How to Choose a Custom Closet Professional

Anthony Cuomo • November 24, 2014

The time has come for you to have custom closets installed. You may have been dealing with closet chaos for a long time, or perhaps you’re moving into your new home and want to have a closet organization system installed before you get settled. Whatever your situation, you’re ready... now what’s the next step?

Before you do anything, you’ll want to be sure that you’re choosing the best custom closet designer that you can find. Shoddy workmanship or cheap materials in your closet system is not going to help anyone; you need to find someone who knows the business, who can measure and install like an expert, and who knows how to evaluate your current storage dilemmas and offer you solutions. In short, you need a professional.

The best way to go about finding a custom closet professional is to ask your friends and neighbors who they’d recommend. If you don’t know anyone who’s had a custom closet built, feel free to use Google or the yellow pages, but realize that you’ll need to do a bit more legwork in order to find someone reputable. Here are some questions you should ask before making your final decision:

How long have you been doing this? While you might not need someone with many decades of experience, you’ll want somebody with at least a few years of closet building under their belt!

What materials do you use? Wood is better than wire, industrial grade wood is stronger than furniture grade particleboard, and thermal-infused melamine is more durable than cold-processed. You’ll want to choose metal hardware over plastic when possible.

How customizable is the finished product? You don’t want the same storage system that your six neighbors all have. Your lifestyle and your belongings are probably not identical to theirs, so you want someone who will come in and see what you have and how you use your space, then advise you accordingly. You’ll also want to be sure that the company offers a variety of finishes and colors so your custom closet will complement your existing decor.

What type of warranty do you offer? Find out the details, along with whether the warranty extends to the next owner of your home. This can be a good selling point later.

What accessories do you offer? One of the beautiful things about having a custom closet is that you can make liberal use of accessories such as shoe racks, hampers, jewelry holders, tie racks, belt hooks, shelf dividers, pull-out ironing boards and more. If you have a need for a certain accessory, make sure you find out if it’s available.

Can you work within my budget? A smaller budget might mean that you will need to settle for fewer accessories, but all hope is not lost. Decide what you can afford, and be sure to mention it when you make your call.

When you meet with the custom closet designer, you should be able to have a free consultation. Use this time to be sure that you are comfortable with the company, and also to make sure that the designer understands exactly what you want. Some companies offer a 3-D computerized simulation of what your closet will look like; take advantage of this service if your closet organizer has this technology.

A bit of homework now will ensure that you can enjoy your investment now and years from now. Choose wisely!

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