Choosing a bespoke sliding wardrobe kit over an “off-the-shelf” option offers several advantages in terms of fit, quality, and personalisation, making it a better solution for your home. While off-the-shelf sliding wardrobe kits might initially seem like a convenient and affordable option, there are important factors to consider before deciding.
4 Reasons Why Off-The-Shelf Sliding Wardrobe Kits Fall Short Compared to Bespoke Options
Did You Know? Most ‘off-the-shelf’ sliding wardrobe door kits are mass-produced by the same manufacturers and sold through various DIY stores and online retailers. You might even notice that the product images are often identical across different platforms.
This mass-production approach comes with several limitations, which can impact your wardrobe choice and overall satisfaction.
Sizing Limitations
In order for manufacturers to produce so many sliding door kits at once, they work to a standard size specification: All doors are made to fit a height of 2260mm and are produced in 3 widths: 610mm, 762mm and 914mm.
This means that once you put those door sizes together, you end up sliding door kits for set sizes that are highly unlikely to fit your space exactly, and will need modification to fit.
This isn’t a problem if you have advanced DIY skills and the correct tools. If you don’t you will need the help of a carpenter or handyman.
(Did you know that the average cost for a carpenter is £ 300 per day if they are a sole trader or £360 per day if they are a limited company? Plus you need to allow for the cost of materials needed. All of a sudden the cost of your 2 door kit has more than doubled.)
Lowered Quality to Lower Cost
Although most sliding wardrobe kits are made of the same frame materials (mostly steel) the rolling gear and tracks used are different. To get the price down, the manufacturer of these kinds of kits will often use top guides instead of wheels and an inferior quality bottom wheel. On top of this, they will often include a J track which comprises less material and is also cut to 3 standard sizes for the end user to cut to size onsite.
Cutting steel onsite is difficult without the proper tools, risking a poor finish.
Limited Colour Choices
Colour and choice of materials for these standard-sized kits are fairly limited, this is because the manufacturers buy in bulk to be able to offer cheaper prices. Most kits are available in only a few panel colours which are combined with mirrors.
Long Delivery Times
Why 3-4 week delivery if the kits are standard sizes?
Because it all comes from the same factory that uses a third-party courier, home deliveries can bottleneck through them, particularly at peak times. Because of this mass approach, more doors arrive damaged, which can lead to further delays, as your damaged doors need to be reordered from the original factory, so the whole process starts again.
Why Should You Instead Choose a Bespoke Sliding Wardrobe Door Kit From Us?
Made to Measure:
With Slide Wardrobes Direct your kit arrives ready to be fitted in your space. Based on the specific measurements you provide we ensure the perfect fit every time, meaning less installation time and money spent on trades or expensive tools. Your tracks are cut to size, so all you need is a few hand tools and some DIY skills.
Great Quality:
Besides using Architectural aluminium or Sheffield steel for our tracks and profiles, we also use ball-bearing wheels on ALL of our sliding wardrobe kits so they stand the test of time. We are so confident about the quality of our rolling gear that we guarantee it for 12 years. We never use cheap components or plastic guides.
Huge Choice of Styles and Finishes to Suit Your Home:
Each sliding wardrobe door kit is manufactured individually meaning we can offer more style choices. We offer 11 door ranges, a huge choice of frame colours and door panel configurations, and an even wider choice of panel colours and materials.
Fast delivery:
We fulfil our own deliveries within 2 weeks of order using our own vehicles and drivers ensuring the product arrives with you promptly and in pristine condition. In the unlikely event of damage, we ensure a replacement is sent as a priority.
While off-the-shelf sliding wardrobe kits may appear to be a cost-effective solution, they often come with limitations in size, quality, and customization, along with hidden costs
Bespoke wardrobe kits on the other hand offer a tailored, high-quality solution that fits your space perfectly, extra durability, and are available in a range of styles, all with a faster, more reliable delivery process. In the long run, a bespoke option is often the smarter investment.
