Cabinet MakerUpdated September 2026

How Much Do Custom Wardrobes Cost in Australia?

At a Glance

Sydney guide range

$3,000–$15,200per job

Mid point $8,200 per job

Sydney/NSW · Built 1990–2010 · Other factors typical · Not a personalised quote

Location

Property age

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A white melamine built-in wardrobe in Australia typically costs $800–$1,500 per linear metre installed, including the carcass, doors, shelves and hanging rail. Custom wardrobe costs range from $3,000–$15,200 per job, depending on size, door style, materials and internal fitout. A single-door linen cupboard with basic shelving sits at the lower end. A full walk-in robe with soft-close drawers, pull-out shoe racks, and timber veneer finishes sits at the upper end. Most standard bedroom wardrobes (1.8–2.4m wide, sliding doors, melamine internals) land around $8,200.

Pricing by City

Custom Wardrobes & Walk-in Robes guide ranges, per job, for five major cities, using the same state and territory adjustments. Select a city to open its guide.

Ranges use each city’s state or territory adjustment to the Sydney baseline, rounded to the nearest $50. They are not quotes.

This page covers custom-built wardrobes designed and installed by a Cabinet Maker. If you are looking at flat-pack wardrobe assembly (IKEA PAX, Bunnings Kaboodle), that is a general carpentry job and falls into a different pricing category.

What's Included

A custom wardrobe quote from a Cabinet Maker typically covers:

Site measure and design. Your cabinet maker visits, measures the space (including any out-of-square walls or ceiling angles), and produces a design layout showing shelf positions, hanging zones, and drawer placements.
Carcass manufacture. The box structure, built from 18mm board (melamine, MDF, or plywood depending on finish), cut and edged in the workshop. All board should comply with AS 4386:2018 Domestic Kitchen Assemblies which covers cabinetry construction standards including wardrobe systems.
Doors. Hinged, sliding, or mirrored sliding — quoted as part of the package.
Internal fitout. Shelves, hanging rails, drawers, and any accessories (shoe racks, pull-out baskets, jewellery trays) as specified in the design.
Delivery and installation. Transport to site, fitting to walls (secured to studs or masonry), levelling, and final adjustment of doors and drawers.
Hardware. Hinges, drawer runners, handles or knobs. Soft-close hardware is standard on mid-range and above.

Not typically included: electrical work for internal wardrobe lighting (an electrician handles that separately, ~$200–$500 per wardrobe for LED strip or sensor lights), painting the surrounding room at $400–$1,600 per room, or carpet trimming. If you also want a built-in desk or bookshelf, custom joinery costs $5,000–$25,400 per job as a separate job.

What Homeowners Reported Paying

Price reports shared by Australian homeowners.

Community price reports

Homeowner-reported amounts, with badges showing whether each was paid, quoted or unspecified.

Individual custom wardrobe price reports

These reports range from doors or internals only to single wardrobes and fit-outs across several rooms, and some give per-room prices, so we show individual reports without summary statistics. Compare the width and height, number of rooms, door type, internals, finish and whether installation and removal are included, as well as location and date, before using a report as a reference.

Individual community price reports. Reference information only.
Year & location	Scope of work	Reported amount
2026QLD	sliding doors only for 3 existing wardrobes: two mirrored and one white vinyl; supplied and installed	$2,100Quoted
2026VIC	3 separate built-in wardrobes (two about 2100 wide and one 3000 wide) with mirror sliding doors; ceiling height 2590; carpenter	$18,000Quoted
2026Australia	custom wardrobe with hinged doors designed by homeowner; fully installed	$6,650Reported paid
2026Australia	custom wardrobe 2m wide x 550mm deep x 2500mm high with Polytec matt finish; 6 soft-close drawers; bulkhead for new cornice; installed	$2,200Reported paid
2026Australia	custom wardrobe with stacking sliding timber doors; drawers; hanging and open shelves; existing opening enlarged and re-plastered floor to ceiling	$3,200Quoted
2026Australia	two built-ins incl a hallway cupboard 6 doors long	$5,000Price type unknown
2026Australia	built-in wardrobe for a single bedroom	$14,000Quoted
2026VIC	3m wide built-in wardrobe with non-mirrored doors and internals	$8,000Quoted
2026NSW	built-in wardrobes in three bedrooms about 3m high x 2.4-3m wide with many drawers and 270 degree hinges	$24,000Price type unknown
2026NSW	5 sets of floor to ceiling built-in robes imported from China (veneer and 2-pac shaker; LED strips) plus local carpenter install	$17,000Reported paid
2026NSW	walk-in robe from a wardrobe company; not all inserts included	$12,000Quoted
2026NSW	walk-in robe in the company standard size (shorter than full height)	$9,000Quoted
2025QLD	built-in wardrobes for three bedrooms (master with double wardrobes) plus a laundry built-in	$8,000Reported paid
2025NSW	built-in wardrobes for two bedrooms plus wardrobes in a walk-in robe and three hall cupboards	$65,000Quoted
2025NSW	built-in wardrobes for two bedrooms plus wardrobes in a walk-in robe and three hall cupboards; local joiner custom build and install	$17,000Quoted
2025Australia	per room: built-in wardrobe 2.5m long x 2.7m high installed	$4,000Quoted
2025Australia	6m x 3m walk-in robe with full built-in cupboards by a cabinetmaker	$18,000Reported paid
2025Australia	4 door walk-in robe fully supplied and installed	$3,000Price type unknown
2025Australia	3 sliding door built-in wardrobe 2.4m x 2.4m (Innerspace)	$4,000Quoted
2025NSW	wardrobe internals for 3 bedrooms (one walk-in and two built-in): existing shelving removed; new shelves drawers and cupboards; no doors; incl rubbish removal and wall patching	$7,000Quoted
2025Australia	one built-in wardrobe with hinged doors (7am Wardrobes)	$10,000Quoted
2024Australia	per room: fully custom floor to ceiling built-in wardrobe by a local cabinet maker	$7,500Reported paid
2023Australia	3 double door built-in wardrobes each up to 1500mm wide x 2.7m high	$14,250Quoted
2021Australia	two floor to ceiling built-in wardrobes 3m high	$2,500Reported paid
2020Australia	built-in wardrobe about 2.6m wide x 2.4m high with sliding doors; 2 sets of drawers and hanging space; new wardrobe in main bedroom	$4,500Quoted
2020Australia	built-in wardrobe about 2.6m wide x 2.4m high with sliding doors; 2 sets of drawers and hanging space; new wardrobe in main bedroom	$5,500Quoted
2020Australia	built-in wardrobe about 2.6m wide x 2.4m high with sliding doors; 2 sets of drawers and hanging space; Stegbar	$7,500Quoted
2020Australia	two built-in wardrobes with glass sliding doors: about 3m wide x 2.4m high (frame existing) and about 2m wide x 2.4m high (incl frame and bulkhead); total for both	$1,900Reported paid
2020Australia	walk-in robe cabinets quoted by the home builder	$5,000Quoted

Sparky collects public homeowner reports from forums such as Reddit, Whirlpool, OzBargain and PropertyChat, review sites such as ProductReview, and a few direct submissions. We read each source thread before adding a report but do not verify the underlying transaction. Reports include amounts paid, quotes received and amounts with an unknown price type. GST treatment is usually unknown, and inclusions vary. Amounts are in Australian dollars and are not adjusted for inflation. These reports are shown individually, without summary statistics. Compare scope, location and year before using a report as a reference.

Door Styles and What They Cost

The door style is the single most visible decision and has a meaningful impact on cost.

Door Style	Cost/LM	Best For
Hinged doors	$800–$1,200/lm	Most affordable option. Standard overlay hinges with soft-close are now the norm. Best suited to bedrooms with enough floor space for doors to swing open fully. A 2.4m wardrobe with four hinged doors in white melamine runs roughly $2,000–$3,000.
Sliding doors	$1,200–$2,200/lm	Compact bedrooms where clearance space is limited — no swing space needed. Roughly 50–80% more than hinged due to tracks, rollers, and frames. Two-door systems are standard; three-door bypass systems suit wider openings. Tracks should be aluminium, not plastic — plastic wears out within a few years.
Mirrored sliding doors	$1,400–$2,600/lm	Master bedrooms and apartments where the mirror replaces a separate full-length mirror. Premium on standard sliding, adding 4mm safety-backed mirror panels. Heavier-duty tracks and rollers are essential due to glass weight.
Profiled or shaker-style panels	+$100–$250/lm over flat panel	Design accent. Painted MDF (polyurethane or 2-pac finish) is the typical material — melamine cannot be routed. Adds a premium over flat panel equivalents.

Internal Fitout Tiers

What goes inside the wardrobe matters as much as the doors. Cabinet makers typically offer three tiers:

Basic (~$800–$1,200/lm). Adjustable shelves and a single hanging rail. Functional and clean. Suits spare bedrooms, kids' rooms, and rental properties.

Standard (~$1,200–$1,600/lm). Adds soft-close drawers (typically 2–4 per section), double hanging (short garments on top, short on bottom), and adjustable shelf spacing. This is the most popular tier for master bedrooms.

Full fitout (~$1,600–$2,200/lm). Everything in Standard plus pull-out shoe racks, tie/belt racks, pull-out trouser hangers, jewellery drawer inserts, laundry hamper, and LED sensor lighting. Walk-in robes almost always fall into this tier.

Walk-in Wardrobes

Walk-in robes are the premium end of custom wardrobe work. A well-designed walk-in is essentially a small room fitted out with cabinetry on two or three walls, typically configured in zones:

Long-hang zone for dresses, coats, and suits
Double-hang zone for shirts, folded trousers, and shorter garments
Shelving zone for folded items, bags, and boxes
Drawer bank for undergarments, accessories, and smaller items
Shoe storage — angled shelves, pull-out racks, or open cubbies

A basic walk-in fitout (melamine, two walls, shelves and rails) starts around $5,000–$7,000. A premium three-wall walk-in with timber veneer, island bench, integrated lighting, and full accessory fitout runs $8,000–$15,000+. The island bench alone (with stone or timber top) adds $2,000–$4,000.

Material Tiers

Material	Cost/LM	Appearance	Best For
White melamine	$800–$1,500/lm installed	Smooth or textured finishes. Brands like Laminex and Polytec supply most Australian cabinet makers.	The workhorse of Australian wardrobes. Durable, easy to clean, and the most affordable option.
Wood-look laminate	+$50–$150/lm over white melamine	Textured laminates mimicking timber grain — oak, walnut, and ash looks are popular. Polytec Ravine and Laminex AbsoluteMatt are common ranges.	Same durability as plain melamine with a warmer aesthetic.
Timber veneer	$1,200–$2,000/lm installed	Real timber (usually 0.6mm) bonded to MDF or plywood substrate. Genuine timber look and feel. Available in most Australian hardwood species.	Premium appearance. Requires more care (no harsh chemicals). More expensive than melamine or laminate.
Painted MDF (polyurethane or 2-pac)	$1,400–$2,200/lm installed	MDF panels sprayed with two-pack polyurethane for a smooth, lacquered look. Available in any colour.	Shaker-style and profiled doors. The most expensive panel option due to multi-coat spray process and curing time.

What Affects the Cost

Linear metres. The primary cost driver. A 1.8m bedroom wardrobe is a very different job to a 4m wall of built-ins across two bedrooms.
Door style. Hinged is cheapest, sliding costs 50–80% more, mirrored sliding adds another premium on top.
Internal complexity. Every drawer, pull-out, and accessory adds cost. A wardrobe with eight drawers and pull-out shoe racks costs significantly more than one with shelves and a rail.
Material finish. White melamine to timber veneer can double the per-linear-metre rate.
Ceiling height. Standard 2,400mm ceilings are straightforward. Floor-to-ceiling in homes with 2,700mm or 3,000mm+ ceilings (common in Victorian-era Melbourne homes and newer apartments) requires taller panels and sometimes two-piece construction, adding 10–20%.
Wall condition. Out-of-square walls, uneven floors, or bulkheads require scribing and custom trimming — extra labour that adds to the quote.
Access. Ground-floor bedroom with wide hallway access is simple. Upstairs bedrooms in narrow terrace houses with tight stairwells add delivery difficulty.
Walk-in vs reach-in. Walk-in robes cost more overall because they fit out multiple walls, but often cost less per linear metre because the cabinet maker is already on-site for a larger job.

A single 1.8m hinged-door wardrobe in white melamine with basic shelving sits toward $3,000. A full walk-in robe fitout with timber veneer, soft-close drawers, pull-out accessories, mirrored sliding feature, and LED lighting pushes toward $15,200.

City and Regional Price Comparison

Sydney (NSW) serves as the baseline at $3,000–$15,200 per job. Melbourne tracks close to Sydney, with the city's older housing stock (high ceilings, out-of-plumb walls) adding a scribing premium on many jobs. Brisbane sits at or slightly below Sydney — larger bedrooms in newer estates make for more straightforward installations. Smaller cabinet-making trade pools and material logistics influence Perth and Adelaide quotes; see the Pricing by City table for ranges.

Within any city, the spread depends on your specific property. A new-build estate home with standard 2,400mm ceilings, plasterboard walls, and wide hallway access is the easiest job. An older inner-city terrace with 3,000mm ceilings, plaster-on-brick walls, narrow stairwell access, and rooms that are not quite square adds time and custom fitting that pushes toward the upper end.

How We Calculate

Estimates are based on current trade rates for licensed Cabinet Makers across Australian capital cities, adjusted for regional labour costs and typical material prices. All figures include GST. Ranges reflect the spread between a basic single wardrobe and a premium walk-in robe fitout.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a custom wardrobe cost per linear metre?

A custom built-in wardrobe in white melamine typically costs $800–$1,500 per linear metre installed, including carcass, doors, and a basic internal fitout (shelves and hanging rail). Timber veneer or painted MDF finishes push that to $1,200–$2,000 per linear metre. These figures include design, manufacture, delivery, and installation by a cabinet maker.

What is the difference between a custom wardrobe and a flat-pack wardrobe?

A custom wardrobe is measured, designed, and built specifically for your space by a cabinet maker. It is fixed to the wall and floor, uses thicker board (usually 18mm), and can be configured to any layout. A flat-pack wardrobe from IKEA or Bunnings Kaboodle is a standard size, assembled on-site, and typically freestanding. Custom wardrobes last longer and maximise awkward spaces, but cost two to four times more than flat-pack.

Do I need council approval for a custom wardrobe?

No. Built-in wardrobes are classified as internal joinery fitout and do not require council approval or a building permit in any Australian state. If your wardrobe is part of a larger renovation that involves structural changes, the renovation itself may need a permit, but the wardrobe component does not.

How long does it take to get a custom wardrobe installed?

Allow 4 to 8 weeks from initial measure to completed installation. The first visit is a site measure (30 to 60 minutes). Design and quoting takes about a week. Manufacturing takes 3 to 6 weeks depending on the cabinet maker's workload and material complexity. Installation is typically completed in half a day for a single wardrobe or a full day for a walk-in robe.

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