Fitted furniture stays in your home for a long time. The maker you choose decides how well it fits, how the finish wears and how smoothly the fitting goes. In London, there are extra things to think about too: parking, stairs, lifts and blocks of flats with their own rules.
This checklist is meant for comparing any carpenter or joinery firm, including us. It’s about what you can check, not what anyone says about themselves.
Ask for a written quote that names materials and finish
A carpenter should be happy to put the detail in writing. That means the furniture described piece by piece, the board it’s made from and the finish. If a quote only says “painted wardrobes”, ask what they’re made of and how they’re painted.
Our guide to what a fitted furniture quote should include goes through this in more detail.
Ask who does the electrics and other trades
Carpenters make and fit furniture. Many jobs also touch other trades. A TV wall may need new sockets. A kitchen needs plumbing and possibly gas. A wardrobe may need a light moved. Ask:
- Which parts of the job does the carpenter do?
- Which parts need an electrician, a plumber or a Gas Safe registered engineer?
- Who arranges those trades, and in what order?
A clear answer here avoids a gap where nobody thought a job was theirs. We’re carpenters, so electrics, plumbing, gas, plastering and decorating are for your other trades.
Ask how the sections get into your home
Furniture made in a workshop arrives in sections. Those sections have to come up the front steps, along the hallway, up the stairs and through the door. In a flat they may need to fit in a lift. A good maker asks about the route, not just the room.
If nobody has asked how the furniture will get in, ask them. Our guide on how to measure a room for fitted furniture explains why the route matters.
Thinking about fitted furniture? We design, make and fit it across London: we visit, measure and talk through the design, then send a written quote. Arrange a design visit.
Ask about parking
Much of London is covered by controlled parking zones run by the boroughs. Some main roads are red routes run by TfL, with strict stopping rules. A van may need a visitor permit, a paid bay or a bay suspension, and suspensions are arranged through the council, often with notice.
It’s worth raising parking early. A carpenter who works across London should be used to the question. See parking for tradespeople in London.
Look at real projects you can see
Photos of finished work help, but only if they’re genuinely that maker’s work. Ask what you’re looking at. Ask about details such as how a unit meets an uneven wall or a skirting board. A maker who has done the work can talk you through it.
Be wary of anything that looks like a catalogue image. Our own projects page is where we’ll share real work as it’s ready.
Notice how the design visit goes
The first visit tells you a lot. Did they measure carefully, including the height in several places? Did they check the walls and floor for level? Did they ask how you’ll use the furniture? Did they mention meters, boilers or anything that needs to stay accessible?
You can read about our own approach in what happens at a design visit and on our how it works page.
Quick answers
What should I ask a carpenter before hiring them?
Ask for a written quote naming materials and finish, who does any electrics or plumbing, how the sections get into your home, what’s been agreed about parking, and to see real work.
Do carpenters do electrical work?
Not usually. New sockets, lighting and wiring are for an electrician. Some electrical work in homes is covered by Part P of the Building Regulations.
Why does a carpenter need to know about my stairs?
Furniture made in a workshop arrives in sections. Each one has to fit up the stairs, round the landings and through the doors.
Does Bespoke Carpentry work at weekends?
We can work on Saturdays by arrangement. Talk to us about it at the design visit.
Related services
More advice
- What a Fitted Furniture Quote Should Include
- What Happens at a Design Visit
- Bespoke vs Off-the-Shelf Fitted Furniture
- Parking for Tradespeople in London: CPZs Explained
- All advice
This guide is general information about fitted furniture. It isn’t legal, planning or building advice; for those, speak to the council, your landlord or managing agent, or a suitably qualified professional.