Fitted Wardrobes: Disadvantages You Should Know About

Fitted wardrobes seem like a dream on paper. They hug your walls perfectly, hide away all the clutter, and look like they belong in a glossy magazine. But before you start measuring up your bedroom walls, you’ve got to know what could go wrong. Once they’re in, there’s no simple way to slide them out or shift them around like a regular wardrobe. If you’re renting or thinking about moving next year, you might want to hold off—because fitted wardrobes aren’t exactly ‘pack up and go’ friendly.

The cost can sneak up on you too. That first quote often skips important bits, like tricky install jobs or odd-shaped rooms. Cutting wardrobes to fit under that weird sloping ceiling isn’t cheap. So before you commit, be ready for more than just the price tag in the brochure. I’ve heard from a neighbor who got a nasty surprise when the team charged extra for every socket and skirting board in the way!

• Permanent and Hard to Move
• Higher Upfront Costs
• Challenging to Change or Expand
• Potential Problems with Installation
• What If Your Tastes Change?

Permanent and Hard to Move

Here’s the thing about fitted wardrobes: they’re like that friend who never leaves the party. Once they’re in, they’re not going anywhere without a fight. These built-in units are designed to fit your room’s exact shape and size, so they’re fixed to walls, floors, and sometimes even the ceiling. Standard wardrobes? You can just shove those across the room or down the hall. Fitted ones? Not a chance.

If you’re the kind of person who enjoys switching up your space or might move house down the line, this is a big deal. Moving out means leaving that fancy wardrobe behind since prying it off can damage the walls or the unit itself. Even if you wanted to take it, it wouldn’t fit the next bedroom without a serious overhaul—if it fits at all.

This permanence can actually knock thousands off your moving budget. Think about it: with an average cost to dismantle and repair fitted units ranging anywhere from £400 to £900 depending on the complexity. And when you try to resell a house, not every buyer wants a giant wardrobe exactly where yours sits. What works for you might be a nuisance for them.

• Rental issues: Landlords rarely allow permanent changes, so fitted wardrobes are usually a no-go if you’re renting.
• Resale headaches: If you put your place on the market, potential buyers might dislike the style or placement, making it harder to sell.
• Flexibility: Even simple room makeovers can get complicated because the wardrobe stays put. Need to swap bedrooms? You’re stuck working around your built-in giant.

If you love the idea of total flexibility or anticipate moves in the near future, fitted isn’t always worth the hassle for your storage solutions and furniture plans.

Higher Upfront Costs

The number one thing that surprises a lot of people about fitted wardrobes is how much they cost before you even get to enjoy any extra storage. Custom designs always hit your wallet harder than anything off the shelf. While a regular freestanding wardrobe might run you a couple hundred bucks, built-in options usually start around £1,500 in the UK, and it jumps up from there, especially if you want anything fancy like lighting, mirrors, or soft-close doors.

Here's a quick look at what you might end up paying in May 2025:

It’s not just the materials you’re paying for. There’s the design time, all the custom measurements, and then the actual installation labor. Don’t forget, if your home isn’t a totally straight box (and whose is?), even little quirks in the room can add hundreds or thousands to the total. My friend Rosie was shocked when her small box room makeover racked up over £800 extra for fiddly corners and built-in LED strips.

And here’s the catch: these wardrobes don’t move with you. When you spend big, you’re locking that money into this one space for the long haul. If you plan to move in a year or two, think twice before investing so much in a custom job you can’t take with you.

"Custom built-ins often make sense for your forever home, but can lead to lost money if you move often or rent out." – House Beautiful, April 2024

Don’t let the slick showrooms or the online sales pitches trip you up. Always ask for a breakdown of every cost—including installation, extra shelving, and weird room features—before you sign anything. That way, you stay in control and won’t be caught off guard by the real price of your brand new storage solution.

Challenging to Change or Expand

Here’s something you don’t realize until it’s too late: fitted wardrobes are pretty much set in stone after they’re installed. Unlike standard wardrobes you can just swap out or move, these are custom-built for your specific space, which makes changes a hassle if your needs grow—or your hobbies (like my constant struggle to fit Tigger’s scratching posts somewhere new).

If you want to add more shelves or rails later, you usually have to call the original company back. Even then, there’s no guarantee your new pieces will match. Designs and finishes get discontinued; companies switch suppliers. Next thing you know, a new section you paid good money for looks totally different next to your old one.

This lack of flexibility trips up a lot of people. Say your family grows, or suddenly you’re working from home and need extra storage for tech gear and files. With a freestanding wardrobe, a quick furniture shop run fixes your storage headache. No can do with fitted ones—you’re locked in, and reconfiguring can be pricey, or even impossible because of the way it’s built against your walls.

Here’s a quick look at the difference in adaptability:

Planning to shake things up in your room layout or seeing big changes in your life soon? It’s worth thinking twice before betting everything on a fitted, built-in solution.

Potential Problems with Installation

Getting fitted wardrobes installed isn’t just about picking a style and calling the guys in. There’s a whole list of things that can go sideways. One of the most common headaches? The walls or floors aren’t as straight as they look. Even new builds can surprise you with awkward bulges or dips. This means the wardrobe frame often needs to be trimmed and adjusted on site, which takes more time and bumps up your bill.

Electrical outlets and heating pipes hiding behind your walls also make things tricky. Installers have to cut around these or move them completely, and those changes usually aren’t included up front. So don’t be shocked if your quote suddenly climbs after the installer spots a pipe running right where your dream closet is supposed to sit.

Another real pain is dust and mess. Fitted wardrobes often need sawing, drilling, and a fair bit of shoving. Even tidy teams can leave behind dust clouds and paint scuffs if you’re not careful. If you’ve got pets like Tigger (my cat sure hates loud noises!), you might want to clear the room during fitting days.

Ever wondered why some wardrobes just don’t fit right? Sometimes, the measurements get taken in a hurry or the fitter isn’t as skilled as promised. The end result: gaps, stuck doors, drawers that won’t glide, or panels that just look wonky. It happens more often than you’d guess, especially if you’re dealing with a tight budget company.

Here’s a quick look at a few common installation problems and what usually causes them:

So, when looking into wardrobe companies, always ask about their experience with awkward rooms or old houses. Check if they include prep work and follow-up fixes in the price. Even better, dig up customer reviews that mention aftercare and problem-solving—those are the companies that don’t vanish once your money’s handed over.

What If Your Tastes Change?

Tastes change. Your favorite style now can look tired or totally off a few years later. That’s one of the biggest headaches with fitted wardrobes. Because they’re built into the wall and designed to your room’s exact shape, replacing them is way more complicated than swapping out a freestanding piece. If you get bored with the look, you can’t just buy new doors at the hardware store and call it a day.

Some fitted wardrobes let you swap out doors, but that’s not always simple. Panels, trims, and handles are often custom sizes. You can end up hunting all over just to find matching parts, and prices shoot up fast for anything non-standard. There’s also a good chance that taking the internals apart messes up shelves or rails, causing even more hassle—and cost—if you want a refresh.

Here’s another thing: color trends shift all the time. White and grey are safe bets for wardrobe finishes, but bold colors or shiny mirror panels get old fast. If next year you want pastel pink or natural wood, replacing a built-in setup is nothing like slapping new paint on a wall. Unless you picked a timeless style, you may find yourself stuck with something you no longer love.

Stats from UK home decor surveys in 2023 showed that 41% of homeowners regretted a big home upgrade because of changing tastes—and wardrobes were in the top upgrades they wished they could switch. Makes sense, because a fitted wardrobe can last 15-20 years if you don’t change it, but getting out of that choice costs you way more than a flick of paint or a new rug.

You’ve also got to think about selling your place. Buyers have their own likes and dislikes, so a fitted wardrobe in a wild color or weird finish can actually turn people off. Sometimes estate agents say ripping out old built-ins is just part of getting a house ready for sale. That’s time, money, and even more mess.

• Plan for the long term: stick to neutral doors and classic handles for broad appeal.
• If you want lots of flexibility, modular storage might be better than fully fitted.
• Ask the installer about how easy it is to swap panels or parts in future.
• Think twice before picking something too bold or on-trend unless you truly love it now and will for years.