What to Know Before Ordering Custom Furniture

Many clients come to us with some hesitation: custom furniture seems more expensive, more complicated, and riskier than buying something ready-made. Some of these perceptions are grounded in reality. Many aren't. Here's what's true and what isn't.

What "custom-made" actually means

"Custom-made" means the piece is designed and built exclusively for your space and your needs. There's no stock, no standard dimensions to adapt to, no configuration compromises.

A custom-built wardrobe fills the wall exactly up to the ceiling, works around an awkward beam, and has its interior organized exactly the way you use it. A mass-produced piece from a store — however good — is built for an imaginary average room, not for your room.

What does it realistically cost?

Custom furniture costs more than similar-quality mass-produced furniture. That's a fact, and you should be wary of any workshop that claims otherwise.

The price difference comes from:

Materials: solid wood and natural veneers cost more than laminated particleboard
Labor: every piece is built from scratch, not assembled from parts
Customization: any non-standard detail takes extra design and production time

What you save in return: you're not paying for network logistics, warehouses full of stock, or expensive showrooms. You're paying the workshop that actually makes the piece, directly.

A rough order of magnitude: a complete solid oak kitchen with an island runs, at ZAOR, between €12,000 and €25,000, depending on complexity and wood species. A simple oak desk starts at €1,200–1,800. You'll get a firm quote after the measurement visit — not before.

What information to prepare

The more prepared you come to the first conversation, the faster and more precise the process will be.

Useful to know:

The dimensions of the space (length, width, height) — even a rough measurement helps
What you'll store or use the piece for (clothes, books, dishes, equipment)
How many people will use the piece and how
Are there beams, outlets, pipes, or other obstacles to work around?
What style you want — modern, classic, industrial, minimalist? Photo references if you have them
Your approximate budget — the more honest you are, the better-suited our proposals will be

Not necessary:

Knowing exactly which material or finish you want — we discuss that at the workshop
Having an interior design plan — we work without one too
Having ordered custom furniture before

What the process looks like, step by step

At ZAOR, the standard process is:

Initial conversation (phone or form) — we talk about the project, budget, and timeline, no obligation
Measurement visit — we come to you, or you visit the workshop
Proposal + firm quote — 2D or 3D sketch, full specifications, one fixed total price
Deposit and material order — 50% of the quote value at signing
Production — 6–10 weeks on average, with updates on request
Delivery and installation — on a date agreed together; the remaining 50% is paid at installation, after you've inspected the piece

We don't charge for the measurement visit or for the quote.

Warranty and service

ZAOR pieces come with a 2-year warranty on solid wood and workmanship. We come back for a free check-up visit 6 months after installation.

Solid wood "works" — it expands and contracts slightly with humidity changes. This is normal and not a defect. If you notice unusual movement or a creak that wasn't there before, call us — we'll look into it.

How to choose the right workshop

Whether you choose us or not, here are a few signs a workshop is worth trusting:

Price transparency: the quote contains full specifications, not a round number
Verifiable references: real clients, not stock photos
A firm timeline: not "6–8 weeks" but "delivery on [date]"
A workshop you can visit: one that actually exists and produces, not a middleman
A contract: including clear warranty terms

We're available for a first, no-pressure conversation — at the number on the Contact page or via the form.