How to Measure for Fitted Wardrobes

New build rooms look perfectly square and uniform. They're not. Walls can be out by 10-20mm over a 3m span, ceiling heights can vary by 5-15mm from one end of a wall to the other, and corners are rarely exactly 90 degrees. None of this is visible to the eye, but it matters enormously when you're fitting a wardrobe that needs to sit flush against walls, floor, and ceiling.

Get your measurements wrong and you'll end up with gaps, doors that don't close properly, or a wardrobe that literally won't fit through the door. Measure twice, order once.

You'll need: a metal tape measure (minimum 5m), a pencil, paper, and ideally a spirit level.

Step 1: Width. Measure the full wall width at three heights — floor level, waist height, and ceiling level. Use the smallest measurement. This ensures the wardrobe fits at its tightest point.

Step 2: Height. Measure floor to ceiling at three points along the wall — left, centre, and right. Again, use the smallest measurement. New build ceilings are typically 2.35-2.40m but can vary.

Step 3: Depth. Decide how deep you want the wardrobe. Standard depth is 60cm (enough for hangers). If you're tight on space, 50cm works but clothes will sit at a slight angle.

Step 4: Check for obstructions. Look for light switches, plug sockets, radiator pipes, and boiler flues. Note their exact position — a wardrobe can be designed around them, but only if you know where they are.

Skirting boards: New builds typically have 10-12cm skirting boards. You have two options — scribe the wardrobe around the skirting (neater, more work) or remove the skirting behind the wardrobe (simpler, but permanent). Most professional fitters will scribe around it.

Coving: If your new build has coving at the ceiling, the wardrobe either stops below it or the coving is removed behind the wardrobe. Floor-to-ceiling wardrobes look best without coving — and removing a section is easy to do before the wardrobe goes in.

• Assuming walls are straight — they're not. Even in brand new homes. Always measure at multiple points.
• Forgetting the door — will the wardrobe fit through the bedroom door? Flatpack yes. Pre-built panels might not.
• Ignoring radiator positions — new build bedrooms often have a radiator on the wardrobe wall. You may need to relocate it (a plumber can do this for £150-£250).
• Not accounting for carpet — if carpet isn't laid yet, add 10-15mm to your height measurements for the carpet and underlay.
• Measuring in centimetres — use millimetres. The difference between 2,400mm and 2,410mm matters.