A closet or built-in is mostly measuring and deciding. Pick what you are building — a walk-in, a reach-in, a wardrobe, a mudroom bench, a pantry wall, a bookcase, a media wall, garage storage, a window seat or a desk nook — the finish, and who builds it, and the plan prices the piece and lays out the work around it: measuring, decluttering, quotes, ordering, the walls and wiring, install day and the accessories bought after.
Then design it in the Built-ins studio: draw each wall from the front, fill it from what you own, check it in 3D, and compare three prices for the same design — built yourself, a cut-to-size kit, or hired out. Kits ship in two to three weeks and custom closet companies take four to eight, so the plan counts back from the date you want it finished.
What you can do
- Walk-ins, reach-ins, wardrobes, mudrooms, pantries, bookcases, media walls and more in one plan
- Priced at basic, mid-range or custom finish — built yourself, as a kit, by a carpenter or a closet company
- A Built-ins studio that designs each wall around what you own, in 3D
- Order-by and install dates counted back from when you want it finished
- The costs people forget: taking out old shelving, patching and paint, wiring, lighting
- Save, share, CSV, and PDF export
Frequently asked questions
How much does a closet system cost?
A reach-in runs about $250–500 in wire or melamine you install yourself, $500–1,000 as a cut-to-size kit and $1,200–2,500 from a closet company. A walk-in runs about $1,200 built yourself, $2,000–3,000 as a kit, and $4,000–9,000 from a custom closet company with drawers, doors and lighting.
How long does a custom closet take?
Cut-to-size kits usually ship in two to three weeks. Custom closet companies take four to eight weeks from signing off the design to install day, and the install itself is usually one day for a reach-in and one to two for a walk-in.
What do I measure before designing a closet?
Each wall at three heights — near the floor, at waist height and near the ceiling — because walls are rarely square, plus the ceiling height, the door opening and its swing, and every outlet, switch, vent and light. A switch behind a new tower or a door that swings in can cost a whole section.
Should I use this or the renovation planner?
Use this when the job is fitted storage — a closet, a mudroom, a pantry or a built-in. Use the Home Renovation Planner when walls, a kitchen or a bathroom change. The renovation, room design and new-build planners carry the same Built-ins studio, so a closet can live inside a bigger plan too.
Ready to plan?
The Closet & Built-ins Planner runs entirely in your browser. Free, no sign-up required to use it.
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