What garage cabinets, slatwall and overhead storage cost in Dallas, and why

The honest range, and what moves it

A garage storage system can cost a few hundred dollars or well into five figures, because it can be one panel of slatwall with hooks or three walls of steel cabinets with overhead storage. Going by the regular prices Proslat lists online, a single 4 ft x 8 ft panel of Classic slatwall is $239.99, while a 16 ft LUX cabinet set with overheads is listed at $17,339.99. Five things move your number: how much wall you cover, the slatwall series, how much of the wall is cabinets, overhead storage, and the condition of the walls and floor.

I run the Dallas Proslat Garage Store, and the price question comes up in almost every first conversation. People are usually relieved to find out that the answer is not one big number they have to swallow. A garage system is modular, so you can see exactly where the money goes and decide which parts matter most to you.

Real list prices to anchor your budget

These are regular prices from proslat.com when I wrote this guide. Sale prices are often lower, prices change, and shipping is free on orders of $450 or more with some exclusions, according to the store page. Use them as reference points, not a quote.

• Classic PVC slatwall, 4 ft x 8 ft panel: $239.99
• PROCORE slatwall with aluminum core, 4 ft x 8 ft: from $324.99
• Signature Series solid aluminum slatwall, 4 ft x 8 ft: $629.99
• ProRack wall-mounted rack: $219.99 for 4 ft, $449.99 for 8 ft, $629.99 for 12 ft
• Garage Gator motorized lift kit for eight bicycles: $514.99
• LUX cabinets, 10 ft TOOL set: from $8,599.99
• LUX cabinets, 16 ft TOOL set with overheads: from $17,339.99

Driver one: how much wall, and which slatwall

Slatwall is priced by the panel, so the first question is how many square feet you want to cover. A bike-and-tools wall by the door might need two panels. A full workshop wall floor to ceiling might need eight or more. Measure the wall length and the height you actually reach; most people do not need slatwall all the way to a high ceiling. Remember that panels come in fixed sizes, so a wall that is a few inches over a panel length may need an extra panel and some cutting.

The second question is the series. Proslat rates its Classic PVC panels at 75 pounds per square foot and its PROCORE panels, built around an aluminum core, at 200 pounds per square foot. If the wall will carry bikes, a few hooks and yard tools, Classic is usually enough. If you plan to hang heavy power tools, ladders and loaded shelves, the stronger panel earns its price. I explain the trade-offs in more detail in my guide on choosing between PVC, PROCORE and aluminum slatwall.

Driver two: cabinets versus open wall

Cabinets cost more per foot than slatwall because there is far more in them. Proslat's Fusion PLUS and LUX cabinets are made in North America from 18-gauge steel with a powder-coated finish, and the drawers run on slides rated up to 400 pounds, according to Proslat's product pages. You are paying for doors that close square for years, drawers that hold a full load of tools, and a worktop you can use.

The mix is where you control cost. Closed cabinets make sense for chemicals, paint, tools you want locked away and anything you would rather not look at. Open slatwall makes sense for things you grab weekly. A design that puts cabinets along one wall and slatwall on the others often costs a fraction of wall-to-wall cabinets and works better day to day.

Within cabinets, the line and the worktop matter. Fusion PLUS and LUX share the same construction, and LUX adds more color combinations. Worktops come in maple, stainless steel and other options, and each changes the price.

Driver three: going overhead

The ceiling is the cheapest square footage in the garage because nothing else is using it. Proslat lists the ProRack as holding up to 800 pounds when installed directly into studs, which makes it a strong place for bins and seasonal gear above the hood of a car. The Garage Gator lifts are motorized, rated at 220 pounds, and suit bikes, kayaks, paddle boards and Jeep tops.

A lift adds cost beyond the kit if there is no outlet near the spot where it mounts, because the motor needs a standard 120-volt plug, according to its instructions. In Texas, electrical work has to be done by a licensed electrician working through a licensed contractor, so factor that in if you need a new ceiling outlet. If you are comparing quotes, ask whether the overhead pieces are included and where the power is coming from. A wall-mounted rack has no motor and no power requirement, which is one reason it is the simpler overhead choice for many garages.

Driver four: the walls and floor you start with

Two garages with the same design can cost different amounts to install. Proslat's slatwall instructions call for studs 16 inches apart to reach the full 75-pound rating; with studs at 24 inches they recommend a sheet of 5/8 in. plywood behind the panels. Concrete or block walls need 2 x 3 in. furring strips fastened every 16 inches before any slatwall goes up. Each of those adds material and labor.

The floor matters for cabinets. Many garage floors slope toward the door, and Proslat sells slope-compensating feet in raised heights so a run of cabinets stays level, plus special feet for garages with a stem wall. I check for slope and stem walls at the in-home visit so these costs show up in the quote and not on installation day.

What a useful quote shows, line by line

When you collect quotes, the total is the least useful number on the page. Two quotes can land close together while one includes overhead storage, trim and installation and the other leaves them out. Ask every company to break the price down so you can compare the same garage, not two different ideas of it.

A breakdown also lets you make decisions. If the cabinet wall is most of the money, you can see what happens to the total with a shorter run, a different worktop or open slatwall above the base cabinets instead of wall cabinets. I would rather a homeowner trim a design they understand than accept one they do not.

• Slatwall: series, color, number of panels and the trim pieces needed to finish the edges
• Accessories: hooks, baskets and shelves listed by type, since they add up faster than people expect
• Cabinets: each unit, the worktop material and any special feet for a sloped floor or stem wall
• Overhead storage: racks or lifts, and whether an outlet or extra framing is needed
• Installation: labor for each wall, plus plywood or furring strips if the walls call for them
• Delivery or pickup, and the discount that applies

Optional finishes that change the feel more than the function

Some homeowners want storage. Others want a garage that looks like a finished room. The finishing pieces are where those two budgets split. None of these pieces add storage, so I usually suggest settling the walls and ceiling first and adding finishes once you see the space working. Lighting is the exception I would move up the list, because a dim garage makes even a good system hard to use.

• Floor tiles: Proslat lists its Ribtrax tiles at $9.99 each at regular price, so cost scales with the floor area you cover
• Lynk Light lighting, which changes how usable the space is after dark
• Alps and Sahara decorative wall panels, priced by quote because they are sized to your walls
• Upgraded cabinet worktops and backsplashes
• A CORE toolbox that matches the cabinet line

How to spend less without regretting it

Design the whole garage first, then build it in phases. The first phase should be the wall that solves the most daily pain, usually the one by the door to the house. Because the system is modular, the next phase fits the first, and you avoid buying pieces that do not work together.

Get the design right before anything is installed. Proslat's return policy gives a full refund on unused, undamaged items within 30 days, minus return shipping, and a 10% restocking fee between 60 and 120 days, but it does not accept returns on anything installed. A careful measurement and a rendering of your actual walls cost nothing and save you from that problem.

If you are comfortable with a drill and a stud finder, installing some pieces yourself can lower the total. The store keeps inventory you can take home the same day. My guide on doing the installation yourself explains which parts are friendly to a weekend and which are not.

Getting a real number for your garage

Estimates are free. You can visit the showroom in Richardson, open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturdays by appointment, or I can come to your home anywhere in the Dallas area, measure, and talk through what you need to store. A first order placed through an in-home quote carries a 5% discount.

You get a design with renderings of your own garage and a written quote broken down by wall, so you can see what each part costs and move pieces in or out. If you want to know what happens after that, I walk through it in what to expect from an in-home garage design quote. And if you are still deciding how to plan the space at all, start with turning a packed garage into storage that works.

Questions people ask me