To just pay this...?

[LadyShirazz]

Sorry if AIBU isn't quite the right place for this - but hoping for some quick input from the interior decor experts on here please!

Soooo just had a lovely chap from Sharpes come in to assess our tiny, cramped "spare" bedroom (which - for various reasons - serves as mine and OH's main / only bedroom, but is very small and desperately lacking in storage).

He quoted us £3,908 to replace the one single corner wardrobe we currently have (for the both of us!), and put in a beautiful floor to ceiling, 3-door fitted sliding door wardrobe (with proper storage worked in) across the far wall, as well as matching bedside tables and headboard - price includes fitting, furniture, delivery, removal of materials etc.

Maybe I'm being naive, but actually that was rather less than I was expecting to pay for the work we'd like done. We've not "actively" shopped around as yet, as we needed someone like this to first come in, measure up, and give an idea as to what's do-able or not - but had guesstimated in my mind at about £5k up. OH (who has a better grasp on matters DIY than me) was also pleasantly surprised at the quoted price...

Posted on moneysavingexpert as well, but hoping for a quicker response (and possible flaming?) on here...

As that seems a pretty fair price to me - AIBU to just go with this quote, or a complete and utter tool...?

Thanks!!!

So I'd say go with sharpes. I don't feel we got a bargain!

Sounds expensive, I'm sure you could something cheaper, however it sounds lovely and well planned and it will be good quality. If you are happy to pay that price then I think that's fine.

Thanks all - however we rejig things, it'll be cramped, as it is now.

But cramped with x3 storage must surely be a result... :)

Thanks for the supplier recommendations - we'll definitely get them in...

if the room is about 3m sq, and has a double bed in it, you will have to walk sideways round the bed when the wardrobe is in, and you will not be able to have a bedside cabinet on the wardrobe side. Try masking tape on the carpet to see.

If the wardrobe is 500mm deep, that is not quite enough to put a wooden coat hanger with coat or jacket on it, sideways. You can have them facing out, otherwise at a slant. Trousers, skirts, shirts and blouses on wire hangers will fit. If you have drawers, it will be difficult to open them unless you stand on the bed. I think it will fit if you have it at the foot of the bed, but not the side.

I think the room is too small, unless you change to a single bed. Or bunks. Measure it accurately and precisely and show us a floor plan.

We were quoted £6k for a 1.5 m wardrobe and two flat shelves (two pieces of wood) for the wall. By John Lewis. The lady came at 7pm and didn't leave until 10.30pm. I think she thought she would exhaust us into submission. She didn't succeed though - extortionate we thought.

Tell them you like it, but have to think about it......... then wait a week or two. They MAY make an offer to reduce price, and you get time to mull it over.

IMHO it's a heck of a lot of money, but does look lovely. Have you tried getting qoutes from local craftsmen? I always try to use those or local "family" businesses over national conglomerates.

Thank you all - will scan the floor plan on Monday and see what you mumsnet judge jury and executionors make of it!

Thanks all so much for the feedback...

Bespoke to your room and high quality fittings - I think its a fair price

Big companies can be cowboys too OP. I think £3k is expensive but factoring in the price of (hopefully safety) glass I can sort of see why it would cost that much.

I bet you could hire a good builder/carpenter for more than half that with an off the shelf fitted wardrobe in a very similar style. plus you could buy some very fancy mirrored side chests and still be way under.

My MFI wardrobes for the main bedroon in a semi (wall to wall) cost £1800 10 years ago.

Still going strong. Wonder how much they would cost now.

I use a good carpenter. Believe me, its not a cheap option

I have Sharps fitted wardrobes - we had them put in when we bought this house 28 years ago and they still look great. We don't have sliding doors, but went for a very plain design with mirrored doors which thankfully hasn't dated. The quality is fantastic and the amount of storage it provides is amazing (we have a combination of hanging space, shelves and drawers inside), the room isn't big but always looks tidy and uncluttered. Can't remember what we paid but definitely worth every penny.

We used Homebase for ours, much cheaper than Sharps, we have sliding doors too. However I think DH did some of the fitting/shelving himself. Perhaps Homebase have fitters or could recommend someone? The cost difference was £5k (Sharps) vs £400 Homebase.

Sharps are very expensive, do shop around at local places too. They may call you with a revised quote next week so hold out either way.

Local carpenter I say but see his or her work first.Sharps quality is good the fitting is done by independent fitters. I used to deliver for them and have seen both good and bad workmanship.
It's all about the " fit", same applies for kitchens. Cheap units well fitted are better than expensive ones poorly fitted IYSWIM.

Seeing as nice floor to ceiling sliding doors, wooden or mirrored, are about £100 each at B&Q, I am stunned at the price.

I would look for someone locally to fit you out.

If it's at the bottom of the bed you will still be pushing it - our bedroom is a sniff over 10ft wide and we have sliding door wardrobes (Ikea Pax) at the bottom of our standard double bed and there's enough room to walk past, but there's definitely not a foot to spare. Might just be ok if that's your 9.5ft dimension but I'd echo measuring it out for real.

Just not the same quality of materials and fittings ....

Agree that it sounds tight on sizing and that price is extortionate.

Have a look on ikeahacks for ways of turning Pax wardrobes into fitted versions for probably less than half that price.

I don't think the Sharps quality is anything special. Isn't it just laminated MDF like anywhere else?

We have 10 YO ikea pax with sliding doors and they're like new.

How about getting a pull down bed instead - or even as well as - new furniture?

www.studybed.co.uk

www.wallbed.co.uk

There are lots of other options - just google wall beds uk.

I don't think that going with Sharps guarantees that you don't get Cowboys. My friend has had dreadful trouble with the fitters (in Kent). It's been badly fitted, gaps left and a wall damaged, they have issued letter before legal action now.

Get Hammonds out as well, direct competitors of Sharpes. We went with Sharpes in the end, but only because they offered full length mirrored doors to our ceiling. For everything else I preferred Hammonds, including price.

Pax also comes in 2 different depths if space is tight

Also look for a local sliding door company. £s cheaper sometimes.
Loved MFI!

We had quotes from Sharps and Hammonds, the latter was about 1500-2000 cheaper, also, the Sharps designer didn't really explain how he arrived at the total, so it felt a little off. So we went with Hammonds and their fitter was absolutely superb, all done in two days and no mess at all. We are also on the Herts/Essex border and we went down to Fishpools, Waltham Cross, as Hammonds have a small showroom within the store (About 20 mins/half an hour from Stortford. ) so we could examine the quality and finishes in detail. That really helped.