10 Must-Have Qualities to Choose a Closet Design & Installation Contractor for Builders, Remodelers, or Owners

If you’re a builder and are almost ready to turn the keys over to the owner, but your closets aren’t done, AND the subcontractor is nowhere to be found, you’ve got a problem.

And if you’re a custom remodeler and your design staff is ready to pull their hair out because the client is confused about closet details and it’s delaying your start date, you ALSO have a problem.

And finally, if you’re a homeowner and your closet designer handed you a pathetic 2D design which makes no sense, and the price is waaaay outside your budget, you also have a problem.

And although all these problems (and more) are possible, I’m happy to tell you they’re also avoidable. Read – and follow – the 10 criterion to choose a custom closet company for builders, remodelers, or owners to make sure your custom closet experience is not a frustrating one.

Criterion #1 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Get a detailed budget.

If you don’t have a clue where the value is in a custom closet design – it can be difficult feeling good about the money you’re spending. And when closet designers don’t give you the ability to understand what’s driving the price, it’s hard making decisions.

And this is where better closet designers use 3D design and pricing software so you can instantly change colors, textures, depths, heights, and features and see the economic impact of your decisions.

Ask yourself, ‘Does my closet design/installation company’ have a dynamic design and pricing tool to see where my money is going? Are they willing to create ‘good, better, best’ design options for me?

Criterion #2 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Determine if the closet designer knows what the heck they’re talking about.

If your designer presents you with a plan which has ‘hanging clothes abutting hanging clothes’ in the corner (creating what I’ll call the ‘Bermuda triangle’ of bad closet design where clothes come to die), it’s a tell-tale sign you’ve been ‘assigned’ (‘er another word for stuck with) a rookie designer.

Given this you may be wondering how to make sure your account (if you’re a builder or remodeler), or your home (if you’re a homeowner) won’t be dependent on the (so-called) ‘skills’ of a rookie designer. I’d look for 3 qualifiers:

• Qualifier #1 – Ask if they’re a member of the professional closet association (The Association of Closet and Storage Professionals).

• Qualifier #2 – Ask what builders/remodelers they work with today.
• Qualifier #3 – See if they develop content (blogs, closet videos) to educate you about closet design.

And if you’re planning to hire a trim carpenter or kitchen cabinet supplier – be aware they’re rarely project level experts in custom closet design. You can tell this if they DO NOT ask basic questions like who will be using the closet, how tall are they, and what are they’re looking to store. Ask yourself…

Do you really want a ‘generic closet’ which isn’t designed specifically for you or your client? Do you want to depend on a designer or contractor who doesn’t specialize in these projects?

Criterion #3 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Does your closet designer show you a 3D design, a 2D design, or no design at all?

I’ll be blunt, 2D closet designs are ridiculously confusing. And this is coming from a custom closet designer/owner who has seen many wacky 2D drawings over the years.

And if you don’t believe me, read Why You Should NEVER Buy a Closet Without a 3D Design.

Criterion #4 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Insist on seeing product displays.

While there’s many contractors who can ‘build you a closet,’ as you might expect the quality can go from fantastic to atrocious. In order to tell the difference, ask these questions

• What materials are they using? Will the closet be simple to maintain?
• How do the doors and drawers operate? Are they using heavy duty hinges and slow close mechanisms to protect against wear and tear with doors and drawers?
• What is the thickness of the shelves?
• What hardware choices do I have?

To make a true assessment of quality ask if there is a showroom you (or your client) can visit to see, touch, and feel the products.

Criterion #5 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Will you (or your design and construction teams) save time with this closet company?

As the adage goes, “Time is money.”

And if your design team’s time is getting consumed with the minutiae of endless streams of closet design questions from your customer, it’s costing you money.

Of if your custom closet installer slaps up their system over an outlet you specifically put into an owners closet (at an extra cost, no less) to plug in their iron, TV, etc. and now your customer is mad, the closet company is costing you time AND creating an aggravated customer. In this instance a better closet company would have remeasured after the drywall was installed and seen this outlet was in the way and discussed possible design changes with you BEFORE installation day.

Here’s the bottom line.

Closet professionals pin down the details.

Criterion #6 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Determine if you need an ‘after paint generalist’ or a ‘closet design specialist.’  

If you’re a production builder it’s about speed, efficiency, and less subcontractors to coordinate to reduce build times and cost. This is where an ‘after paint specialist’ who installs mirrors, shower doors, closet doors, shower glass, and wire closets makes a ton of sense.

However, if you’re looking for a closet which’ll integrate with your bathroom design, and be specifically designed with your owners storage needs in mind, this is where a closet design specialist is the ticket.

Criterion #7 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Determine if they have options to make the closet ‘live better’ and/or to elevate the design (I’m trying to sound like a fancy designer type here, I hope it’s working)

You may have thought a closet was just a bunch of shelves, rods, and drawers. Oh, if it were only that simple (like the words of comedian Nate Bargatze in this funny skit about the United States system of weights and measures)

When you’re looking at elevating a closet design (often with closet design accessories or details) it’s not simple. They go beyond basic shelves and rods you see in wire shelves or painted wood closets. Options have truly blown up over the last 5 years as owners are putting more value on storage. For example, I’ll bet your trim carpenter is NOT telling you – or your owners about closet upgrades like the following:

• Valet rods
• Pull out pants racks
• Leather jewelry trays

• LED lighting
• Raised shoe shelves

And this list could go on and on. Accessories, and closet design details, can help customers add function and fashion to their closets.

Criterion #8 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Is their system adjustable, flexible, and designed to work with your stuff (or your client’s stuff)?

I’ve seen beautiful painted MDF closets in million dollar luxury homes I knew would live like crap! The painted shelves had ZERO (zilch, nada) adjustment holes so it wouldn’t be flexible as the client’s mix of clothing changes over the years.

The shelves were 12” deep – even though the owner wanted to store bulky sweaters (when 14” depth is recommended so sweaters won’t hang over the edge). And their spouse had a 14” shoe size, which is also not optimal with 12” deep shelves.

Don’t be fooled by ‘cheap imitations’ (as the cheesy commercials say). Don’t settle for a system which ‘looks pretty’ on day one but lives like ‘bargain-basement’ wire shelves.

Criterion #9 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – They laser measure at the right time.

In a perfect world everything is EXACTLY as it’s shown on the plans. And the walls are perfectly square.

However, in the real world we know this is NOT how things roll. And this is why measuring AFTER the drywall has been installed is critical to verify the exact size, and/or the location of ‘obstructions’ like windows, vents, light switches, and outlets.

Just like Ford Motor’s slogan from the 1980’s and 1990’s, Quality should be Job 1 for your closet designer! However, it really is not if they’re not measuring at the right time and pinning down details which may be different from the original plans.

Criterion #10 to choose a closet design and installation contractor – Know where (and how) the products are fabricated (or cut to size)

So, you see your trim carpenter cutting closet parts in the garage of your freezing cold new home while it’s under construction. Do you feel good about the quality of their cuts, or would parts made on a CNC (Computer Numerical Control machine) in a room temperature factory be more precise?

I’m amazed how many builders, remodelers, and owners ‘settle for’ site built closets when they could have precise factory built systems.

So, do you have a better idea how to choose a custom closet design and installation contractor? Do you need assistance with your project?

I hope these 10 criterion have helped you ‘hone in’ (and no that manufacturing pun just happened on the fly) on what to look for in a custom closet design and installation company whether you’re a home builder, remodeler, or owner.

And if you need assistance and your project is in the Cleveland or Columbus Ohio call Innovate Home Org at 614-545-6888. And if you’re not in these cities, ask for a referral to a custom closet designer in your area or request a Free 3D design consultation.

I appreciate you ‘living through’ my humor and reading these ideas. Thanks,

Mike

If you’d like more information on home organization systems, custom closets, Murphy beds, or design advice follow me on LinkedIn @MikeFotiLinkedIn. There you’ll find a (slightly) more ‘buttoned-up’ version of me.