From the first walkthrough to the last screw: how a garage storage project runs

Six stages, and the one that sets the pace

A garage storage project runs in six stages: a first conversation, a showroom visit or in-home walkthrough where the garage is measured, a design with renderings, a free written quote, ordering, and installation followed by a walkthrough. The in-home visit is a conversation in your garage about what you store and how you use the space, plus careful measuring. How long the whole project takes depends mostly on what you choose and how it ships: in-stock items can go home the same day, while larger orders take longer to arrive.

I run the Dallas Proslat Garage Store, and I do many of these visits myself. People are often nervous that a quote visit will turn into a sales pitch. It should not. The point is to understand your garage well enough to design something that fits, and to leave you with a plan and a price you can think about on your own time.

Stage one: the first conversation

It starts with a call or a message. I want to know roughly what you are hoping to do, whether that is a full makeover, cabinets only, wall storage, overhead storage or a few accessories. I ask about the size of the garage, what has to fit in it, the budget you have in mind, and when you would like it done. None of this commits you to anything; it simply lets me come prepared.

If you are not sure yet what you want, that is fine. One of the most common things people tell me on the first call is that they know they want something different but cannot picture it. That is exactly what the next stages are for. If you are out of town or cannot get to the showroom, I can walk you through it on a video call so you can see the products before anyone visits your home.

It also helps to mention anything you have already seen and liked, whether that is a photo, a neighbor's garage or a product online. Someone who has been browsing cabinet photos for months needs a different conversation from someone whose car just stopped fitting. Either way, by the end of the call we agree on whether to start in the showroom or at your house, and I confirm the appointment and send a reminder before I arrive.

Stage two: the showroom or the in-home walkthrough

You can start in either place. The showroom in Richardson, open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and Saturdays by appointment, lets you compare cabinet colors, finishes, door styles and slatwall configurations in person, open drawers and test hardware. The in-home visit lets me see the garage itself, which is where the important details live.

At your home, I spend most of the time listening and measuring. We talk about what you store, who uses the garage, which door you come in through, and what drives you crazy about it now. Then I measure and check the things that change a design.

• Length and height of every wall, and the ceiling height
• Stud spacing, and whether any wall is concrete or block
• The garage door tracks and opener, so overhead storage stays clear
• Outlets, switches, windows, the water heater and the electrical panel
• How far the car doors swing open where you park
• Floor slope and any stem wall along the base of the walls

Questions worth thinking about before the visit

You do not need to prepare anything for an in-home quote, but a few minutes of thought beforehand makes the design noticeably better. These are the questions I end up asking in almost every garage, so having a rough answer ready lets us spend the time on the details instead.

• Which cars need to fit, and does anyone need room to load kids or groceries beside them?
• What do you reach for every week, and where do you come in from?
• Is there a hobby that needs space: a workbench, a home gym, bikes, fishing gear, a project car?
• What should be locked or out of reach of children?
• Which items are seasonal and could live overhead?
• Is this a phase-one project or the whole garage at once?

Stage three: the design and renderings

After the visit, I build the layout using Proslat's design tools and renderings, so you can see the cabinets, slatwall, racks and colors on your own walls before ordering anything. This is where the conversation from your garage turns into a plan: bikes by the door, chemicals in closed cabinets, the workbench where the light is best, seasonal boxes overhead.

Expect changes. Once people see their garage on screen, they often move the workbench, swap a wall cabinet for open slatwall, or decide the kayak should go on a lift. Each change takes minutes in a rendering and saves real money compared with changing your mind after installation, since Proslat does not accept returns on installed products.

Stage four: the written quote

The quote is free and comes with the renderings. I break it down so you can see what each wall and each part costs, which makes it easy to adjust. If the total is more than you planned, we can phase the project, starting with the wall that solves the most and adding the rest later, because the system is modular. A first order placed through an in-home quote carries a 5% discount.

Take your time with it. A good quote should still make sense a week later, and you should feel free to ask any question twice. If you are comparing companies, my guide to the questions to ask a garage storage company will help you compare like with like, and what garage cabinets and slatwall cost explains the price drivers in more detail.

Stage five: ordering, and what sets the timeline

Once you approve the design, we order. Some items come straight from the store's inventory, and customers who are installing a small project themselves often take those home the same day. Larger designs ship from Proslat. According to its shipping policy, parcel orders are usually processed daily and typically arrive in a few days, while trucking orders, which tend to be the larger ones, may take longer. Proslat does not guarantee delivery dates, since some delays are out of its control.

This is why I do not promise an installation date until the order is in hand. Proslat's own policy recommends waiting until an order has arrived and been inspected before booking installation, and I follow the same rule. It protects you from a crew showing up to a missing cabinet. When the order is complete and checked, we set the installation date with you.

Your own choices affect timing too. A design that is mostly in-stock slatwall and racks moves quickly. A full cabinet run with a specific color, worktop and special feet for a sloped floor takes longer to assemble as an order. I tell you which parts set the pace when we review the quote.

Getting the garage ready for installation day

Installation goes fastest when the crew has clear walls and room to work. A little preparation on your side shortens the day and avoids surprises.

• Move everything at least a few feet away from the walls being worked on
• Park the cars outside for the day
• Clear the ceiling area under any overhead rack or lift
• Make sure the outlet a lift will plug into is working, or arrange an electrician beforehand
• Keep children and pets out of the garage while the crew works
• Set aside the items that will go into the cabinets first, so loading is easy

Stage six: installation and the final walkthrough

On installation day, slatwall goes up level and screwed into the studs, cabinets are leveled on their feet, bolted together and lagged into the wall, and overhead storage is fastened into the framing. Proslat's cabinet guide recommends two people for every cabinet and stresses that the feet must be leveled before cabinets are connected, so the doors close evenly. Good crews treat those steps as non-negotiable.

Before the crew leaves, we walk through the garage together. Doors should close evenly, drawers should run smoothly, panels should be tight and straight, and any overhead storage should clear the garage door. If something needs a small adjustment, that is the moment to do it. Then the fun part starts: loading the system and parking inside again.

A garage system is meant to change with the family. When you later want to add a wall, rearrange hooks or try a new accessory, the original design is the natural starting point, because the pieces are modular and the measurements are already known. A second phase is often a small update rather than a new project.

Ready to start the first stage

Estimates are free, and I come to homes across the Dallas area for in-home quotes. Tell me roughly what the garage looks like and what you want to store, and we will pick a time for the showroom or a walkthrough at your house.

If you live in North Texas, it is also worth reading how heat, humidity and hail season affect garage storage here before the visit, so we can plan for them. And if you want to think through the layout on your own first, start with turning a packed garage into storage that works.

Questions people ask me