Rate per sq ft of face area, and per running foot
Face area is width × height of the wardrobe front. A 8 ft wide, 9 ft high wardrobe is 72 sq ft of face area, whatever its depth. Multiply the rate by the height to get the running-foot figure:
| Construction | ₹ / sq ft face | 7 ft high (₹/rft) | 8 ft high (₹/rft) | 9 ft + loft (₹/rft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate on MR ply, hinged | ₹1,100 – 1,450 | ₹7,700 – 10,150 | ₹8,800 – 11,600 | ₹9,900 – 13,050 |
| Laminate on BWP ply, hinged | ₹1,450 – 1,800 | ₹10,150 – 12,600 | ₹11,600 – 14,400 | ₹13,050 – 16,200 |
| Acrylic or membrane on BWP | ₹1,900 – 2,500 | ₹13,300 – 17,500 | ₹15,200 – 20,000 | ₹17,100 – 22,500 |
| Veneer, PU or sliding lacquered glass | ₹2,600 – 3,400 | ₹18,200 – 23,800 | ₹20,800 – 27,200 | ₹23,400 – 30,600 |
Running-foot figures are the face rate × height. Ex-GST. Includes carcass, shutters, standard internals, hardware and installation.
What a whole wardrobe costs
Two finishes, four common sizes. Every figure is face area × rate, nothing rounded away:
| Wardrobe size | Face area | Laminate on BWP | Acrylic on BWP |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 rft × 8 ft (single-occupant) | 48 sq ft | ₹69,600 – 86,400 | ₹91,200 – 1,20,000 |
| 8 rft × 8 ft (standard master) | 64 sq ft | ₹92,800 – 1,15,200 | ₹1,21,600 – 1,60,000 |
| 10 rft × 9 ft (master with loft) | 90 sq ft | ₹1,30,500 – 1,62,000 | ₹1,71,000 – 2,25,000 |
| 12 rft × 9 ft (full wall with loft) | 108 sq ft | ₹1,56,600 – 1,94,400 | ₹2,05,200 – 2,70,000 |
Face area × the per-sq-ft rate above. Ex-GST, ex-mirror and ex-internal lighting.
Wardrobes priced by the running foot
Where the money goes inside a wardrobe
A ₹1,15,200 wardrobe — 8 rft × 8 ft, laminate on BWP ply at the top of the band — opened up line by line:
| Component | Cost | Share |
|---|---|---|
| BWP plywood carcass, 18mm sides and shelves, 12mm back | ₹38,000 | 33% |
| Shutters — 18mm ply with 1mm laminate both faces, edge-banded | ₹31,000 | 27% |
| Hardware — soft-close hinges, tandem drawer channels, handles | ₹17,000 | 15% |
| Internals — hanging rods, shelves, drawer boxes, trouser rack | ₹12,000 | 10% |
| Carpentry labour and site fixing | ₹11,200 | 10% |
| Loft box and shutters over 8 rft | ₹6,000 | 5% |
| Total (ex-GST) | ₹1,15,200 | 100% |
What changes the price
| Change | Delta | Why |
|---|---|---|
| MR ply to BWP ply carcass | +22 – 28% | ₹120–175/sq ft against ₹85–110, on the single largest component |
| BWP ply to WPC carcass | +15 – 20% | ₹150–200/sq ft; worth it only where damp is chronic, as WPC holds screws less well |
| Hinged to sliding shutters | +15 – 22% | Track, rollers and heavier frames — and you lose 12–15% of usable depth to the overlap |
| Laminate to acrylic shutters | +28 – 38% | ₹6,000–9,000 a sheet against ₹1,800–2,500, plus edge-banding in matched colour |
| Acrylic to natural veneer with PU | +30 – 45% | Veneer at ₹3,500–9,000 a sheet, then four to six PU coats in a controlled window |
| Unbranded to Hettich / Hafele / Blum hardware | +8 – 12% | Soft-close hinges at ₹280–650 a piece against ₹90–150 |
| Adding a loft over the full width | +6 – 9% | Extra carcass, shutters and a heavier top frame; still the cheapest storage per cubic foot in the room |
| Internal profile lighting with sensors | +5 – 8% | LED strip, driver, door sensors and a dedicated circuit |
| Mirror on a shutter | +₹4,500 – 9,000 each | 5mm bevelled mirror, backing board and safety film |
| Fluted or grooved shutter detailing | +12 – 18% | CNC or applied beading, then finishing into every groove |
How to read a wardrobe quote
- Ask which basis. Per sq ft of face area, per running foot, or a lump sum. If it is running foot, the height must be written next to it or the number means nothing.
- Check the board. MR, BWP, HDHMR or WPC must be named with a brand and a thickness — 18mm sides and shelves, 12mm back is the normal standard.
- Check the shutter build. Laminate on both faces or only the outside? One-sided lamination warps within two years.
- Count the internals. Hanging rods, drawer count, trouser rack, safe provision and loft should each be a line item with a quantity.
- Name the hardware. 'Branded soft-close' is not a specification. Hettich, Hafele, Blum and Ebco are; so are the model series and the piece count.
- Confirm the loft. Many quotes show a low per-rft rate by excluding the loft, then add it later at a premium.
Two wardrobe quotes twenty per cent apart are almost always the same shutter over a different box. Ask for the board brand and thickness in writing and the gap explains itself.
Greenbox principal designer
What this excludes
- 18% GST — on a ₹1,15,200 wardrobe that is ₹20,736, taking it to ₹1,35,936. Use the GST on interior work calculator for your own figure.
- Wall preparation — plaster repair, levelling and waterproofing behind a wardrobe on an external wall: ₹3,000–₹12,000.
- Electrical — the circuit and switch for internal lighting, and any point relocated to clear the wardrobe run.
- Mirrors, safes and pull-out accessories unless individually listed.
- Dismantling and disposing of an old wardrobe — ₹2,500–₹8,000 including debris removal.
- Flooring and skirting made good where the old unit stood.
Price your own run with the wardrobe cost calculator — enter width, height and finish and it applies these same bands. Mumbai rates are higher; see wardrobe cost in Mumbai.
Selected work by Greenbox Design Studio. Tap any image to enlarge.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a wardrobe cost per sq ft in India?+
₹1,100–₹1,450 per sq ft of face area for laminate on MR ply, ₹1,450–₹1,800 on BWP ply, ₹1,900–₹2,500 for acrylic and ₹2,600–₹3,400 for veneer, PU or sliding lacquered glass — all excluding 18% GST. Face area is width × height of the wardrobe front.
What does a wardrobe cost per running foot?+
Multiply the face rate by the height. Laminate on BWP ply is ₹10,150–₹12,600 per running foot at 7 ft, ₹11,600–₹14,400 at 8 ft and ₹13,050–₹16,200 at 9 ft with a loft. A running-foot rate quoted without a height is not comparable to anything.
Are sliding wardrobes more expensive than hinged?+
Yes, by 15–22%, because of the track, rollers and heavier frames. They also cost you 12–15% of usable depth to the shutter overlap, and only half the wardrobe is open at a time. Sliding makes sense when there is not enough clearance in front for a hinged door to swing.
Is BWP plywood worth the extra cost in a wardrobe?+
In any humid or coastal city, yes. BWP at ₹120–₹175 per sq ft against MR at ₹85–₹110 raises the wardrobe by 22–28%, but the carcass is the one component you cannot upgrade later without dismantling the unit. Shutters can be changed in ten years; the box cannot.
What is included in a wardrobe rate?+
Carcass, shutters, edge-banding, standard internals such as hanging rods and shelves, hardware, and site installation. Mirrors, internal lighting and its circuit, safes, pull-out accessories, wall repair and removal of an old unit are normally extra, as is 18% GST.
How long does a built-in wardrobe take?+
Two to three weeks — around five to eight days of off-site fabrication once measurements are frozen, then two to four days of site fixing and a day of touch-up. Site-built carpentry takes longer and generates far more dust, which matters if you are living in the flat.