Anyone had a built in built? Budget?

GAGirlInVA

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Messages
1,255
I love the look of the built in from this site and really think I'd like to have one put in our playroom (and then maybe the diningroom....)

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/10/library-bookcases-done-boom.html

I showed my husband and we wouldn't even know where to start. I do remember that a friend back home had a custom entertainment center made by a carpenter and she said it was much less expensive to go that way.

Can anyone give me a ballpark of what it might cost to have something like that made?

I did see that the poster used upper cabinets for the bottom, so I could price that out but I'm not sure what to guess for the rest.
 
If you are planning to having someone do this project for you the expensive part is labor (finish work).

The base cabinets will run somewhere around $160 per pair new (ikea) or if you're a little handy scout your local goodwill or habitat restore for cabinets you can make work.

As per the upper shelve section I would think it would take a finish carpenter 10/12 hr of shop time at $50/75 per hour. You shouldn't have more than $250 in material (depending on molding choices an finishes).

Big cost savings will be realized if you do the painting yourself.

Hope this helps

Paul
 
If you are planning to having someone do this project for you the expensive part is labor (finish work).

The base cabinets will run somewhere around $160 per pair new (ikea) or if you're a little handy scout your local goodwill or habitat restore for cabinets you can make work.

As per the upper shelve section I would think it would take a finish carpenter 10/12 hr of shop time at $50/75 per hour. You shouldn't have more than $250 in material (depending on molding choices an finishes).

Big cost savings will be realized if you do the painting yourself.

Hope this helps

Paul

WOW! Thank you! I found some options on pinterest for using IKEA pieces as the bases. Guess we should measure and price it all out.

And then start saving! We've lived here almost a year and some things just drive me nuts. Lack of storage is one of them-- especially with our size family!
 
We had ours put in during our building process by our builder. They are floor to ceiling on both sides of the fireplace, cabinets on the bottom with doors built to match our kitchen cabinet doors and open shelves up top....$5k. I am guessing it would be less if you hired it done yourself since builders mark up everything.
 

We had units put in around the fireplace, a full walk of built-ins including a granite topped desk, and a built in wet bar installed 2 years ago. All custom made and came to about $10K. The bar has upper and lower cabinets, lighting and sink with granite counter. The full wall has lighting, all granite surfaces and lower cabinets with upper shelves. The units by the fireplace are just shelves. It sounds expensive, but with plumbing and electric work included, we were very happy and the addition if storage is phenomenal!
 
That would cost you around $3,000+ to have someone build it for you.

It really wouldn't be terrible to build it yourself...just have Lowe's or Home Depot make the cuts for you. If you can't use standard pre-built cabinets like that to fit your space, you may not have another option other than having one custom built.
 
we had two cut outs around our fireplace that were just useless space and we hired someone to come custom build us shelves and cabinets (nearly identical to your pic, but think of one of those on either side) and they were about $900 ea to build and install, without painting. We also have a lack of storage space and wow! What a difference. I love them and I think the $1850 was well worth it.
 
You might want to look around on this free site. Besides giving you step-by-step directions for many projects, people also upload their attempts and give you their thoughts on it.
http://ana-white.com/plancatalog

I'm not very handy, but DH is somewhat handy. We've made a couple of projects from Anna White and have some ideas for some more.
 
Do you have an unfinished furniture store near you? We got something similar built for 2k. (and $900 of that was to have it professionally spray painted.) Custom estimates were 5-6k. I think I even used that same picture for inspiration.
 
I love the look of the built in from this site and really think I'd like to have one put in our playroom (and then maybe the diningroom....)

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/10/library-bookcases-done-boom.html

I showed my husband and we wouldn't even know where to start. I do remember that a friend back home had a custom entertainment center made by a carpenter and she said it was much less expensive to go that way.

Can anyone give me a ballpark of what it might cost to have something like that made?

I did see that the poster used upper cabinets for the bottom, so I could price that out but I'm not sure what to guess for the rest.

Wow! Dh made us almost the same thing in the pictures except ours is only 3 sections wide. It's a shame you live so far away; he's really handy.
He also made ones for our kids rooms.
All those shelves tend to collect junk though. That's just us. ;)
 
You might want to look around on this free site. Besides giving you step-by-step directions for many projects, people also upload their attempts and give you their thoughts on it.
http://ana-white.com/plancatalog

I'm not very handy, but DH is somewhat handy. We've made a couple of projects from Anna White and have some ideas for some more.


That website is fantastic! my husband is going to hate you :rotfl: I already have two things that I want him to build.

Thanks!!
 
thanks for the Ana White link- fun stuff on there that I will have to add to the honey do list!

When we redid our laundry room we compared Menards, Home Depot and Lowes for prebuilt cheap cabinets. Lowe's were the cheapest and nicest looking ones. We got the white finished ones and everyone commented on how nice they were. They may work well as the base for that built in.
 
I have quite a few things marked on AnaWhite. DH sighs and gives me The Look when I show him the link. LOL
 












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