IF you are in need of a new wardrobe to hang your party outfits in or a cabinet to house drinks, it may be an additional expense you can’t stretch to.
However, furnishings expert John Graham helps cushion the blow with his money-saving tips that can save you thousands of pounds – provided you are willing to put a small bit of work in yourself.
A cabinet maker with over 30 years of experience, John – who works at DIY Alcove Cabinets – has been helping homeowners furnish their properties at discounted rates.
Providing an affordable bespoke furniture option, the 52-year-old – who is based in a workshop close to his Surrey home - has helped pave the way for customers looking for fitted furniture without the bespoke price tag.
“During the last ‘credit crunch’ I spotted a gap in the market for a more accessible and affordable bespoke furniture option after many of my clients had asked how they could save money and reduce the overall price,” said John.
I'm a property expert - my guess for the cheapest time to buy a home this year
In response, he launched an online "supply only" service.
After manufacturing and building the furniture to a customer’s exact specification, John delivers the cabinets or wardrobes to their homes in a simple, flat pack package with everything they need to fit and finish the furniture themselves.
Alternatively, the customer can hire a handyman or local
carpenter to do the final leg.
John said: “It’s the fitting and painting of the furniture that’s the most labour-intensive part, so if a customer is happy to put in a bit of elbow grease, they can save themselves literally thousands of pounds when compared to having a joiner come in and build something from scratch."
The customers get tips including how to paint the products, which in turn will save them serious cash.
He added: “If a customer is prepared to roll up their sleeves and install and paint the furniture themselves, they will save a considerable amount of money, more than £2,000 in a lot of cases.”
Below, John gives his other top tips for keeping costs down.
Go for a simpler design
The cabinets and wardrobes can be however tall you choose.
Height does not impact the price but the specification such as door style or more detailed features such as fluting does, John said.
Homeowners can go for a more basic design and then add extras such as led lighting, internal drawers in wardrobes
and fancy handles later if they want.
Inside Camilla's £850k 'guilty pleasure' country pad - and Charles 'hates' it
John added: "Customers can further reduce the cost by opting for ‘unprimed’ furniture.
"This means the customer will need to do a bit more work and add a base coat themselves prior to painting their furniture.
"In the long run, it may be a bit timely but it is very cost-effective."
Decorating tips
When it comes to painting the cabinets, this should be done with good quality branded paint, John advised.
You should first apply a primer (undercoat), which will be followed by two top coats of your chosen colour.
He added: Rub down lightly between coats. Or use our spray priming service.
"Use a roller on large flat areas and a 3” brush for the internal corners and detailed parts or to create a brushed finish.
"Unless you’ve opted to use the MDF preparation tape (which we advise) the edges of the MDF will require more attention when rubbing down."