Made to measure
Cabinet making and bespoke furniture
Cabinet making is furniture made to fit, usually in a workshop and then installed. Handmade cabinetry typically runs £400 to £900 per linear metre, and the figure depends far more on the door and the finish than on the carcass.
What this covers
Typical price. £400 to £900 per linear metre for handmade cabinetry
What the job covers
- Freestanding and fitted cabinetry
- Dining tables and benches
- Window seats and banquettes
- Bar and utility furniture
- Restoration and matching of existing pieces
What is involved
A cabinet maker works from a cutting list rather than from the wall, which is the practical difference from a site carpenter. Carcasses are built and finished in the workshop where there is machinery, dust extraction and a spray booth, then delivered and scribed in. That produces a better finish than anything achievable in a bedroom, at the cost of a lead time that is usually four to ten weeks.
The decisions that move the price are the door style, the finish and the hardware. A slab door in sprayed MDF is the cheapest good option. A shaker door adds machining. An in-frame door, where the door sits inside a face frame rather than over it, is the most expensive because the tolerances are tight and every opening has to be square. Soft-close hardware from a known manufacturer costs more than unbranded, so it is worth seeing the brand named in the quote.
Freestanding and fitted cabinetry, one of the jobs under cabinet making.
Choosing someone for the job
Ask to see the inside of a carcass, not just the front. Ask which hardware brand is quoted and check it is written into the quote. Ask where the spraying happens, because a workshop finish and an on-site brush finish are different products at different prices.
Worth reading first:
- Carpenter or joiner: what each one doesCarpenter qualifications and accreditation in the UKWhat a carpentry quote should include
Related jobs:
Common questions
What is the difference between a carpenter and a cabinet maker?
A carpenter fits on site. A cabinet maker builds in a workshop to fine tolerances and then installs. Many people do both, but the workshop is what defines cabinet making.
How long does bespoke cabinetry take?
Four to ten weeks from sign-off, most of it workshop time. Installation is usually one to three days.
Cabinet making by city
- Cabinet making in BirminghamCabinet making in LiverpoolCabinet making in SheffieldCabinet making in ManchesterCabinet making in BristolCabinet making in LeicesterCabinet making in CroydonCabinet making in NewhamCabinet making in CoventryCabinet making in BradfordCabinet making in LambethCabinet making in Southwark