A custom built-in wardrobe in Singapore is usually made by hand from plywood and finished in HPL laminate. At HausBedroom, one starts from S$1,800 for the first 1.5 m open, or S$2,150 with casement doors. The final price depends on what's added on top: open shelves, curved corners, drawers, handles, lighting and pull-outs. This guide explains why each of those costs extra, so you can read any carpentry quote with confidence.
Starting prices, first 1.5 m
- Custom built-inPlywood + HPLS$1,800open · S$2,150 with doors
- HausPoleAluminium pole systemS$1,350open · S$1,900 with doors
- HausFlexMetal modularS$950open · S$1,600 with doors
- HausSignaturePremium ENFS$3,050open · S$3,300 with doors
What a base price usually covers
Most carpenters in Singapore start from a basic wardrobe, then add each extra as its own line. A base price usually covers:
- The carcass, built from plywood, with HPL laminate on the outside faces
- Standard shelves and one hanging rail per bay
- Doors with standard hinges, if doors are included
- Delivery and installation, at standard ceiling height
Anything that needs more material, more handwork or extra hardware is added on top. That's normal, and it's why two quotes for the same length can be far apart.
Why extras cost more, item by item
For each extra: what it is, why carpenters charge for it, and when it's worth paying for.
Structure and shapeOpen or exposed shelves
Shelves left open to the room, with no door in front.
Why it costs more: it seems odd that leaving out a door costs more, but every face and edge of an open shelf is on show. It needs laminate on both sides and finished edges all round. Inside a closed cabinet, those surfaces stay hidden.
Worth it if you want display space. Keep it to one or two bays to control the cost.
Exposed side or end panels
A wardrobe side that faces into the room instead of a wall.
Why it costs more: a side against a wall can be left plain. A visible side needs a full laminated face and finished edges, and sometimes an extra panel.
Curved corners
Rounded open shelves, or a curved end to the wardrobe.
Why it costs more: plywood and HPL are made to be flat. Curving them needs a bendable core, a laminate that can be shaped and a form to hold the curve. It's slow handwork with more wasted material.
Worth it at the end of a run beside a walkway, where a rounded corner is kinder to knees and hips.
Ceilings above standard height
A wardrobe built taller than about 2.4 m.
Why it costs more: plywood and laminate sheets come about 2.44 m (8 ft) long. A taller wardrobe needs a joint or a separate top cabinet, more material and more work at height.
Casement doors need hinges on every door, and taller doors need more. Sliding doors need a track and framed panels. Bi-fold doors need both. Glass doors add the glass, a frame, and often tempering or film. Handles vary too:
| Handle type | What it is | Why the cost differs |
|---|---|---|
| Surface-mounted | A bar or knob screwed onto the door | Usually the simplest: the handle, plus drilling |
| Recessed or profile | An aluminium strip set into the door edge | Priced by length, and every door edge is routed to fit it |
| Finger groove | A groove cut into the door, no hardware | More cutting and edge finishing on every door |
| Push-to-open | Press the door and it springs open | A latch on every door, and tighter gaps between doors |
Drawers
Inside the wardrobe, or with their own front on the outside.
Why it costs more: each drawer is a small box of its own, plus a pair of runners. Soft-close runners like Blum's cost more than basic ones, and every drawer is lined up by hand so the fronts sit evenly.
Worth it for small items you'd lose on a shelf. Two or three well-placed drawers usually do more than six.
LED lighting
Strip lights switched on by a switch or a motion sensor.
Why it costs more: each light needs the strip, an aluminium channel, a driver and a switch or sensor. A groove is cut for the channel, and wiring runs to a power point.
Pull-out racks and rails
Trouser racks, baskets and pull-down hanging rails.
Why it costs more: these are ready-made mechanisms, priced per unit. The cabinet must also be built to the exact inside width each one needs.
Mirrors, dividers, secret drawers and locks
Small extras inside the wardrobe.
Why it costs more: each is an extra item of hardware, plus fitting.
Premium laminate
Textured, matt or anti-fingerprint HPL.
Why it costs more: it costs more per sheet, and matching the wood grain across a row of doors wastes more of each sheet.
Worth it on doors you touch every day. Melamine is the lower-cost option: easy to clean, but less resistant to knocks and heat.
Site works
Boxing up trunking or beams, removing an old wardrobe, shifting power points.
Why it costs more: box-ups are extra panels cut and fitted by hand. Removal means labour, haulage and disposal. Power points need a licensed electrician.
Want a price range for your room?Send us your floor plan and we'll come back with a range.
WhatsApp your floor planWhy a per-foot-run price hides all this
Many carpentry quotes in Singapore give one price per foot run. That treats every wardrobe as the same product. Two quotes at the same rate can include very different drawers, handles, finishes and extras, or leave them out to be added later. Before comparing quotes, check that each one states:
- The board and laminate used, and the formaldehyde grade
- Door type and handle type
- How many drawers, and the runner brand
- Which shelves are open, and which sides are exposed
- Each accessory, listed separately
- What's not included: disposal, power points, box-ups
Got a quote from another carpenter or your ID?We'll go through it with you line by line.
Send us your quoteFive ways to bring a built-in quote down
- Keep most storage behind doors, with open shelves only where you want display.
- Choose fewer, well-placed drawers.
- Pick simple handles over profile or push-to-open.
- Use melamine or standard HPL instead of a premium laminate.
- Skip curves and extra lighting unless they solve a real problem.
Cheaper and premium alternatives to built-in
If built-in carpentry doesn't suit your room or budget, these are the other ways we build wardrobes. Prices are "from", for the first 1.5 m at standard ceiling height.
| Option | Open | With doors | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| HausFlex | from S$950 | from S$1,600 | Lowest cost, full metal, adjustable |
| HausPole | from S$1,350 | from S$1,900 | Rooms with aircon trunking or beams |
| Custom built-in | from S$1,800 | from S$2,150 | A fully finished, built-to-wall look |
| HausSignature | from S$3,050 | from S$3,300 | Premium ENF cabinetry |
Planning a corner or a walk-in? See L-shaped wardrobes and walk-in wardrobes.
Built-in wardrobe cost questions
How much does a custom built-in wardrobe cost in Singapore?
At HausBedroom, a custom built-in wardrobe in plywood with HPL laminate starts from S$1,800 for the first 1.5 m open, or S$2,150 with casement doors. The final price depends on length and height, and on extras such as open shelves, curved corners, drawers, handles, lighting and pull-out accessories.
Why do open shelves cost more than shelves with doors?
Every face and edge of an open shelf is on show, so it needs laminate on both sides and finished edges all round, with clean cuts throughout. Inside a closed cabinet those surfaces stay hidden and need less finishing.
Why does each drawer add so much to the price?
Each drawer is a small box of its own, with a base, sides, a back and a front, plus a pair of runners. Soft-close full-extension runners cost more than basic ones, and each drawer is lined up by hand so the fronts sit evenly.
Are curved corners worth the extra cost?
Curving plywood and laminate is slow handwork that needs special materials and wastes more board. It is most worth it at the end of a run beside a walkway, where a rounded corner is kinder to knees and hips.
Which wardrobe handles are cheapest?
Surface-mounted handles are usually the simplest and cheapest. Recessed aluminium profiles are priced by length and need every door edge routed. Finger grooves need more cutting and finishing, and push-to-open needs a latch on every door.
Is a per-foot-run price a good way to compare quotes?
Not on its own. A per-foot-run price treats every wardrobe as the same product. Two quotes at the same rate can include very different materials, drawers, handles and accessories. Compare what each line includes before comparing the price.
HPL or melamine: which should I choose?
HPL laminate is more hard-wearing and resists scratches and heat better. Melamine costs less and is easy to clean, but is less resistant to knocks and heat. For wardrobes that get heavy daily use, HPL is usually the better choice.
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