Carpentry & Wardrobe Cost in Singapore: What You'll Actually Pay (2026)
Prices checked October 2026 against the published price lists of 526 contractors listed on Homees, MOM's 2025 wage data and Qanvast's 2026 report. How we price →
Carpentry is usually the biggest line in a renovation after the kitchen — and it's nearly all custom-built, so it's priced **per foot run (pfr)**: you measure the length in feet and multiply by the rate. For standard plywood-and-laminate work with soft-close hardware, budget around **S$130–S$250 per foot run**. A full-height built-in wardrobe runs **S$250–S$350 pfr**; premium finishes can push anything past S$500 pfr.Before the numbers, one thing that trips up almost everyone: per foot run usually counts top and bottom rows separately. A "S$100 pfr" rate means S$100 for the top cabinet and S$100 for the bottom — so a 10-foot run with both is about S$2,000, not S$1,000. Always ask whether the rate is for one row or two.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in wardrobe (full-height) | S$250 – S$350 pfr | Standard 8 ft HDB height |
| TV console (floating) | S$220 – S$280 pfr | Floor-standing from ~S$180 pfr |
| Shoe cabinet | S$140 – S$220 pfr | |
| Tall / pantry unit | S$240 – S$380 pfr | Built-in appliance integration |
| Feature wall (laminate panels) | S$15 – S$25 psf | Priced per square foot, not pfr |
| Bed frame box (queen) | S$850 – S$2,200 each | Per piece |
Indicative 2026 ranges, standard plywood + laminate + soft-close hardware. Premium finishes and hardware add a lot — see below.
How per foot run actually works
Custom carpentry is quoted by length, not area. Measure the run in feet, multiply by the rate. Two things to nail down in every quote:
- One row or two? As above — top and bottom are usually priced separately. A 10 ft kitchen with both rows at S$100 pfr is ~S$2,000.
- What's included? The pfr rate covers the cabinet carcass, doors and standard hardware. Countertops, branded accessories (like specific handles or internal organisers) and appliances are usually extra.
Convert carefully: a standard HDB floor plan is in millimetres, so change to feet before multiplying.
What the common built-ins cost
| Piece | Cost (per foot run, standard finish) |
|---|---|
| Built-in wardrobe (full-height) | S$250 – S$350 |
| Kitchen cabinets (per row) | S$100 – S$150 (see the kitchen guide) |
| Tall / pantry unit | S$240 – S$380 |
| TV console — floor-standing | S$180 – S$250 |
| TV console — floating | S$220 – S$280 |
| Shoe cabinet | S$140 – S$220 |
| Study / work desk | S$150 – S$250 |
| Base storage cabinet | S$130 – S$200 |
Bed frame boxes are priced per piece, not pfr: roughly S$650–S$1,600 for a single/super-single, S$850–S$2,200 for a queen, and S$1,100–S$2,800 for a king, depending on material and design.
What drives the price up
Three levers turn a S$130 pfr job into a S$250+ one:
- Carcass material. Moisture-resistant plywood is the sensible default in our humidity — it outlasts MDF and particle board. EO-grade (low-formaldehyde) plywood costs a bit more and is the healthier pick.
- Door finish. Standard laminate is the baseline. Acrylic mirror panels or natural wood veneer add 50–100%.
- Hardware. Standard soft-close is included. Branded hinges and runners (Blum, Häfele) add 20–30%.
Stack a premium finish and premium hardware and a S$130 pfr base becomes roughly S$250–S$350 pfr. That extra buys real durability — but only pay for it where you'll feel the difference (the wardrobe you open daily), not everywhere.
Wardrobe types
- Swing / casement doors — cheapest, but need clearance to open. Fine for most bedrooms.
- Sliding doors — space-saving for tight rooms; the hardware costs a little more.
- Walk-in — premium, open-frame or with doors; the most expensive per foot run.
A standard HDB wardrobe is 8 ft tall (floor to ceiling), which is what most pfr rates assume.
Custom vs modular
If budget's tight, modular (ready-made) carpentry runs 20–50% cheaper than full custom, because it's mass-produced in standard sizes. The trade-off is fit — modular won't hug an awkward corner or odd ceiling height the way custom does. A common middle path: custom where it has to fit perfectly (kitchen, that tricky alcove), modular for straightforward storage.
Sample budgets
One bedroom (wardrobe + study + bed box):
- Full-height wardrobe, 7 ft @ ~S$250–S$350 pfr ≈ S$1,750–S$2,450
- Study desk, 5 ft @ ~S$150–S$250 pfr ≈ S$750–S$1,250
- Queen bed box ≈ S$850–S$2,200
- Total: roughly S$3,350–S$5,900
Living/entry (TV console + shoe cabinet + feature wall):
- Floating TV console, 6 ft ≈ S$1,320–S$1,680
- Shoe cabinet, 3 ft ≈ S$420–S$660
- Laminate feature wall, ~40 sqft @ S$15–S$25 psf ≈ S$600–S$1,000
- Total: roughly S$2,340–S$3,340
The costs people forget
- Top + bottom counted separately — the single biggest source of "why is this double what I expected".
- Countertops are extra — quartz/sintered stone is priced separately on top of cabinet carpentry (see kitchen guide).
- Branded accessories — soft-close upgrades, internal organisers and specific handles often aren't in the base deposit.
- Extra drawers — many carpenters charge ~S$50 per drawer beyond the first few.
- Feature walls are psf, not pfr — don't mix the two up when comparing quotes.
- Delivery / small-order fees — small jobs (under ~S$2,000) may carry an S$80 delivery charge; promo rates often need 20 ft+.
- Removing old carpentry — hacking out built-ins from a resale flat is a separate cost.
How to keep the bill sensible
- Confirm one row or two on every pfr line before you compare quotes.
- Right-size your runs. Don't build wall-to-wall storage you won't fill — pfr means every extra foot costs.
- Spend premium only where it shows and gets used — the daily wardrobe, not the store-room shelving.
- Mix custom and modular to stretch the budget.
- Get itemised quotes that list each piece, its length, finish and hardware separately.
Comparing carpenters and interior designers on Homees.co is the easiest way to line up comparable, itemised quotes.
Cabinet tiers and materials — archive benchmarks
Two useful reference tables from our price archive: cabinet pricing by tier (stock vs semi-custom vs custom), and door-front material rates per foot run:
| Cabinet type | Average price range (per linear foot) | Average price range (per unit) |
|---|---|---|
| Stock | $140 - $650 | $290 - $1410+ |
| Semi-Custom | $220 - $1410 | $360 - $1740+ |
| Custom | $720 - $2,600 | $1,100+ |
| Material Type | Average Price Range |
|---|---|
| Wood Veneer | $90 - $190 per foot run |
| Laminate | $75 - $200 per foot run |
| Wood | $115 - $165 per foot run |
| Stainless Steel | $450 - $650 per foot run |
| Aluminium | $245 - $550 per foot run |
Rates from the Homees contractor price archive (2023) — expect roughly 10–15% higher in 2026. Use as relative benchmarks, and get current itemised quotes.
FAQ
How much does carpentry cost per foot run in Singapore? Standard plywood-and-laminate carpentry with soft-close hardware runs about S$130–S$250 per foot run in 2026. Built-in wardrobes are S$250–S$350 pfr; premium finishes and complex pieces can exceed S$500 pfr.
What does "per foot run" mean? It's pricing by length rather than area. You measure the run in feet and multiply by the rate. Importantly, top and bottom cabinets are usually quoted separately, so a 10 ft run with both rows at S$100 pfr is about S$2,000.
How much does a built-in wardrobe cost? A standard full-height (8 ft) built-in wardrobe is about S$250–S$350 per foot run with a laminate finish. A 7-foot wardrobe works out to roughly S$1,750–S$2,450. Premium finishes and sliding doors add more.
Is custom carpentry or modular cheaper? Modular (ready-made) carpentry is typically 20–50% cheaper than full custom because it's mass-produced. Custom fits awkward spaces and exact heights better, which is why many homeowners mix both.
Why is my carpentry quote so much higher than expected? The most common reason is top and bottom rows being counted separately, then premium door finishes (acrylic/veneer add 50–100%) and branded hardware (Blum/Häfele add 20–30%) on top. Countertops and accessories are usually extra too.
What carcass material is best for Singapore? Moisture-resistant plywood handles our humidity better than MDF or particle board. EO-grade plywood is the low-formaldehyde, healthier option and costs a little more.
How much is a TV console? A floor-standing console starts around S$180 per foot run; a floating console runs S$220–S$280 pfr because it needs internal reinforcement and wall-mounting.
Sources
- KIVO Design Studio — Complete guide to carpentry prices in Singapore
- Cabinets.sg — Comprehensive carpentry price list (2025)
- Renovation Contractor Singapore — Kitchen carpentry cost per foot run (2026)
- S3 Carpentry — Carpentry pricing
- Jia Soon Carpentry — Carpentry price list
Prices are indicative market ranges as of 2026 and vary by material, finish, hardware and design complexity.
