“Whole-house cabinetry” can sound like one simple product, but the actual project may cover more than a dozen rooms, many cabinet types and a long list of materials, hardware, lighting and closure details. When the quotation shows only one total, it becomes difficult to see what is included, what is provisional and what must be purchased separately.
The objective is not to divide the project into as many lines as possible. It is to make every item traceable to a room, a drawing and a delivery responsibility.
1. Products commonly included in whole-house cabinetry
| Area | Typical products |
|---|---|
| Entrance | Shoe cabinets, bench seating, coat storage, console units, display cabinets and wall panels |
| Living room | TV units, display cabinets, bookcases, fireplace units, storage, wall panels and concealed doors |
| Dining room | Sideboards, wine cabinets, coffee stations, glass display cabinets and serving counters |
| Kitchen and pantry | Kitchen cabinets, islands, tall units, pantry storage, beverage stations and equipment cabinets |
| Bedrooms and dressing rooms | Wardrobes, walk-in closets, bedside units, dressing tables, bed structures and TV cabinets |
| Bathrooms | Vanities, mirror cabinets, tall storage, niche cabinets and basin-area storage |
| Study | Bookcases, desks, filing cabinets, display cabinets and wall storage |
| Laundry and utility areas | Laundry cabinets, sink units, cleaning storage, wall units and household storage |
Wall panels, door casings, concealed doors and fixed furniture should be assigned at the beginning of the project because they often share closures and installation sequencing with the cabinetry.
2. Split by room first, then by product
A clear whole-house BOQ normally uses the room or area as the first level and a product ID as the second. For example:
| Example ID | Product | Quotation description |
|---|---|---|
| K01 | Kitchen base, wall and tall units | Carcases, fronts, hardware, worktops, closures and appliance housings |
| KI01 | Kitchen island | Storage, seating, worktop, support, services and visible finishes |
| W01 | Primary bedroom wardrobe | Internal layout, drawers, hanging, lighting, glass doors and handles |
| V01 | Primary bathroom vanity | Cabinet, basin, worktop, mirror storage, hardware and moisture requirements |
| WP01 | Living-room wall panels | Area, substrate, finish, joints, concealed doors and edge closures |
This structure allows drawings, BOQ, packing labels and installation locations to use the same references, and it makes room-by-room scope changes easier to manage.
3. Break down the construction of each product
- Carcase: board type, thickness, construction, backs, shelves and moisture requirements;
- Fronts and finishes: material, colour, profile, edging, paint or veneer scope;
- Hardware: hinges, runners, handles, pull-outs, lifts and corner systems;
- Worktops and basins: material, thickness, cut-outs, edge details, upstands and transport method;
- Lighting and electrical items: LED strips, profiles, sensors, drivers, wiring and maintenance access;
- Special items: glass, metal, upholstery, fluting, curves, concealed doors and unusual closures.
Two products both called a wardrobe or wall panel may have very different internal configurations and fabrication requirements.
4. Identify included, provisional and excluded items
| Status | How to describe it | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Included | State the brand, material, quantity, workmanship and service scope | Provides the basis for comparison and approval |
| Provisional | State the allowance, quantity or unit rate and the condition still to be confirmed | Prevents an allowance from being read as a final commitment |
| Excluded | List appliances, sanitaryware, site substrate, installation, transport, tax or other boundaries | Reduces contract and site-stage disputes |
5. Do not compare the total only by linear metre or square metre
Linear-metre and square-metre rates are useful for early budgeting, but whole-house cabinetry contains different depths, heights, internal fittings and finishes. Confirmed quotations are more reliable when calculated by actual product ID, quantity and configuration.
Wall panels may be measured by area, lighting and hardware by item, and standalone cabinetry by unit or product ID. The important point is that the pricing unit corresponds with the drawings and quantity schedule.
6. Delivery responsibilities are part of the quotation scope
Beyond the products, identify who is responsible for detailing, samples, packing, container loading, sea or local freight, unloading, access, installation and site adjustments. Trade terms and site conditions can materially change the complete project cost.
7. What to check when comparing two whole-house quotations
- Both quotations use the same drawing revision and BOQ;
- The number of rooms and products is the same;
- Carcase, front, hardware and worktop specifications match;
- Wall panels, lighting, glass, metal and special fabrication are not omitted;
- Packing, transport, installation and tax boundaries are comparable.
Clarify the scope before comparing the total. A quotation that can be traced to rooms and product IDs is suitable for detailing, production and delivery.
The larger the whole-house project, the more valuable a structured product-scope schedule becomes. It helps the client control the budget and gives designers, factories and installers one common project language.
Quotation File Checklist 
Drawing & BOQ Preparation 
Drawing Preparation Guide 