We are in the process of.. doing everything basically, to our new loft conversion, and actually visited the California Closets showroom this weekend. In our case, we have a loft and storage is very important.. and the prefab systems just don't do it for me. CC, however, told us that their solutions start at $150 a square foot.. so we will be looking at other companies for comparisons. I am interested to hear what other people have to say.

Nice closets CJ! I'm all about the organization.

Custom closets are absolutely worth it. But a more economical option for someone that doesn't mind doing the work themselves is Rubbermaid Configurations. The first thing I did when I moved into my condo was rip out the old shelving from all the closets, and replace them all with my own custom configuration for each room. It was a bit time consuming doing it myself, but the work itself was easy. And I'd do it again. Everything has a place, everything is neat and organized, and I can't even estimate how much time it's saved me because I always know where everything is.  I'd say it is absolutely worth the expense (of time or money).

They are 100% worth it.  Although, you can find clever ways around paying the big bucks.  I moved into a 1 bedroom + den loft, and had a few quotes from California Closets and two others, to convert the den into a wardrobe. All quotes were $10k++ so I did it myself for under $3k with Ikea units and some DIY customizing to make it look custom.  If I could post a vid, I'd show you.

My Wife and I just had a baby, so we wanted to organize the baby's room walk in closet as well as our own. We called California Closet to come in and design us our dream closets. After all was said and done, they quoted us $5,000 dollars because our closet was not a standard size..and we wanted 10 shelves. We found a cabinet maker to make us the exact same design with the exact same material for $2,000....so my suggestion is to SHOP AROUND.

sorry I meant 10 drawers not shelves....

@Rick S. Definitely shop around. California Closet is SOOOOO expensive! I went with Superior Closets, much cheaper and just as good, although it still cost a lot.Watching myself in the video (always a frightening experience), I think it was definitely worth it.  Our house is tiny so storage is really important. I mean if I didn't have the closets, where would I put my rolls of toilet paper.

I wish had taken a photo of the space that I did for my son about twenty-plus  yearS ago using  floor-to-ceiling Ikea free- standing units that covered an entire wall.   (His single closet was donated to an adjacent bedroom.)

The space consisted of a desk area flanked by  double closet components and a tower of deep pull out baskets on each side, all of which were behind co-ordinated doors.   Sleek 'n  very functional for the space and elements could be reconfigured upon a whim.   Unfortunately Ikea has since discontinued the line.

Re your question, if you have the $$$ for built-ins, then go for it!!!!

I am doing 2 walk-in closets in my room and find custom too expensive.  So I am going the Ikea route and the Hardware Stores where I will build my own frame and shelves.  Custom all the way at a total of under $500 for both closets.

Are you kidding CJ? You got a dream closet! It's amazing. I would totally invest in a custom closet. I didn't see the rest of the room, but that probably maximized your space. Who cares what's messy in the closet, you'd never know behind that wall of a closet. Nice.

Of course I'm biased - but how much did you spend on your kitchen?  You can go an entire day without cooking - but you do have to get dressed (if you're planning to leave the house!).  Like a great jacket or pair of pants that you wear all the time and feel great in - you average out the "cost per wearing".  Organized closets change your life and protect the  clothing you've invested $$ in.  They save you time and money in the long run & are great for resale.  They might not be cheap - but it's some of the best money you will ever invest.  

Custom closets are absolutely worth every penny!  We live in a fairly upscale neighborhood in St. Louis where the houses run $100 to $200/sq.ft.  To allow a builder to simply put a ventilated shelf around the perimeter of a 10' x 10' closet is not only a waste of good storage space, but a waste of money!  We used a local company called Beyond Storage, and they were fabulous!  We got bids from the franchise operations like Cal Closets and Closet Factory, but way to expensive. Our other bid was from St. Louis Closets, but they are real cookie cutter simple - not even close to the others

Organized storage is not only efficient to use, it is also environmentally  and emotionally friendly.  Clutter is wasteful and creates negative energy because you always feel like "I need to pick-up" or "my house is such a mess".  When you organize your closets (any closet) you can see what you own and therefore spend less money on buying ANOTHER red shirt.  It also helps take care of the clothing you spend a lot of money on (ex. are your expensive shoes in a pile at the bottom of your closet getting scuffed?).

As for who to go with for your custom closet...shopping around is great.  California Closets has high quality product with excellent service and options from simple to high-end.  Ikea is good for the do-it-yourselfer person who has the time and ability to put together themselves.  No matter who you choose, make sure you're considering everything that has value to your purchase (warranty, value of your time, quality of product, value of someone else designing it to fit your exact needs, adjustability in the future, brand reputation, etc.).  California Closets has a lot of value for many people and a great reputation.  Agreed, it's not for someone who feels doing the entire project themselves at a lower cost is a better value.

I have California Closets and I love them.  I checked into 3 local companies and California Closets was the most expensive, but I felt they did the best job designing and when I visited all the showrooms it was clear they had the highest quality.  My service was awesome (there was an issue and they took care of it right away).  I expect quality and excellent service to cost more.

I am a business woman who runs my own Interior Design company, so custom closets have a HUGE value to my time and home.  I refer California Closets to my client's who will pay a little more for the best.  I refer other cheaper options for my client's who do not care.  But I always suggest checking out a couple options so they know what the difference is and what they're paying for in their invesetment.

A very important investment, whether you can do it yourself, or hire a company.  I agree that folks should shop around if hiring someone else to do it.  

They are a great way to increase storage and organize.  I find general housekeeping/laundry and de-cluttering easier when the closets have extra shelves, drawers and hanging rods.