Cost your wardrobe repair.

Wardrobe repairs in the UK typically cost £60–£350 depending on what's broken and whether it's a freestanding flat-pack, a fitted built-in, or a high-end joinery piece. The most common issues are sliding-door track problems, sagging shelves, broken hinges, and damaged drawer runners — all fixable for less than a replacement.

For freestanding flat-pack wardrobes (IKEA Pax, B&Q Bourne) under £400 new, repair often isn't worth it — replacement parts are cheap from the manufacturer but disassembly damages the chipboard. Fitted wardrobes and bespoke joinery are almost always worth repairing — replacement runs into thousands.

Typical wardrobe repair costs

Sliding door repairs

Sliding wardrobe doors (Sharps, Hammonds, IKEA Pax sliding) are the most common repair callout. Three failure modes:

• Wheels worn or broken — the door drags or jumps off the track. Replacement wheels are typically £8–£25 a set. Job time: 30–60 minutes per door.
• Track damaged or warped — usually from impact or excessive force. Top tracks tend to bend; bottom tracks fill with debris and cause jumping. Replacement track £40–£120 plus labour.
• Door dropped / misaligned — adjustment is usually a small allen-key screw at the bottom of each door panel. A pro will sort it in 15 minutes.

Hinge and drawer issues

Modern hinges are usually concealed European-style (Blum, Hettich, Hafele) and almost always replaceable like-for-like. A failed hinge typically lets the door drop or fail to close properly. Replacement is straightforward — £40–£90 per door fitted.

Drawer runners on quality wardrobes are also replaceable. Soft-close runners (Blum Tandembox, Hettich Innotech) cost £15–£45 each plus 30–45 minutes labour. For very old wardrobes with non-standard runners, sourcing parts may be the real problem.

Veneer and laminate damage

Surface scratches and chips are usually cosmetic — a furniture restorer can blend wax sticks (£60–£120 callout) for a fix that's invisible from arm's length. For larger areas of veneer lifting or laminate edge damage, a re-veneer or edge-banding repair is £150–£400 depending on the size.

When to repair vs replace

Use the "is it bespoke or off-the-shelf?" test. Bespoke fitted wardrobes (Sharps, Hammonds, local joinery) — repair every time. Mid-range fitted from B&Q or IKEA Pax — repair if a single part is broken, replace if the carcass is damaged. Cheap freestanding flat-pack — usually cheaper to replace.

Things people often miss

• Brand-specific parts — Sharps and Hammonds use proprietary hinges and runners; not interchangeable with off-the-shelf parts. Need a Sharps/Hammonds engineer or a third-party specialist who carries genuine spares.
• Chipboard vs MDF carcasses — chipboard once damaged (water, screw stripping) is hard to repair structurally. MDF is more forgiving. Knowing which you have informs the repair approach.
• Sliding door weight — full-mirror sliding doors can weigh 30–40 kg. If the wheels keep failing, the doors may be heavier than the original spec — upgrading to heavy-duty wheels (£15–£30 set) often solves it.
• Track cleaning — many sliding-door problems are just dust and lint clogged in the bottom track. A 5-minute vacuum and brush before booking a repair often fixes it.

Frequently asked questions

Want a local pro to handle this? A furniture repair specialist or carpenter will diagnose and fix most wardrobe faults in a single visit. Cheaper than replacement, particularly for fitted or bespoke pieces.