Kitchen Cabinets from China: A UK Specification and Enquiry Guide
What to confirm before ordering kitchen cabinets from China for a UK project: real costs, specifications, quality checks and a simple enquiry pack.
Read the guideThe short answer: a pair of bespoke alcove wardrobes in the UK costs £1,000–£3,000+VAT per alcove from a local joiner, £3,000–£5,000 fitted from a national brand, and typically 40–60% less via factory-direct custom import, landed and installed. But alcove pricing has a complication no standard wardrobe quote has: most Victorian and Edwardian alcoves are too shallow to hang clothes normally, which means off-the-shelf furniture rarely fits and the comparison starts at bespoke. According to the English Housing Survey, 20% of owner-occupied homes in England were built before 1919 — the housing stock where chimney-breast alcoves are the norm, not the exception. This guide gives you the real dimensions, the route-by-route prices, and the exact information a supplier needs to quote you within 24 hours.
Alcove wardrobe routes at a glance, October 2026. Figures are market benchmarks, not quotations — sources in each section and the Methodology.
| Route | Typical price, pair of alcoves | What you get | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local bespoke joiner | £2,000–£4,400 inc VAT (from £1,000+VAT per alcove) | Site-measured, scribed to wonky walls, painted finish | 4–8 weeks |
| National brand (Sharps/Hammonds) | £3,000–£5,500 fitted | Showroom design, national install network, 10–15yr guarantee | 4–8 weeks |
| Flat-pack workaround (IKEA PAX etc.) | £500–£1,000 | Standard depths that rarely fit alcoves; filler panels everywhere | Immediate |
| Factory-direct custom import | £1,500–£2,800 landed + local fitting | Made to your exact alcove dimensions, itemised quote | 8–12 weeks door to door |
Pricing a pair of alcoves right now? Send us your alcove widths, depths and ceiling height → — we return an itemised quotation within 24 hours.
The Alcove Depth Problem — and Why It Decides Your Budget
A chimney breast in a typical UK period home projects 350–450mm into the room. The alcoves either side of it inherit the same depth — and that number collides head-on with the one dimension wardrobe design can't fudge: hanging clothes need 550–600mm of internal depth. A standard hanger with a coat on it is roughly 500mm wide across the shoulders; add door clearance and 550mm is the working minimum.
Typical alcove dimensions by property era, UK, October 2026. Ranges reflect common trade survey experience across period housing stock; the pre-1919 share figures are from the English Housing Survey 2023–24 (GOV.UK).
| Property era | Share of owner-occupied stock (EHS 2023–24) | Typical alcove width | Typical alcove depth | Standard hanging possible? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorian terrace (pre-1880) | Part of the 20% pre-1919 stock | 1.0–1.4m | 350–400mm | No — front-facing rail protrudes |
| Edwardian (1901–1918) | Part of the 20% pre-1919 stock | 1.1–1.5m | 380–450mm | Borderline — only with pull-out rails |
| 1930s semi | Largest inter-war group | 1.0–1.3m | 400–480mm | Sometimes — depends on door line |
| Post-war / new build | Remainder of stock | Varies; often no chimney breast | 550mm+ where designed-in | Yes |
The practical consequence: if your alcove is under ~500mm deep, no standard wardrobe — flat-pack or fitted — will hang clothes front-facing inside it. Every route from this point involves a workaround, and each workaround has a cost. That is why alcove pricing starts bespoke: the job is not "buy a wardrobe", it's "solve the depth".
The four depth workarounds, October 2026. Cost premiums are trade estimates for a 1.2m alcove, relative to a standard-depth solution at the same quality level — see Methodology.
| Workaround | How it works | Depth needed | Cost impact | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front-facing rail, proud of the alcove | Carcase extends past the chimney line; doors sit forward | 350mm+ | Baseline | Eats 150–250mm of floor space; changes room feel |
| Pull-out hanging rail | Rail slides toward you; clothes hang side-on | 400mm+ | +£40–£80 per rail (hardware) | Holds ~30% less per metre; one item deep |
| Side-to-side rail across full width | Standard rail, but carcase deepened only where needed | 450mm+ | +£100–£200 (extra carcase material) | Uneven internal depth; shelving zones shallower |
| Hybrid: hanging in one alcove, shelving/drawers in the other | Match function to depth instead of forcing both | 350mm+ | Baseline to +10% | Requires accepting asymmetric use |
For most buyers the honest answer is the first option — accept a carcase that steps forward of the alcove line, keep full-depth hanging, and treat the step as a design feature with a cornice or pelmet. It's what joiners do on the majority of Victorian jobs, and it's exactly the kind of made-to-measure decision that flat-pack can't replicate. When you send us your alcove dimensions, depth is the first number our designers work from — the quote specifies which workaround each alcove uses and prices it line by line. Door choice matters here too: where a stepped-forward carcase leaves limited swing room beside a bed, the sliding vs hinged door trade-offs are worth reading before you finalise the design.
What Alcove Wardrobes Actually Cost in the UK
Alcove-specific pricing is thinner on the ground than general fitted wardrobe pricing, but there are four solid anchors:
UK alcove wardrobe price benchmarks, October 2026. JV Carpentry figures from its published price list; brand figures from Sharps' official pricing and Hammonds' 2026 range pricing; Which? figures from its independent 2025-11 cost research. Import figures from our landed-cost analysis.
| Route | Published benchmark | Basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local joiner (JV Carpentry, London) | From £1,000 + VAT per alcove; bespoke interiors from £1,650 + VAT | Published price list | Site measure, scribe, spray finish typically extra |
| National brand (Sharps) | Fully fitted bedroom from ~£2,000; small room realistically from ~£3,000 | Official pricing, pre-discount | Perpetual "sale" structure — quoted price is a starting position |
| National brand (Hammonds) | Range pricing £3,738.60–£9,493.20 inc delivery & installation | 2026 price guide | Six collections; alcove work priced within bedroom quote |
| Independent benchmark (Which?) | 3-door £3,900 / 4-door £6,200 average | Nov 2025 survey of buyers | All brands and independents blended |
| Flat-pack (IKEA PAX) | £250–£400 per 100cm frame + doors | Retail | 580mm depth only — see the depth problem above |
| Factory-direct custom | Quoted per project; typically 40–60% below brand pricing landed | Itemised per project | See the worked example below |
Three things to read from this table. First, the per-alcove unit of pricing — joiners quote alcoves individually because each side of a chimney breast can differ by 20–30mm. Second, the brand figures are whole-bedroom numbers: a pair of alcove wardrobes inside a Sharps or Hammonds quote typically lands at £3,000–£5,000 of the total. Third, flat-pack only escapes the depth problem if your alcove is genuinely 550mm+ — which, per the first table, most period alcoves are not.
Bespoke Joiner vs National Brand vs Import: Like-for-Like
Same job, three routes: a pair of 1.2m alcove wardrobes, floor-to-ceiling, painted shaker doors, mid-level interiors, in a Victorian terrace.
| Local joiner | National brand | Factory-direct import | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price, pair of alcoves fitted | £2,400–£4,400 inc VAT | £3,000–£5,000 inc VAT | £1,900–£3,300 inc VAT, sea freight & local fitting |
| Site survey | Joiner visits | Designer visits | You measure (we provide the measuring checklist) |
| Scribing to wonky walls | Yes, on site | Yes, on site | Scribe pieces included; fitted by your installer |
| Lead time | 4–8 weeks | 4–8 weeks | 8–12 weeks door to door |
| Guarantee | Varies (often 1–5 years, informal) | 10–15 years, written | Hardware: Blum/Hettich factory warranty; panels: project guarantee |
| Payment structure | Deposit + balance | Deposit + staged | 30% deposit, balance before shipment |
| Customisation ceiling | High | Medium (range-bound) | Highest (any dimension, finish, interior) |
| Import admin | None | None | Handled: customs, duty (0% on HS 9403), VAT, port to door |
The joiner's case is strongest when walls are dramatically out of square and the job needs on-site judgement. The brand's case is the showroom-and-guarantee package — our 10-check supplier guide covers how to verify any guarantee in writing before you sign. The import case is price and customisation ceiling — and since the UK applies 0% import duty to wooden bedroom furniture (HS 9403) per GOV.UK's Trade Tariff, the landed-cost gap is structural, not promotional.
Worked Example: A Pair of Alcove Wardrobes, Landed and Fitted
The full arithmetic for the Victorian terrace job above: two alcove wardrobes, each 1.2m wide × 2.4m high, carcases stepped forward to 600mm for full-depth hanging, painted shaker doors, Blum hinges, interiors with double hanging, two drawer stacks and adjustable shelving.
Line-item landed cost, October 2026. Freight benchmarks: Drewry WCI Shanghai→North Europe US$3,626/40ft (17 September 2026) plus forwarder all-in range; port charges from Port of Felixstowe published tariffs. Full derivation in our China vs UK joiners landed-cost breakdown. £1 = US$1.27.
| Line item | Basis | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Factory price, 2 alcove units, itemised spec | Made-to-measure quotation | £1,100–£1,500 |
| Sea freight share (LCL, ~2.5m³ of a 40ft container) | Forwarder all-in US$4,100–5,000/40HQ | £180–£260 |
| UK port & handling (Felixstowe) | Published port tariffs, LCL share | £60–£90 |
| Customs clearance & duty | HS 9403 at 0% duty; broker fee £80–120 | £80–£120 |
| UK delivery, port to home | Palletised, 2–3 day window | £120–£180 |
| Local fitting & scribing | 1.5–2 days carpenter at ~£270/day | £405–£540 |
| Subtotal ex VAT | £1,945–£2,690 | |
| VAT at 20% | GOV.UK standard rate | £389–£538 |
| Total landed & fitted | £2,334–£3,228 | |
| Same job, national brand quote | Benchmark above | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Saving | ~£700–£2,700 |
For Ireland the arithmetic shifts only at the end: EU TARIC also rates HS 9403 from China at 0% duty, delivery runs via Dublin Port, and VAT is 23% (Revenue.ie) instead of 20% — adding roughly €60–80 on this example at £1 = €1.17.
The honest caveats: the saving is real but it is not free money. You are trading lead time (8–12 weeks vs 4–8), taking on the measuring responsibility, and arranging a local fitter — we supply the checklist and scribe allowances, but the tape measure is in your hand. For a single small alcove unit under ~£800 of factory value, freight economics weaken; the import case strengthens with every additional room or unit in the same shipment.
How Ordering a Custom Alcove Wardrobe Works
The process from first message to fitted wardrobes, and what each step needs from you:
- Send your dimensions. Alcove width (measure at skirting, mid-height and ceiling — period walls rarely agree), chimney breast projection, ceiling height, and a photo of each alcove. Include anything that interrupts the run: sockets, radiators, picture rails, coving.
- Design proposal within 48 hours. Plan and elevation drawings showing how the depth problem is solved for each alcove, where the scribe allowances sit, and how the doors line up with the chimney breast face.
- Itemised quotation within 24 hours of design confirmation. Every line priced separately — carcase, doors, hardware by brand, interiors, finishing, freight share, delivery. Wardrobes are priced by the room: because every alcove differs, there is no list price, and any supplier who gives you a firm price without dimensions is guessing. Our design process page shows what the drawing set looks like before you commit a penny.
- 30% deposit starts production. Factory lead time 4–6 weeks including finishing and packing.
- Balance before shipment, then sea freight 4–5 weeks to Felixstowe or Southampton (Dublin for Irish orders). Customs, duty and port handling are managed end-to-end — you receive a delivery window, not a customs form.
- Fitting. Your local carpenter (we can suggest how to brief one), 1.5–2 days for a pair of alcoves including scribing. Alternatively the units are designed for competent DIY assembly with our fitting guide — but we recommend a professional for scribing to period walls.
One legal note for period properties: if your home is listed, internal joinery that affects the building's character can require listed building consent — the duty sits with the owner under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990, and your local planning authority confirms whether consent applies. Freestanding and non-fixed fitted furniture in an unlisted period home needs no permission.
What George Group Delivers
George Group manufactures custom wardrobes, kitchen cabinets and whole-house joinery in Foshan, China — the same factory-direct model behind our landed-cost comparisons, shipping to the UK and Ireland on a weekly consolidation schedule. For alcove work specifically, the made-to-measure model is not a workaround but the default: every carcase is cut to your surveyed dimensions, depth workarounds are engineered at the drawing stage, and scribe pieces for out-of-square walls are included in the quote rather than improvised on site.
What working with us gets you that a local quote doesn't: factory pricing with named hardware (Blum hinges, Hettich sliding systems — the same grades whose BS EN durability ratings outlast generic fittings by years), one point of contact from drawings to delivery, and a single itemised document you can hold against any UK quote line by line. Because every alcove is a different geometry, we don't publish list prices — send your measurements via the enquiry form and the number that comes back within 24 hours is the number the quote stands at.
Browse the wardrobe ranges for door styles and interior options, then send the alcove dimensions — width at three heights, chimney projection, ceiling height, photos — and we'll return drawings plus the itemised quotation.
When a Local Joiner or Brand Is the Right Choice
The import route is not the right answer for every alcove job, and saying so plainly is part of the quote:
- Severely irregular rooms. If walls run out by 30mm+ over the run, or floors slope enough to need levelled plinths on site, a joiner working in the room will outperform any flat-packed precision. Scribe allowances handle ±10–15mm comfortably; beyond that, site fabrication wins.
- One small unit, tight deadline. A single £800 alcove unit carries the same fixed freight and clearance costs as a full bedroom — the economics only work at pair-of-alcoves scale and up, or when wardrobes ship with a kitchen order.
- You want to see and touch first. National brands run showrooms; we run factories and video walkthroughs. If the showroom visit is part of how you decide, Sharps or Hammonds is a legitimate choice — their 10–15 year written guarantees are the industry benchmark, and we say so in our supplier comparison.
- Listed building with consent conditions. Where consent requires like-for-like timber repairs by approved craftspeople, factory supply may not satisfy the conditions.
If your project extends beyond the bedroom — the same chimney-breast wall often takes a media wall in the living room — our media wall cost guide prices that route with the same line-by-line method.
If the storage project is in the hallway instead, our under stairs storage cost guide covers drawer, cupboard and fire-safety decisions separately. For a loft or attic room with a sloping ceiling, our sloping ceiling wardrobe cost guide prices eaves runs and angled carcases specifically.
Methodology and Sources
UK housing stock figures are from the English Housing Survey 2023–24 headline report (GOV.UK / MHCLG, Annex Table 1.6: 20% of owner-occupied and 31% of private rented dwellings built pre-1919). Alcove dimension ranges are trade survey conventions for period housing, not from a single official standard — where a figure is an estimate rather than a published benchmark it is labelled as such. Price anchors: JV Carpentry published alcove pricing (jvcarpentry.com, accessed September 2026); Sharps official pricing and 2026 price guide; Hammonds 2026 range pricing; Which? fitted wardrobe cost research (November 2025 survey). Import cost inputs: GOV.UK Trade Tariff (HS 9403 wooden bedroom furniture from China, 0% duty, accessed September 2026); Drewry World Container Index (Shanghai→North Europe US$3,626/40ft, 17 September 2026); Port of Felixstowe published tariff schedule; Irish VAT from Revenue.ie (23%, accessed September 2026); UK VAT 20% per GOV.UK. Listed building consent duty: Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 (legislation.gov.uk). Depth-workaround cost premiums are trade estimates based on hardware list prices (pull-out rails) and material differentials, October 2026. All third-party figures are market benchmarks, not George Group quotations; your itemised quote may be lower or higher depending on specification.
