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A made-to-measure built-in wardrobe turns awkward niches and sloping ceilings into storage that looks as if the room was designed around it. The process is simple: a cabinetmaker measures on site, we design the interior, the pieces are manufactured, and the team installs them. Our Full Home Package is a direct way to begin.
TL;DR:
- A cabinetmaker’s on site survey is essential because sloping floors and leaning walls can leave visible gaps or doors that fail to close.
- Keep daily clothing and shoes between knee and reach height, and specify adjustable shelves, divided drawers, or lift systems for items stored higher.
- Compare itemized quotes for materials, hardware, measurement, installation, payment stages, and a written delivery schedule; reliable wardrobe pricing requires a site survey.
- At handover, test every door, drawer, and light, record defects in writing, and keep the signed protocol because acceptance starts guarantee and complaint periods.
Upscale Interiors
Plan a More Cohesive Interior
Upscale Interiors offers bespoke interior design and space planning for residential spaces, with material selection and project management among its services.
Why choose a made-to-measure built-in wardrobe?
Off-the-shelf wardrobes assume square rooms. Real rooms rarely cooperate, and that is where a bespoke build earns its keep. A made-to-measure cabinet can follow your dormer, fill the niche beside the chimney breast and run right up to a sloping ceiling, helping reduce dead space and dust-gathering gaps.
Here is what you typically gain:
- Every centimetre used: niches, eaves and awkward corners become usable storage.
- Visual calm: fronts, skirting and ceiling lines align, so the wardrobe reads as part of the architecture.
- Organisation that fits your habits: rails, drawers and shelves are sized for your clothes, shoes and bags.
- Hidden practicalities: lighting, cable routing and sockets sit inside the carcass instead of trailing across the room.
- A better-feeling room: clean lines can make a bedroom look larger and tidier.
In a home like a Kilchberg villa, lighting and cable routing built into the joinery is often the detail that makes a dressing area genuinely pleasant to use.
Planning and measurement: why a professional site survey matters
You may be tempted to measure with a tape and send the numbers off. Resist that. Floors slope, walls lean and ceilings drift, particularly in older buildings, and measurement errors can turn into a visible gap or a door that will not close. Practitioners also report that clients commonly underestimate the value of on-site measurement, and that lay measurements in older homes often cause installation delays or gap corrections.
The SIA general conditions for joinery set out the Werkvertrag framework and expect on-site measurements, execution plans and a defined scope. Under SIA 118/241 for Schreinerarbeiten, payment for custom cabinetry is typically staged through completion and inspection, unless you agree otherwise.
Before the survey, prepare like this:
- Clear the wall and floor zone so the cabinetmaker can reach every edge.
- Mark sockets, switches, radiators and any pipes or ducts.
- Note door and window swings, plus where light falls during the day.
- Gather photos or inspiration for fronts and interior layout.
- List what must be stored, including the longest coat and the tallest boots.
Pro Tip: If your walls or floors are not plumb, never send in your own measurements. Ask the cabinetmaker to record the real deviations on site and scribe the cabinet to them.
Design features and interior organisation to specify
A beautiful front is wasted if the inside fights you every morning. Start by planning around how often you reach for things. Experts talk about a "daily zone" between roughly knee and reach height, where shirts, trousers and everyday shoes belong. Seasonal items go higher or lower.
Ask your designer to consider these fittings:
- Adjustable shelves, so the layout can change as your wardrobe does.
- Drawers, ideally with dividers for underwear, belts and jewellery.
- Shoe storage, either pull-out racks or angled shelves.
- Swivel rails for deep corners that are otherwise hard to reach.
- Lift systems for the upper zone of tall cabinets, making items easier to reach.
- Integrated lighting and cable routing, with sensors that switch on as the door opens.
Lighting deserves real attention. LED strips along the rails and under shelves can make it easier to see clothes and reduce rummaging in shadow, which matters in a deep walk-in closet or a dressing area without a window. For drawer interiors, it helps to see how others solve small-item chaos, such as this approach to organising a hair accessories drawer with trays and dividers.
Materials, fronts and finishes: choosing the right look and durability
Your material choice sets both the look and the upkeep. Each option has its character:
- Veneered wood: real grain and warmth, with a refined finish that suits classic and Scandinavian interiors.
- Lacquered panels: smooth, colour-rich and ideal for a contemporary or glam look, though they need gentle cleaning.
- Laminates: tough and practical, a sensible choice for children's rooms and busy households.
- Solid timber: characterful and repairable, best where you want a statement piece.
Front styles matter just as much. Hinged doors give full access and a traditional feel. Sliding doors save floor space in a narrow room. Flush, handleless fronts create a quiet wall of calm, ideal when the wardrobe should disappear into the architecture.
Do not skimp on hardware. Soft-close hinges and runners, plus concealed fittings, are what you feel every day. They are also the details that signal quality the moment you open a door.
Cost factors and timeline: what influences price and duration
No honest quote can exist without a survey, because price follows the project. The main drivers are size, complexity, materials, interior fittings and site constraints such as stairs, tight access or sloping walls. A simple run of flush doors costs far less than a curved dressing room with lighting and lift systems.
Timelines follow a predictable rhythm: survey, design and approval, manufacture, delivery, then installation. Lead times depend on the workshop's schedule and your material choices, so ask for a written delivery plan.
When comparing quotes, check the following:
- Whether on-site measurement and installation are included
- The material, front and hardware specifications, line by line
- Payment milestones, which commonly follow staged instalments under SIA practice
- The delivery schedule and who handles protection of floors and walls
- How handover and guarantees are handled
According to the SIA 118/241 standard, payment for custom cabinetry is typically split into instalments through completion and inspection, unless agreed otherwise. That structure protects you as much as the workshop, so be wary of a quote that demands everything upfront.
Installation, handover and guarantees: what to expect on delivery day
On installation day, a good team protects floors, stairs and adjoining walls before anything is carried in. The carcasses go up first, then shelves, drawers and fronts, and finally fine adjustment so every reveal is even.
The handover, called Abnahme, is the moment that counts. VSSM guidance explains that it transfers liability to the client and starts the guarantee and complaint periods, and that timely, documented part-acceptances reduce risk for both sides. The VSSM also describes norm guarantees and solidarity guarantees that support defect remediation, with sums and durations differing by contract.
Follow this sequence on the day:
- Walk through every door, drawer and light together with the installer.
- Note any defects in writing and photograph them.
- Sign a handover protocol that records the date and open items.
- For complex works, request part-acceptances as sections are completed.
- Keep the protocol and all drawings in one folder for future reference.
How to work with a provider: questions to ask and the typical service flow
A good first conversation tells you a lot. Ask whether the provider measures on site, can show finish samples, shares references, and carries insurance. Ask how guarantees are handled and who your single point of contact will be.
A proper proposal should include technical drawings, itemised costs, payment milestones and a delivery schedule. Before you sign the Werkvertrag, request:
- The scope of work and drawings you approved
- The itemised price and payment stages
- The delivery and installation timetable
- Guarantee terms and the Abnahme procedure
- Insurance and company details
Which route suits you? A Single Area Package fits one room, such as a bedroom wardrobe, while our Full Home Package suits a wider brief where storage should tie in with the rest of the interior. For projects needing coordination across trades, full project management is the safer choice.
Pro Tip: Ask to see a finished project that matches your wardrobe type, not just a showroom sample. How a cabinet sits against an uneven wall tells you more than any brochure.
How we can help you commission a bespoke wardrobe
We combine interior architecture and design with project management, so your wardrobe is planned as part of the room and not as an afterthought. Our interior design packages are built for exactly this: a clear brief, a designed solution, and a route to procurement.
Here is what you get with us:
- A defined brief and design direction tailored to your space and storage needs
- 3D visuals, so you see the result before anything is built
- Material and furniture selection from our network of European brands
- Coordination of delivery and installation
The Full Home Package is listed at 3390 CHF one-off, and the Single Area Package at 970 CHF one-off, as shown on our packages page. Book a consultation and tell us about your room, and we will show you the next step.
Why storage deserves the same care as the rest of your interior
Most people spend weeks choosing a sofa and an afternoon choosing a wardrobe, yet you touch your wardrobe every single day. My view is that the best storage is the kind you stop noticing: doors that close softly, light that comes on when you need it, and a layout that matches how you actually dress. I have seen a cramped, cluttered dressing corner become the calmest spot in a home simply because the brief started with habits and not with catalogue sizes. If you would like to talk through your own space, we are always glad to help.
— Giorgia D'Amico
FAQ
How deep is a built-in wardrobe normally?
Depth depends on what you store. Hanging space needs enough room for hangers to turn comfortably, while shelves and drawers can be shallower. A cabinetmaker will confirm the right depth during the on-site survey, based on your room.
Can I build a wardrobe myself?
Simple freestanding units are manageable, but a true built-in is different. Uneven walls, floors and ceilings make precise fitting hard, which is why we recommend a professional site survey and installation.
What does a made-to-measure wardrobe cost from a cabinetmaker?
Price varies with size, materials, fittings and site conditions, so a reliable figure needs a survey and a written quote. Compare itemised proposals and check payment stages against SIA practice.
How large should a wardrobe for two people be?
Plan by what each person stores, not by a standard width. List hanging lengths, shelf and drawer needs, then give each person a clear zone, ideally including a daily-use area at comfortable height.
Sources
- Schreinerarbeiten
- Ehrlich, rechtzeitig und schriftlich | VSSM – Verband Schweizerischer Schreinermeister und Möbelfabrikanten
- Allgemeine Bedingungen für Schreinerarbeiten
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