Bespoke bathroom cabinets in Ireland: getting storage that actually fits

Decide whether you need a cabinet around an existing basin, a new vanity with its own basin, a freestanding tall unit or a fitted wall cupboard. These are different projects. Keeping the basin and pipes in place may reduce the scope, but it can also make the cabinet more complicated to manufacture.

List what the unit must hold and what must remain accessible. Towels, cleaning bottles and toiletries need different internal arrangements. A neat front panel is not a successful result if it prevents a plumber reaching a valve or removing a trap. Ask the maker to show the proposed access arrangement before approving the design.

For a small bathroom, describe the door swing and the clear route past the basin. A deeper cabinet can add storage while making the room harder to use. Photographs with the bathroom door open and closed are often more useful than a close-up of the empty corner alone.

• Approximate width, depth and height of the available space, clearly labelled in millimetres.
• Basin shape and position, plus photographs of accessible pipes taken without removing fittings.
• Skirting, tile edges, an uneven wall or other features the cabinet must fit around.
• Door, toilet and shower-screen clearances near the proposed unit.
• Whether you want the cabinet floor-standing, freestanding or wall-mounted.
• Your county, access restrictions and whether the bathroom is the only one in the home.

Treat your measurements as information for an initial discussion, not as a manufacturing drawing. Ask who takes responsibility for the final site measurements. Agree the overall finished dimensions, internal layout and position of any removable panels in writing before the maker cuts materials.

There is no defensible single price for an unspecified custom cabinet. Ask for an itemised quotation covering measurement, design, manufacture, finishing, delivery and fitting. If you have a firm budget, disclose it early and ask whether a simpler freestanding unit or adapting a suitable existing cabinet is realistic.

Separate furniture from basin, tap, worktop and plumbing costs. A quote for an under-basin cupboard may keep the existing sanitaryware; a new vanity project may require it to be disconnected and reinstalled. Confirm VAT where applicable, disposal, wall repairs and any second visit rather than assuming these are included.

Two units are not necessarily twice the cost of one: design and delivery might be shared, while different finishes or installation locations add work. Request a price for each cabinet and a combined total. That gives you a practical way to phase the project if the complete design exceeds your budget.

Ask the maker to name the cabinet material, finish, edge treatment and hardware, and explain their suitability for the intended bathroom position. 'Bathroom suitable' should describe an actual specification, not replace one. A moisture-resistant material is not automatically suitable for continuous direct shower spray.

Request a sample if matching existing furniture matters. Discuss how cut-outs and edges will be finished, what cleaning products are suitable and what to do if water is spilled. Also ask whether hinges, runners and handles can be replaced independently of the cabinet.

Do not use new furniture to conceal an unresolved leak or persistent damp. Tell the maker about these problems before agreeing installation, and arrange assessment by the appropriate professional. A cabinet is a storage solution, not a repair to the bathroom's moisture problem.

Establish which business handles plumbing, any electrical items and making good. A cabinet maker should not be assumed to include relocating a socket or fitting an illuminated mirror. Wall-mounted furniture needs an assessment of the supporting wall and the proposed fixings; avoid treating a photograph as proof of support capacity.

Before paying the final balance, check the agreed dimensions, door and drawer operation, finish and service access. Ask for the invoice, care information and written guarantee terms. Keep the approved drawing: it is a much clearer reference for resolving a disagreement than an informal description of a 'small cabinet'.

Illustrative request: 'Looking for a made-to-measure cupboard beneath an existing bathroom basin and a separate tall storage unit. The basin is staying. Approximate measurements and photographs attached; please allow for accessible plumbing and confirm final measurements on site. Quote separately for manufacture, finish, delivery and fitting, with exclusions and lead time.'

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