wardrobe/bookshelf combo: help?

[afussyphase]

We have a small bedroom and want to use the space as best we can. We have a drawing someone did (but their quote was outrageous IMO). Can you help with (1) how much should this cost from eg a local carpenter, and (2) does this look like a good design?
We really want book space, hence the bookshelves, and we want to make use of the corner. We don't need shoe racks. In fact, we don't really have too many clothes so I'm not concerned about the overall size (we have closets elsewhere in the house to put winter things during summer, etc)
I guess I just don't want to pay near 4000£ (incl vat) without some reassurance, especially if you'd all think it'd be cheaper.
Any thoughts?

[afussyphase]

Bump! Anyone with any experience of this? If you can't read the drawing basically it's 180cm wide, 240 high, 1 bookcase, 6 drawers in total...

[burnishedsilver]

My guess would be its the drawers that are pushing the price up. What material are they proposing to build it out of?

[afussyphase]

Thanks for the reply! It's to be MDF I believe. The price includes decorating: filling and sanding, painting primer; second fill where needed, undercoat, sanding, 2 coats finish. So that's quite a lot of work. He had previously quoted drawers at 156 each (including decorating but not VAT) so that's approximately 1000£ of the total. If it's not unreasonable we might just do it, but it's not like I've compared 20 designs and come down to this one. This is just one someone suggested for us.

[burnishedsilver]

I'm waiting on a price for wardrobes at the moment. They guy who came out to measure up said that painted MDF would be considerably more expensive than malamine. I still think yours sounds too expensive. Its worth getting another quote.

[afussyphase]

Yeah. Annoying because we have been faffing around putting this off for more than a year through indecision and uncertainty about what we want, who to get etc etc.
I looked back at the quote from the company who suggested this design and it's the same, but they were definitely NOT a local carpenter - very smooth website, all their own staff, etc, and their price for the under-stairs storage was 1400£ MORE than this guy's. In contrast, he can't spell (English as a second language), doesn't have a fancy website, but is well-reputed locally.

[JumpJockey]

Have a look at these people: www.shelfstore.co.uk/ Their stuff is solid wood, you can add all sorts of accoutrements to personalise it. We got a big bay filled with bookshelves by them, they're adjustable in case you want to reorganise, incredibly strong and sturdy. Though I have no idea how much drawers would cost.

[afussyphase]

Wow, thanks, those look good. We could get the whole inside filled with those, and be able to have the drawers higher up which would be nice. And customizable. Their drawers aren't that expensive. But for wardrobes I would definitely want doors so perhaps our carpenter could make an empty shell..

[JumpJockey]

Looking at the site again, you can get doors up to 170cm high if that would be big enough? They're not painted, which would be down to you I think, they've got a pretty hefty varnished finish so would need sanding.

[afussyphase]

No, that wouldn't work; really want floor to ceiling. But the carpenter doing a shell , and us filling in with these, would be way cheaper and we'd be able to put drawers etc where we liked. though I guess the downside would be that we'd have to open the door to get to the drawer, so the drawers couldn't be full depth (or they'd hit the door edge when we tried to open them!). so then the shelves couldn't be full depth either. Maybe this is why not everyone does this :)

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

you might be better off using Jali.co.uk ( or .com ? can't remember ? ! ) as they do totally bespoke sizes ! they come either in oak veneer or MDF or even primed MDF

[ElephantsNeverForgive]

I have MFI wardrobes (Ikea were too high) and Billy book cases, and a pile of MDF for DH to make me a custom low storage unit across the window.

Yes I know MFI closed years ago, the last bit is to try and reclaim the dinning room from the craft mountain.

[CointreauVersial]

We had custom built wardrobes put in by our local carpenter, who charged by the day, plus materials. We made the wardrobes exactly the same width as IKEA Pax wardrobes, so we were able to use all the pullout baskets, drawers, rails and storage boxes, which were all very cheap. He made the carcasses and doors from MDF and left then unpainted, as this was something we could easily finish off ourselves.

He also did a fitted bookcase, in a really awkward triangular space. I don't know how long it took him, because he was doing other work at the same time, but the cost was way lower than your quote.

[afussyphase]

Thanks everyone, some great options here! Someone who charges by the day is interesting, how did you find him?

[DreamboatDaddy]

Cointreau, which part of the country are you in? I'd really appreciate recommendations for a good and reasonably priced carpenter who can cover North Herts area.

[CointreauVersial]

Dreamboat - I'm afraid I'm in Surrey.

Not unusual to find someone charging by the day, really. Most tradesmen do, although you only see it as a labour charge, based in how long it will take. Our joiner is someone we've known for years, and he has done loads of work on our house; he is utterly trustworthy.

Ask local friends for recommendations.