Consumers have a choice when it comes to buying new furniture; they can have it custom made by a professional, or they can buy it flat packed to build themselves. There are advantages and disadvantages to each, and all of them have to be considered before a decision to buy is made.

Customers will have their own ideas as to what the most important feature of furniture buying is to them. Furniture may be required which is especially solidly built. This would be the case if they were missing essential bedroom furniture. A comparison of custom built furniture and flat pack furniture will allow customers to know what to expect from both.

When considering flat pack furniture there will usually be a retailer with a large stock-holding in most major cities. It can often be bought in the large warehouses of furniture retailers, where the choice is staggering. This furniture is self assembly, which is reflected in the price. People are happy to take their furniture home the same day, and then to spend some time building it. It will occasionally take longer if packs come without all of the necessary pieces, or if there is confusion regarding the instructions. The whole concept of flat pack furniture is that it will be the cheapest available option, which is reflected in the quality of the materials used . The customers can then enjoy the benefits of these lower production costs in cheaper retail prices.

The ability to save money on a product obviously entices many people to spend their money. However, it is not without its flaws, the most important of which being that flat pack furniture warehouses offer quantity over quality. This can only be provided by furniture which has been built by an expert craftsperson. The materials used will also be more refined, and could mean the difference between owning solid oak furniture and something made from particle board. Solid furniture such as this will be incredibly durable. This has made it popular among consumers, however this is also due to it being able to be highly customised. It can be made to fit certain spaces within a house. Somebody who is building furniture professionally will take their time to do a good job.

Customers who prefer their furniture in this way will be prepared to pay more for the extra work involved. They realise that they quality of the work is reflected in the price.

Few things are more eye catching in a room than an attractively designed piece of furniture. Unlike flat pack furniture which is commonly found, custom built furniture can allow a unique theme to be created.

There are some striking examples of custom made designs, for example black gloss furniture can create a real impact. In this way they can furnish their whole house in exactly the style they want. Furthermore, they may be unable, or unwilling, to build furniture themselves, and certainly not to the standard they would like. They would therefore ignore flat pack furniture, and instead have some items custom built by a professional.