OMG. I know this an old post but the Closet Factory should not be allowed to do business with anyone. I just had the most horrible experience with this company. Not only was their service sub par, their product was even worse. After having the worst time trying to have them fix a disastrous island kitchen build, I went to California Closets to install a walk in closet. Night and day experience for the same amount of money. Excellent service, installation, communication. DO NOT use closet factory or sadly you will regret it!!

Sorry to hear about your recent experience, Gary. We're a national network of individually owned franchise locations, but we take every complaint seriously. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, and I would like to offer my sincerest apologies for the poor customer service you received. Please understand that your frustrations do not reflect the experience we strive for. For this reason I would like to speak with you in greater depth about what happened and ensure we keep better communication. Please contact our Customer Service Manager Dawn Lucero at your earliest convenience.

310-516-7000 ex. 253

Easy Closets - will save you a lot, great products, you find your own / or DIY install but it is truly easy .. they will help you design, etc. .

Easy Closets is fabulous!!! I have used them for 10+ years. Super people to work with.

Easy Closets system is not the same at all. Plus by the time you add installation you are close in price to the full service companies. Design and selection dictates price.

Gary above did you say kitchen island? I am a little surprised at the product line you mention. If you are having unresolved issues please contact Closet Factory's Corp office.

You know, I've got a love hate relationship with Houzz. I love it as, it a way for homeowners to see products they might not know about, and get ideas for their projects. But I hate it, as often times, companies comment with the sole intention to promote themselves, and dont really help educate the customer.

I hate to call out another closet company, but Mike you're totally wrong on your comment. Cal closets, and Closet Factory, are both great companies and their product is far from sub par. The customer experience is totally dependent on the franchise location however as already noted.

Particleboard is awesome as its an engineered product. Meaning its totally, perfectly straight. Doesnt have voids like plywood does. Isnt susceptible to warping from humidity like plywood is. -Though it cant get wet, so that has to come into the design. Really though if you're closet is getting wet from standing water, you might have flooding issues to deal with! The melamine on the outside also comes in unlimited amounts of colours, textures, styles. It can also be modified on site too, either by cutting or routering, so any obstructions are nothing to worry about. In addition to on-site modifications, particle board can be contoured (if you have the proper machines) So you can have rounded shelves ( Say for in a pantry) This allows an L shaped shelf without the requirement of ugly angle brackets, and an unsightly joint that creates a weak spot, and collects dirt.

Also, pretty much any reputable closet company is using CARB Phase 2 Compliant product, as well as LEED certified products in some cases. Since a lot of plywood is made offshore, I'd be skeptical of its source. You mention yours in from the US, but I'm not mentioning it in general as its a common thing.

You are right on one point, which is that plywood is really strong. Only when you're driving a screw into it - more so than particleboard even. But any proper closet company isnt putting screws into the particleboard to hold the closet together, they're using connection fitting. Similar to IKEA. Closets are made to be installed, and left in place, and thats how it will stay rock solid tight. Where they get weak is when you start moving the units around (think that IKEA coffee table, or dresser. Its about as stable as a wet noodle after a few moves)

On our jobs, we always enjoy when the homeowners come in at the end of a job, and says it looks awesome, then they often will grab a hanging bar, and yank on the closet to test if it moves at all. We jokingly call this the "man test" I think this is the closet equivalent of kicking the tires on a car. We know the closets are solid, and if I'm there i'll even sometimes hang off of a bar, and do pull-ups to show them the strength. I only do particleboard closets, and am totally confidant in its strength.

At the end of the day, most respectable closet companies offer a lifetime warranty anyways, so it should really come down to the creativeness of the designer, and the quality of the installers. Usually the customer is making their decision on the design, but its the installers who are the real superstars. They're able to hide floors which are uneven, walls that have bow in them, and make a perfectly level, and plumb closet that will last a lifetime.

Tell you what Mike, If you come to the Closet Expo next year in Chicago i'll buy you a drink.

Thanks,

Shaun

Well thank you Shaun. I am glad my one paragraph post on 3 deficiencies of particle gave you the opportunity to respond with a 600+ worded self serving PR piece on your company and the defense of particleboard. Your response sounded very defensive and canned as you drifted off to address the concerns most consumers tend to bring up. I think most on houzz.com can see your post for what it is.

I love house, it's a tremendous resource and platform for consumers and companies, but you know what I hate about it?.......this.

Gary, we also had some issues with our local Closet Factory in Deerfield, FL. We had over $20K in closets installed and at the end of the project, there were a couple of items that could not be completed by their installation crew. We wrote on the work-order that certain items were NOT completed and we were told that the balance would not be charged until the project is complete as per the contract. They ended up charging our credit card, fraudulently. We did not sign a release to charge the credit card. After contacting their customer service, we were told that they did indeed make a mistake and that by the time the refund would be returned, our issues would have been resolved. We had to call them back after almost 3 weeks because we had not heard anything. They finally completed the project. I guarantee you that if I had not paid them in full at the completion of the project and waited 3 weeks to pay them in full they would have called me EVERY day.

Yeah sorry to hear that. Don't know how closet factory stays in business. I get upset every day I go to open a drawer and it doesn't shut properly. I learned my lesson. And after all this the sales rep who sold me all this never called me back to apologize on the bad service. Just goes to show me that she was just as crooked as the rest of them. just out there pushing bad product on unsuspecting buyers. Shame.

Better value would be the PAX line from IKEA.. tons of options and features, plus the cost is MUCH less than CC or CF... they all use the same materials... why pay triple? :)

IKEA is great for a lot of things, but fitting a specific space isn't one of them. Ultimately, if you need something specific to your home or your needs, you may be spending more to hack something IKEA-made than you'd spend designing your own custom storage solution with the help of a professional.

Also, many materials you just won't find at IKEA. Solid or hard wood, heavy tempered glass, or stronger metals just aren't available. Part of it is because those materials are expensive, but part of it is because there's no reason for IKEA to make solid wood desks when they can make ten particle board desks for the same price.

Here's why our products are better, stronger, and safer:

1. All substrates are manufactured with 100% recycled wood.
2. Our wood is certified as harvested from responsibly managed and sustainable forests.
3. No added urea formaldahyde in our wood, and we meet California air resource board standards.
4. Materials can be part of LEED certification Materials and Resources (MR) credits.
5. There are many grades of melamine, but we use the TOP RATED.

Gary and Manny, sorry again that you had a negative experience. We strive for total customer satisfaction. Since all of our locations are individually owned and operated, mistakes can be made. However, please understand that this does not reflect our company-wide commitment to providing excellent service and a truly personal design process.

There is a great discussion here! There are tons of options out there and while we each have our similarities, there are also differences. I think it's super valuable to have different companies out so you can see the different options. Go visit showrooms as well. That way you can look at the construction, products and different options in person.

Ultimately what I feel sets us apart is the process of working with each client. We take the time to discuss your frustrations in your current space, take an inventory of your clothing, measurements of the space and typically we can show designs in that initial consultation if you'd like. We strive to create a design based on each person's individual preferences/needs and the way they interact with their space. You're calling someone out because the space is frustrating you in some way. Our goal is to find out what that is and solve it through asking questions, listening and understanding your needs so we can create the best custom design suited for you. When you have multiple companies out, you can see which designer best meets your needs and solved the issues in the space. Pay attention to hanging heights to make sure the height of your clothing has been accounted for, do you have enough folding space, drawer space and is the space laid out to maximize efficiency? (There are "tricks of the trade" to place items in certain area's to make the space feel larger, store more and function more efficiently)

Also, look up reviews. You can learn a lot by Googling different companies and see what people are saying.

Happy closeting!!

I contacted California Closets less than a week ago.. a call was returned to me almost immediately.. the consultant has been helpful and friendly...she has walked me through all the steps needed for me to be another satisfied customer..

Thank you so much for the post Tammi!! We're so glad that your experience has been helpful and friendly! We very much want you to be a satisfied customer, that means a lot to us. Let us know if you need anything from us! Thank you!

-California Closets

I have had two closets done with California closets, both times has been an absolute hassle free experience. The quality, installers, designers are all amazing to work with. Definitely would recommend them. Especially the Peabody, Mass office.

Thank you so much for your post Christian! We are happy to hear that you would recommend another California Closets local franchise. Our designers are trained meticulously and our installers are always polite and efficient. We are happy you enjoyed our "white glove service" and we thank you for recommending California Closets.

-California Closets | Southdale

Does California Closets negotiate on price?

There are promotions offered as well as financing options.

I was told by my salesperson that CC does not negotiate price. Basically, they are limited to whatever promo is going on for the month (like a fixed computer calculating system). Plus I'm pretty sure they are paid on commission so there may not be any incentive to try to lower the price ?? - my best guess. It was kind of comical when our salesperson emphasized over and over that the color / finish we were looking at for the drawer facings was on promo currently. Savings of $32 total - ha! We also checked out TCS - The Container Store and Home Depot. We have yet to commit because they are all SO pricey! And then you google and read horrific experiences for all at some level -- and it's a closet! Not a car! I think we are leaning toward CC, but I have to figure out if we can tear our and paint ourselves as this alone with CC was quoted at around an additional $850. Ya.... don't assume that this part of the job comes included in the quoted price. This is in addition too! I'd say that's probably most cringing part -- thinking I've been quoted somewhere between $7-$11K and that doesn't even include the tear our and paint portion of the install -- yikes! So I've never encountered something so pricey that's so pieced out service wise. I guess I expected for the price it would be full service/all inclusive. Feels kind of like flying Spirit. It just keeps on adding up. lol

Another late comment: The Closet Factory did a good job installing my closet, but years afterward did not live up to the Lifetime Guarantee that was an important part of why I chose them. The shelving had turned yellow over time, although the drawer fronts remained white. Although I kept the guarantee certificate, the company said that it couldn't find the record of my purchase and so couldn't verify that they had installed the closet. I see their problem, but it shouldn't become my problem. If you do work with the Closet Factory, make sure you keep all your records of purchase!

I personally have been selling custom closets for Closet Factory since 97 and there has never been a case of white melamine turning yellow unless exposed to smoke, acid-tone, water damage or improper cleaning fluid. This is not a warranty issue and FYI records have been computerized even prior to my working here.

I'm delighted you've had such a good experience. In my case, there has been no exposure to smoke, acetone, water damage, or improper cleaning fluid. It's just been sitting there protected in the closet. You are welcome to come and look at it. And yes, I heard that records are computerized, which is why it's puzzling that they can't find my record. And frustrating.

Deborah. You're 100% right! The girl from Closet Factory obviously never goes back to her clients houses, which is insane after 30 years... Many of the edgebanding manufacturers who use a cheap quality product which will yellow from UV light. The actual board itself usually doesnt yellow. Since its not a plastic like the edge tape is. Its not something that can be prevented, and only happens on white material ( or rather is only noticable on white material) I cant speak to CFs records, or business practices. They're a reputable company so thats kind of strange, but the actual franchise location can potentially be run poorly. I know our products, and most companies can spot their products years after the fact. All closets are similar, but its the small details which would indicate who did it. We put labels on all out closets so if the house changes hands new home owners can find us. Plus we keep good records...

Do not hire California Closets! First, they installed the wrong closet system in our closet. My husband had to take an extra day off of work for the second installation date. When they finally came to install the correct design, they didn't even have all of the pieces! I had to clear out the closet space twice! It is a rather large walk-in closet, so this was not an easy task. They even used the paint we had on hand to fix the walls after they were damaged by the incorrect design! The installers were great, and none of issues were their fault, but the information they were given was incorrect. In the end, the company didn't offer us any type of discount for all of the inconvenience this caused. The representative said that they do not offer any type of discount, even when the issues were their responsibility! I will never work with the company again! They act like they care about the customer, but in the end, they only care about themselves!

Hi Closet Envy, We have been in business for over 40 years. We are always willing to stand behind our products. Unlike many competitors these days we still have our designers stay with the client from start to finish. If a client has a question or issue we certainly encourage them to communicate their thoughts so we can resolve their issue. Thanks, Closet Factory