ELFA closet system from The Container Store.

I would not have the builder do the closets at all if they can't do the whole job. A custom built cabinet that is missing half the parts isn't much of a custom built cabinet!

Hire a proper cabinet maker (or closet fitter) to do the entire job and you'll probably end up with a better finished closet.

If they cannot build the drawers, don't trust them to build the boxes.

20 closets? 😳 I agree, get a closet company in to do it after closing.

I hope you have a good budget lol

If your contractor is not doing a full finished. Yikes on your closest, you’re not getting “custom” closets. At this point, I’d hire closet designers.

Use the Pax system and do a plan for each closet. DIY the assembly and install. You'll save a lot. Thousands.

I love Pax and honestly if you can't have the right space for walkin the Pax is IMO the next best thing. I also use it for designing awesome walk ins.

@K R, I guess it depends on what they are counting as closets!

If I count all the built-ins we did we are probably in the high teens and that is counting each built-in as a unit and not individual cabinets.

Just so you know I have been waiting on the Pax components for my master closet to be in stock for going on a year now. Good luck with whatever you pick.

OP, how many bedrooms does this house have? Could you enumerate the closets? I am genuinely curious how you have so many (unless you have an awful lot of bedrooms).

Thank you for the suggestions--seems like the Pax components would be what we're looking for, but might be unavailable for our timeline due to shortages. And that's a major constraint we are facing. It's not that our contractors "can't" do drawers--they are master builders and have done wonderful work building fine homes throughout this entire area. It's that we all have time constraints --and doing 20 --yes, 14 walk-ins and 6 regular (not counting any cabinets or built-ins) would go a lot faster if they didn't have to build the drawers. And I do have a lot of drawers planned!

Call me a closet addict -the above count includes two pantries-- but I do like a place for everything and everything in its place! I am thrilled that our builder will take the time to do these closets, as they were something we didn't detail until now. Not that we weren't asked! I've now got them planned and just trying not to spend a fortune but still have them adequately outfitted. I appreciate all your advice and will definitely check out PAX timeline/drawer availability! Thanks again!

@cubby14 Ikea has terrible backorder problems. I was collecting my 22” deep pax pieces in anticipation of getting the ok to go in and install them from the builder for months . Many i had delivered as they came in which is more expensive, but still much much less than a closet company. It took months and im still in need of 2 glass shelves. We gave up on the 14 deep closets, they never came in so I had 12” deep shelving built. We did 2 large master ,1 smaller walk in and a 60” reach in. My closets have everything from soup to nuts (including jewelry pull outs for everyone, shoe pull outs, 3 closets have 8 -40” drawers drawers, reach in has 6x20” drawers and I spent less than $5000) You couldnt do 1/2 of my master at that customization level using california closets.

Wow, M Riz, sounds like your closets turned out awesome. I appreciate the innovation you are using to get the job done. I will have to be innovative too. We are at the end of building this home and spent more than I care to admit. We didn't take shortcuts anywhere else, but am determined to do this without spending a fortune. The goal is to end up with closets that are functional but not fancy. I've finally got every one of them designed with drawers/shelves/cabinets. Now to source the materials, which sounds like the greatest challenge of all! Thanks so much for weighing in!

TxGuy: On enumerating the cabinets: WALK-IN CLOSETS: Guest foyer, mudroom, broom, 2 pantries, 2 master BR, 3 bedrooms , office, utility. REGULAR CLOSETS: 3 bedrooms, 2 linen, 2 great room, game room. This home is not as big as you are thinking--it has a walk out basement that is built to serve as a lake cabin, so has its own kitchen, laundry, etc. Small bedrooms, big closets!

@bisondaktelcom Wow, that's awesome! Sounds like you'll have tons of storage space... something I am worried about in my new build. Thanks for taking the time to enumerate them, I found it very interesting.

Planning and comparison pricing are the steps to take. Ikea lists their products and prices along with availability. Plan all the components you'll need. Add up the prices. Mark down availability. That gives you a base for comparison. Supply will improve. Or you can go another route when you have a base cost to compare. Link. A number of the frames are in stock.

We weren’t happy with either the design or the price of custom builder closets, so my very capable husband built them. He did buy the drawers and slides from Drawer.com. Western dovetail. He says they have lots of options, but be very careful with measuring, and eight years ago shipping was very expensive. We did not buy RTA.