame kitchens start off at €15000 for the kitchen. Fitting fees will be slightly higher for these types of kitchens. The cost of kitchen and wardrobe doors have risen about 10 times over the last year and are still rising this year.
Tom from Kildare: Kitchen €100 per square foot, Built in wardrobe €80 per square foot
Anthony from Meath: You need to consider that while labour costs can be reasonable consistent, the cost of materials can vary greatly due to the choice of materials being used. Having said that, a rough idea for a 1 metre built in wardrobe with pvc wrap doors would be about €750 – €800. For a kitchen it would be a bit more per metre, roughly €900 – €1000. My tips for customers would be firstly have a good idea of exactly what you want, both overall design and style. While tradesmen will offer some ideas and advice, remember everybody’s style and taste is different. A lot of clients tend to look at design sites online such as pinterest and buzz and while this can be a good idea for inspiration, it should be noted that a lot of the posts on these sites are American, and as such there is a far greater availability in materials then we have here, especially in solid timber. While we do have access to some solid timbers here they are very often not cost effective for the budget.
And finally clients should try to have a realistic idea of what they are looking for on cost. Remember a unit made specifically for your home will likely cost two and a half to three times what a mass produced unit will cost. I know that may seem a lot to expect but if you were going to buy a car you wouldn’t expect to get a Mercedes for the price of a Mini.
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I hope this helps some of you who are planning to get a new kitchen, wardrobe or custom furniture for your home. And don’t forget, if you are looking to get a custom/bespoke kitchen or wardrobe be sure to post your job at http://www.tradesmen.ie/trade/kitchens-fitted-furniture, put in a realistic budget based on the guidelines above and get a number of quotes from rated kitchen and fitted furniture specialists.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to enter them in the comments box provided below.
Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
12 May 2022
Tips for hiring a tradesman
Here are some tips to consider when hiring a tradesman:-
1. Ask for phone numbers of references so that you can check them out
2. Check insurance of the tradesman where insurance is required
3. Hire a suitably qualified architect, building surveyor or building engineer if the job is anything to do with a new build, building renovation or extension
4. Agree on some sort of stage payments for the job. Remember that full payment should not be made until the job is complete and has been inspected by you, and if necessary by a certifier.
