Get matched with top closet pros in Caseville, MI

The differences between a built-in closet and a walk-in aren’t that different from a built-in wardrobe and a walk-in closet. It’s fairly simple—a walk-in closet is a closet you can physically enter, stand in, and walk around in. A built-in (whether wardrobe or closet) is more akin to covered shelves installed into a recess in the wall. Another big difference is walk-in closets almost always have traditional full-size doors, while built-ins either have no doors or use sliding doors.

Whether it’s less expensive to build or buy a closet depends on both the type of closet and whether or not you’d be constructing it yourself. The cost of custom closets built by a pro ranges from $1,300 to $3,800, but you may be able to DIY it for as little as $400. By contrast, prefabricated options go as low as $200 and up to $3,000, so it’s almost always less expensive to go this route. 

Walk-in closets are always the biggest and can easily be more than 100 square feet. Primary bedroom closets, even if not walk-ins, are the second largest category in most homes and sit between 30 and 80 square feet. Linen closets, utility closets, and built-in closets are smaller and, depending on their usage, tend to be between 10 and 50 square feet.

A "reach-in pantry" is a smaller, cabinet-style pantry that allows you to grab items by simply reaching inside. On the other hand, a "walk-in pantry" is like a closet or small room that offers a larger space that you can physically enter to get your food. Walk-in pantries allow for more customizable shelving. A reach-in pantry is usually around 5 feet wide by 2 feet deep, while a walk-in pantry is closer to 5 feet by 5 feet or larger.