First, we look at the physical size. When you take a look at the closets in your home, you may notice a few different types. Reach-in closets are standard in almost every home and are often found in kids’ bedrooms or hallways. With a simple layout, a reach-in closet fills the back wall and is typically accessed by opening one or two doors. Most homes also have a walk-in closet or two. Often found in master bedrooms or kids bedrooms, a walk-in closet, depending on the size of the closet, typically fills two to three walls. In recent history, more and more homes are built with one large master closet, two large his and hers primary closets or a converted bedroom often referred to as a boutique closet. Primary closets are often spacious and offer you the opportunity to use all four walls and include features like a center island. While we’re talking about the physical size of the space, we should also mention obstructions as they can add to closet install time. Obstructions are anything that must be designed around during the design step and built around during closet system installation. For example, a window, angled ceilings, access panels, or wall vents are all considered obstructions. All things equal, an obstruction-free custom closet system will be faster to install than one with multiple obstructions.

Next, we look at the custom closet design and installation method. In our article, “How much does a custom closet cost?“, we explain that the installation method is a driver of the cost of a custom closet, and like cost, the installation method is also a driver of closet installation time. Depending on the size of your closet, your budget, and how you want your closet to function, your designer may recommend wall-hung installation method over floor-mount closet installation or vice versa. For example, if the ceilings in your closet are low, the wall-hung closet installation method might be your best option. Likewise, if you really like the look of a custom, built-in closet, then a floor-mounted closet system is best for you. Our designers use an exclusive state-of-the-art software program called Studio that enables them to show you how the choices you make during the design of your custom closet play a role in calculating closet system installation time.

We also look at accessories and options. Every custom closet has space for hanging and shelving plus necessary hardware. It’s what you choose next that can add time to your closet installation. All closets also have room for space-saving accessories like jewelry and scarf hooks, belt and tie racks, and a valet rod. You might be surprised to learn that we often design reach-in closets with our exclusive Shoe Shrine®, hampers, drawers, and custom lighting, too. Walk-in and boutique closets offer all of this and more, with the opportunity for customization like vanity areas, islands with stone tops and bench seating, and a level of customization that is a direct result of having so much additional space.

Finally, we focus on timing. When we schedule your closet system installation, we evaluate a number of logistics to make sure we choose the fastest, most efficient time to work in your home. For example, if you are renovating multiple areas of your home at one time or if your home is new construction, we’re happy to coordinate with your general contractor to schedule your custom closet installation at a time that works best within the overall project timeline. As a general rule, it’s most ideal to plan the custom closet install after painting and flooring is complete. And, if you happen to live in an urban center or condo building, we’ll take extra care to schedule sufficient delivery time so that we can navigate parking and the use of an elevator if need be.