What if the alcove width varies by more than a centimetre?

That is common and not a problem. We build the carcass to the smallest measurement and close the gap at the side with a scribe fillet shaped to the wall on site. What matters is that we know about it beforehand.

Do I have to measure precisely myself, or will you come?

Your own measurements are enough for an indicative quote. For fitted wardrobes we survey before building, because the cutting is our responsibility. The visit conditions are set out in the process page.

How much depth does a hanging rail need?

At least 550 mm internally, which in a standard build means 600 mm externally. Where there is less, we use a pull-out rail that hangs clothes lengthways.

What happens to a socket inside the alcove?

It stays usable. We cut the back panel around it, or plan an open bay at that point. Note the position from the left edge and from the floor and mention it with your enquiry.

How to measure an alcove for a wardrobe

Measuring an alcove or wall for a fitted wardrobe: width at three heights, depth, skirting, sockets, out-of-square walls, and what the workshop does about tolerances.

An indicative quote needs three numbers: width, height and depth. Building the wardrobe needs a good many more, which is exactly why we come and measure fitted work ourselves. This guide covers how to take measurements good enough for the first step — and what we check in the room before anything is cut.

You need a folding rule or a laser measure, a pencil and a sheet of paper. Work in millimetres and never round up.

Width: measure it three times

Walls are not parallel. In older flats a two-centimetre difference over two metres of height is entirely ordinary; in new build it is smaller, but not rare.

So measure the alcove width at three heights: just above the floor, at about 150 cm, and just under the ceiling. Write all three down. The wardrobe is governed by the smallest of them, because it has to pass the narrowest point.

If the three differ by more than 10 mm, do say so — the build is then different (see the out-of-square section below).

Height: three times again, and the floor is usually the culprit

Measure floor to ceiling at the left edge, in the middle and at the right edge. Floors often fall away; ceilings are almost never truly level.

A wardrobe to the ceiling is governed by the smallest height measured, with a scribe fillet planned at the top to close the difference. If the wardrobe stops short of the ceiling this is simpler, but note the measurement anyway — it tells us whether there is room for a top box above.

Depth: what actually suits you

The depth of the alcove is one thing; usable depth is another. Hanging on a rail needs at least 550 mm of internal depth, otherwise clothes touch the doors. That is why the standard external carcass depth is 600 mm.

With less room, a pull-out rail that hangs clothes lengthways is the answer; such a wardrobe can be 400 mm deep, at the cost of capacity.

The configurator accepts depths from 150 to 1000 mm, so unusual rooms can be tried too.

What people usually forget

Skirting. If the skirting stays, the wardrobe will not sit against the wall. Measure its height and thickness. We normally remove it where the wardrobe stands, or set the carcass forward.

Sockets, switches and radiators. Note their position (from the left edge of the alcove and from the floor) and their size. A socket behind a wardrobe need not be lost: we cut the back panel around it, or plan an open bay at that point.

Vents, gas pipes, waste pipes. These do not move. Tell us about anything in or on the wall.

The door and the window. Measure the distance from the alcove to the door frame, and note which way the door swings. With hinged wardrobe doors it matters whether they can open fully at all.

The ceiling. If it slopes or steps, photograph it and measure the height at both ends plus the length of the slope. There is a dedicated shape for this: Wardrobes under a slope and under stairs.

Out-of-square walls: what we do about them

A joiner's wardrobe is not forced into a room; it is fitted to it. Where a wall wanders, we build the carcass slightly narrower and close the difference with a scribe fillet shaped to the wall on site. The same is done at the ceiling and at the side.

That means two things. First, we do not build to the largest width measured, because it would not go in. Second, we need the smallest measurement rather than the largest — if you send one number, we treat it as the maximum and verify it at the survey.

What a quote needs

For an indicative quote from the configurator:

the smallest alcove width;
the smallest floor-to-ceiling height (or the wardrobe height you want);
the depth available;
a photograph of the room, ideally showing both corners.

Everything else — exact measurements, slopes, services — we check at the on-site survey. How that runs is in How we build a fitted wardrobe.

Next step

Put your measurements into the configurator and see what fits. Fitted builds are among our designs.

Frequently asked

What if the alcove width varies by more than a centimetre?: That is common and not a problem. We build the carcass to the smallest measurement and close the gap at the side with a scribe fillet shaped to the wall on site. What matters is that we know about it beforehand.
Do I have to measure precisely myself, or will you come?: Your own measurements are enough for an indicative quote. For fitted wardrobes we survey before building, because the cutting is our responsibility. The visit conditions are set out in the process page.
How much depth does a hanging rail need?: At least 550 mm internally, which in a standard build means 600 mm externally. Where there is less, we use a pull-out rail that hangs clothes lengthways.
What happens to a socket inside the alcove?: It stays usable. We cut the back panel around it, or plan an open bay at that point. Note the position from the left edge and from the floor and mention it with your enquiry.