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Original poster

Fitted Wardrobes Help! IKEA pax?!

61 replies

NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 20:25

Hello there!

I'm looking to get some fitted wardrobes from IKEA, but feel I need some guidance. I love that I can go in and completely create my own, but does anyone have any downsides to these wardrobes?

Has anyone paid to have them fitted by IKEA, or is it worth getting a local 'handyman' in to do it? I know they can be built by myself, but I've seen they take hours / a whole day and I'm planning on having them delivered the day I move into my new house so they are up and running asap. I'm moving in alone, so all building and unpacking is down to me.

Or can anyone else advise another company for fitted wardrobes? I'm moving into a new build and will only get in once for a measure before actually moving in, so can't have companies coming into measure before quoting.

Thanks in advance!

OP posts:
Secondtimesally · 07/03/2023 20:36

IKEA Pax are not fitted wardrobes, they are standalone. Which means you can move them round if you like- but really from my experience of them you never move your wardrobes- they don’t survive house moves, the doors do come loose over time, and you would get better quality from a good local carpenter if you can find one. However a carpenter will build but not paint so you won’t get them done in a day.
if you go with the Pax be warned they are heavy as they are so tall so you probably won’t be able to manage on you me own.
We have had Pax in our last 2 houses because we couldn’t afford fitted and they are fine but next time I’m saving up for fitted.

Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 20:40

Ah, interesting! I had it in my head they were fitted, but what you said makes perfect sense 🙂
I'm on quite a budget but do need something that will last, but not needed for another house move.
Did you pay for them to be installed by ikea?

OP posts:
EdHelpPls · 07/03/2023 20:43

There's lots of Pinterest (and similar) showing how to make them appear fitted which is maybe what you saw.
We have 2 sets of pax units and I love them. Both been taken apart a few times and moved and still fine. Now we are in forever home then I intend to replace with custom fitted within the next few years.

EdHelpPls · 07/03/2023 20:45

IKEA don't I stall, they just redirect you to a third party, I think Task rabbit? But I built them alone (I dont recommend that tbh. 2 people needed for safety! But extremely easy to put together)

Crikeyisthatthetime · 07/03/2023 20:47

We're got pax in our bedroom. Main memory is me standing holding the top piece over my head while DH screwed it into place. Definitely needs two, and it's quite hard work to do. It was a quick and relatively cheap way of getting lots of storage quickly when we moved.
I find the drawers very deep, I can lose things at the back of them. They've held up pretty well, but some drawers are a bit sticky. If you go for them, don't get seduced by lovely cool design if it doesn't do what you need it to do ( work out if you need drawers, or just hanging, you can go crazy with all the add- ons but they might not be what you need)

alwaysmovingforwards · 07/03/2023 20:47

The carcass and doors, quite good value.

Costs can mount with the internal accessories though.

Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 20:51

Yes, taskrabbit was who I saw when I Googled it. Maybe I'll ask around my friends to see if anyone can help. Deffo sounds like something I can't do alone at any rate - especially with my time restraints.

Another question- does anyone remember how long delivery takes?

OP posts:
Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 20:55

alwaysmovingforwards · 07/03/2023 20:47

The carcass and doors, quite good value.

Costs can mount with the internal accessories though.

I'm leaning towards mainly hanging poles with around 4 drawers. My current house has his and hers fitted wardrobes, which are all mine, so all my clothes are currently hung up - apart from underwear, PJs, etc, which is what I want the drawers for.

Who knew that buying my first ever house, and the thing I am getting most stressed about is my wardrobes 🤣

OP posts:
Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 20:57

Crikeyisthatthetime · 07/03/2023 20:47

We're got pax in our bedroom. Main memory is me standing holding the top piece over my head while DH screwed it into place. Definitely needs two, and it's quite hard work to do. It was a quick and relatively cheap way of getting lots of storage quickly when we moved.
I find the drawers very deep, I can lose things at the back of them. They've held up pretty well, but some drawers are a bit sticky. If you go for them, don't get seduced by lovely cool design if it doesn't do what you need it to do ( work out if you need drawers, or just hanging, you can go crazy with all the add- ons but they might not be what you need)

Thanks for the tips. I'm actually wanting to go really basic with the interior with only a few drawers, but the majority of it to be hanging

OP posts:
cocksstrideintheevening · 07/03/2023 21:08

We've got full length pax, inherited
From previous owner and about to get rid, the shelves at the top are literally a waste of space.

If I was going to it myself I'd have rails at the top so you can at least hook stuff down.

Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 21:10

cocksstrideintheevening · 07/03/2023 21:08

We've got full length pax, inherited
From previous owner and about to get rid, the shelves at the top are literally a waste of space.

If I was going to it myself I'd have rails at the top so you can at least hook stuff down.

Good to know, considering I'm only 5 ft tall 🤣.

I'll definitely keep an eye on that when designing it!!

OP posts:
Songbird54321 · 07/03/2023 21:14

We've got pax wardrobes and paid for ikea to build them. I just went in and they helped me build the wardrobe I wanted on the computer and picked the drawers/doors etc and they added on the cost of getting them built. The man that came didn't actually work for ikea, they subcontracted it out, but they arranged it all and he was lovely. It actually didn't take him much time at all considering he did it alone.
We went for sliding doors due to lack of space but they're a bugger to get back on if you ever take them off

Booradley23 · 07/03/2023 21:15

Had two of these built by Ikea’s 3rd party. Done in an hour. We brought a further one at a time when we had a handy person doing some other jobs. Took him most of the day. Not sure why. Was going to leave them when we moved but removals took them apart and reassembled no problem.

Abouttimemum · 07/03/2023 21:15

DH fitted ours - we got sliding doors and the carcass. It is fitted, it can’t be moved anywhere, but I don’t know if DH did that or if that is how you can buy them. He seemed to think it was quite straightforward. It in our son’s room and it’s great. The sliding doors are good quality and are lasting.

woodhill · 07/03/2023 21:15

Really pleased with ours

catfunk · 07/03/2023 21:17

Love mine, we built them but there are 2 of us. I'd be tempted to pay a handyman if single and you're getting full height- look on Fb marketplace.
I like the tall ones with a top shelf useful for suitcases/ bags/ out of season stuff toj don't need access to. Otherwise that stuff would be piled on top anyway.

S0upertrooper · 07/03/2023 21:20

I've used pax in my last 3 houses and really like the flexibility. I've also moved them and they've survived. We always assemble them ourselves with no problems.

The main thing you have to consider is the height of your ceiling as you need clearance to get them from lying flat to standing. The newest design allows you to assemble them vertically but it's trickier, so measure your floor to ceiling height.

I always go into the store to get the staff to do my final design and order.

Pinkvici22 · 07/03/2023 21:23

Following with interest - I’ve been stalking some Instagram accounts of people using pax to create a fitted wardrobe effect (presumably at a fraction of the cost) - some of them look incredible!

minipie · 07/03/2023 21:26

cocksstrideintheevening · 07/03/2023 21:08

We've got full length pax, inherited
From previous owner and about to get rid, the shelves at the top are literally a waste of space.

If I was going to it myself I'd have rails at the top so you can at least hook stuff down.

It’s pretty easy to move the internal fittings if they’re not where you want?

I’m short and we have a shelf above the rail as otherwise I’d never be able to get things off the rail. Shelf has things like ski gear or rarely used accessories

minipie · 07/03/2023 21:29

By the way we have Pax carcasses and innards and got a joiner to make bespoke doors for them and surrounds to make them built in.

Worked very well and whilst not cheap, a lot cheaper than having the whole thing bespoke. The Pax innards don’t look as smart as bespoke fitted wardrobe innards but they are very flexible and have lots of useful accessories available from ikea.

TooManyPax · 07/03/2023 21:32

I have said this before, I have way too many Pax wardrobes including a 4m run of them in the children's playroom. In total in bedrooms and the playroom I have 5 doubles and 14 singles, it is a 4 bed house.

I put them all together without help and upright them, mine are the 201 tall and they are not that heavy, they do survive house moves both being collapsed and taped shut and lifted whole with the contents still in, in the original plastic drawers not the wooden ones. The playroom ones have been used and abused by the children and have held up perfectly apart from the doors having scuff marks. Never had doors come loose either. Original Pax wardrobes were bought 20 years ago, then we replaced due to redecorating, sold the old ones.

If you are going for hinged doors and not sliding, be aware of the position of all 3 hinges when choosing interior fittings. The wooden drawers have their runners on the bottom so you cannot have a drawer right at the bottom without a gap. You can have the baskets though as they have runners on the top.

If you know where all your fittings are going to be then whilst the sides are lay flat next to each other, align the fittings and attach them in place. The best way to work out spacing is to count the holes from one fitting to another whilst in Ikea looking at their Pax set up. ie it might be 7 holes from one drawer runner to the one above it. Mine have grown with the children, we have added hanging rails. adjusted the heights of the those hanging rails etc.

Original poster
NewWardrobeHelp · 07/03/2023 21:36

OK, you've all been a great help, thank you.

I was leaning towards sliding doors as the wall is actually behind the bedroom door, so if I went for hinged doors, I'd need to close my bedroom door to open the wardrobe - which I imagine will get really tiring, really quickly!

Great shout about the high storage, I do have stuff that needs to be hidden with occasional access to.

I was actually in ikea a couple of weeks ago and used the computer, and it's been playing on my mind since! I just need to get into the house so I can do my measuring!!

I knew you guys would help me! Keep coming with the tips, I'm making a list!

OP posts:
JoanDarc · 07/03/2023 21:47

We’ve just fitted pax wardrobes in our dressing room as part of our new extension. I say fitted as they are fixed in place in the same way that all other fitted wardrobe systems are. There is no difference between a product like pax, mass market but a great product/system vs a company charging a huge amount for ultimately a similar Modular system with fitting and design included.
(I’m not including companies providing truly bespoke systems built to exact spec within this category.)
We spent just over £1k for equivalent 4.5m wide storage (split over two sides) and have every bell & whistle I could ask for. The only downside for me was that there is only two heights and we didn’t quite have enough ceiling height (by about 2 cm!) for the tallest version. A true bespoke version would have allowed us to tailor this within the design and probably been in the region of £5k.
Good luck!

PlainSkyr · 07/03/2023 21:55

Go for a simple internal design. I have 4 PAX and the best design is the with hangar rail on the top, 4 full drawers from the bottom. I also have 1 slim drawer (for jewellery/earrings etc) with a felt insert. Basic, simple, loads of volume. Another lesson learnt the hard way was to have a light colour on the inside - we have dark brown (nearly black) and can't see a thing unless all the bright lights in the room are on. White would've been much more sensible. Some people go for inbuilt lights which is great and we should've but didn't!
These have survived 3 house moves and still going strong!

PlainSkyr · 07/03/2023 21:56

Local handyman can fit it well, no need for ikea. Do make sure they use all the screws as some of them skip some steps which add strength and stability but can be built without. In the long run it pays to have all the screws well fitted.