Because the money goes to different places. With traditional joinery, a large part of the cost is the carcass: timber cut and built from scratch by a joiner, most of which you never see once the doors are on. A Finition installation uses the IKEA PAX system as the structural foundation, so that budget goes instead into the finish, the doors, the scribing and the details that actually define how the room looks. You get a comparable result for a fraction of the cost, because you're not paying to hand-build a box that ends up hidden behind doors.

The figures quoted include the cost of the IKEA PAX units, but you buy them directly from IKEA rather than through me. Before you order anything, I'll tell you the exact configuration, sizes and components your space needs, so you get it right first time and avoid paying for returns. Everything else, the fitting, scribing, custom infill panels, painting and warranty, is part of my installation cost.

A standard two-door built-in PAX wardrobe with standard IKEA doors is the most affordable way to get a true built-in finish, typically between £1,500 and £1,750 including units, fitting and painting. Costs rise with more units, custom doors, specialist hardware, or particularly awkward spaces. If budget is the priority, I'll tell you honestly where you can save and where it's worth spending.

Usually because they're not doing the same work. A cheap fitted wardrobe quote often means cover strips used to hide gaps rather than panels scribed to follow your walls and ceiling. In a period home with uneven walls, that difference is visible every day. When comparing quotes, ask exactly what's included, particularly whether panels are scribed to the walls and whether painting is part of the price.

Sometimes, because uneven walls, sloped ceilings and out-of-square alcoves take more scribing time than a standard modern room. But these are exactly the spaces where a built-in finish makes the biggest difference, and they're my specialism. I'll give you a clear fixed price upfront, so you know the full cost before any work begins, however awkward the space.