My wife has ordained that we shall have closet "systems" which she has designed. This is a plywood build - not fine furniture. They will have many drawers.
The question is: are slides perceived to be better than drawers without ball-bearing metal slides?
Stated another way, when we decide to sell this place, will the average (non-woodworking) couple perceive more quality with or without slides?
Based on what I see in the world of kitchens, I think that slides will get an up-check and other stuff will get down-checked.
Self closing full extension slides will play better to the "average" buyer, and mark the work as better, just as in kitchen cabinetry. It's how I would go, but it's your call as to whether it's worth any cost difference.
At resale time it won't matter. I seriously doubt any Realtor will know to mention it. The housing market is so hot right now buyers don't even seem to care if it has indoor plumbing let alone closets.
I would go with undermount full extension soft close slides. Now that I have experience with them. (4) Once you get your head wrapped around them, they are easy and work well.
I doubt it will make any difference in either the selling price or quickness of sale! However, I personally like the full metal slides with the soft closing feature. I think Barry will agree that almost any "remodeling" project such as this will ever repay the investment.
Unless there is a major issue in some certain rooms, bathroom and kitchen updates (at least used to be) about the only items that may return your investment or even make a profit.
Unless you are planning to sell soon, your wife probably will enjoy the slides more.
Like any design question, there are many factors to balance, among them cost, time, appearance, function, resale value, etc. You say "they will have many drawers," so one consideration is the time it will take you to fit all those drawers. Slides are forgiving in terms of implementation -- just make the opening width correctly and screw all the parts together -- whereas drawer fitting will require runners, kickers, etc.
As for the customer, you need to decide if you're making these closet build-outs for yourselves or for the next owner. If it's for yourselves, which I suspect, then all bets are off. Make something that delights you (and your wife).
>>>At resale time it won't matter. I seriously doubt any Realtor will know to mention it
There are influencing factors that a realtor probably won't mention.
After we sold our last house the gentleman told me they were considering several houses but the deciding feature was not mentioned or advertised: the way the doors closed.
I had replaced all the interior doors with custom-made doors and hung each with frames I made from solid red oak, matching the baseboard, window sills, etc. I used to trim the house. But the selling point was the doors all closed with a "snick" and without any slop. (I'm particular about my doors!)
I'm sure the remodeled kitchen, added rooms with bay windows, upgraded electrical and HVAC system, expanded carport/parking, custom steel gates, landscaping, multi-level decks, shop, and wooded lot on the city greenbelt all likely added value, but it was the doors that tipped the scale.
A realtor might not mention the closet system and it likely won't affect the selling price but I suspect the prospective buyer will notice.
I'd suggest you look up some closet makeover kits and design companies to get ideas on balancing your drawer space with hanging and shelf space. Mind that "partners" may have different preferences. When I did ours, I had to put in serious storage for shoe boxes, long hanging space, and open racks instead of drawers.
I seriously doubt any potential buyer will have time or be nosey enough to try the drawers, build what she will enjoy for however long you stay in the house.
Build what you want for yourself and enjoy it, the chances are any closet system, bathroom or kitchen more that 3 years old adds no value because it will be out of style and the new buyer are likely to update some or all of it before they move in.
My wife has spent over a year(s) reviewing all the closet ideas she could find and then adapting them to our situation. It will be quite modular albeit all modules will be screwed to the walls.
The reason I asked the question is that while she loves the Blum undermount soft-close slides, she is also grumbling about the cost. I've made the point about relative build times so I think we are pretty much headed in that direction. I just want her to have good stuff to enjoy before we sell in 5 - 10 years - sooner if the markets dump.
Side note - we have a long standing semi-serious rule that every new project requires a new tool. This project has resulted in a shiny new Sawstop PCS with which to get it done.
I am legendary cheap. I have Accuride ball bearing hardware on the kitchen drawers. It gives me satisfaction opening them for they work so smoothly. I hunted for a wholesale cabinet supply and got them much cheaper than the retail woodworking stores sell them. Ball bearing slides with bells and whistles may be expensive. Simple bearing slides provide the smooth feel at a price even a cheap person finds good value.
For my furniture I make all wood drawers. I spend way more than an hour carefully fitting them , then shellacing, sanding then finally waxing. They work as smoothly as the ball bearing slides. I never would have finished the kitchen if I had to do this process on all the drawers there and ......kitchen cabinet construction would not have held the tolerances that enable a well fit all wood drawer.
Buy the quality hardware. Then a year from now come back and tell us how much you are enjoying that choice. Resale has nothing to do with the decision.
What your selling it today? Do you really think it will make a buyer walk away or make an on the spot offer? If the buyer(or buyers) won't make an offer because closet has or doesn't have a slide, you really don't want to sell to them anyway. Also, I've found that what I thought was the best part of the house, is what the buyer wants to gut out. Finnally, most stuff added to a house seldom gets your investment back..you should only put in stuff that you want...heck with some vacillating future buyer!
1) Drawer slides generally will make drawers a bit smaller in size, thus volume reduction.
2) Drawer slides create an automatic extend stop so they don't fall on your toe.
3) The right drawer slide will make operation quieter rather than drawer-on-cabinet, if your mate is a light sleeper. Especially the soft close slides.
4) Slides or no slides won't make a bit of difference to the home buyer. It could make a difference to someone buying THAT closet organizer for their closet though.
5) There is added cost with drawer slides.
6) Slides will generally keep the cabinet, and front facade, cleaner. Raw drawers tend to make saw dust as they wear on one another.
