Building New Kennels - Page 1

My mother is moving in with me as soon as her house sells. I am putting on an addition which will allow me to extend my walk out basement - another 250 square feet. I want to use the new part to put kennel runs in and before finalizing the bid wanted to tell the contractor what was needed. So my question to all the experts out there - if you were building from scratch - what would your wish list in this section be for kennels? I currently have 3 dogs but would like 4 runs if possible as I have friends visit with dogs (but secretly hope to add a 4th dog someday). One thing I would love is running water (utility tub) and possibly a washing machine to wash all their blankets, rugs, etc. My dogs are in the house or in their outside corral when I am home and would only be in the kennels when I am at work or out doing non doggy stuff. Any suggestions? Cheryl

Concrete floors with a good enough slope to drain out. Partially covered and protected from weather changes. That's a start.....

isnt ceramic tiels better for flooring?

Walk-in tiled shower area to wash the dogs.

A removable hair trap in the drain (There is a special kind that you can have installed by a plumber) - and I hcave seen at the vet some kind of gizmo for the dryer that catches hair better than a lint trap.

all concrete!!! floors and walls with a good paint on the walls. no wood plastic, etc. powder coated, welded kennel panels with gates for fronts. concrete blocks between the kennels. make indoor kennels small but not too small. too big allows a younger dirtier dog to get bad habits. dogs should only go into indoor run for sleep, feed, warmth. majority covered outdoor runs with a floor gutter system to rinse off the floors into a septic system. drains in all indoor kennels and outdoor concrete drains away from building. make sure concrete inside slopes slightly to drain. extras: bath tub, grooming table, sink, three piece bathroom, plasma tv and fridge stocked with cold beverages.

I agree, use concrete. Do not use tile and dont even think about laying vinyl. The pro's on conrete are numerous. Cleaning for one, and appearance. You can repaint it whenever it gets worn and looks cruddy. Make sure to use concrete paint which seals. With tile, you will not be able to clean the grouting well. It is way more porous than concrete and will definately stain and possible attact good old mold, just like a shower. Concrete is easily washed down and again, cheaply renewable to freshen the appearance. Items to consider in the kennel area: 1.) I would have the perimeter poured with 3-4ft concrete walls so any splatter of water, feces, urine, etc.. can also be hosed down & washed. I dont mean a concrete wall between every run per say, which would be great but, surrounding the oustide perimter of the kennel runs. 2.) A water faucet or, "spiget". One that you can attach a garden hose to and use to wash kennels! This can also be located near your wash tub and installed simultaneously! 3.) Exit doors for each kennel, leading to the outside. These can be constructed with semi-permanent doors that stay shut until you are ready to use them. You can slide up the door to allow the dogs access outdoors as needed, or just leave them in place. It will be cheaper to have them installed during construction as opposed to later on, cutting into the walls. 4.) Dont forget a small "isle" to give yourself access to all kennels. 5.) A electrical outlet placed about 5 -6 ft high on the wall for each kennel. These are handy if you ever need them for lighting, heat lamps for whelping, etc. That should cost about $100. for wiring, parts & labor. 6.) In conjunction with # 5, a permanent lighting fixture hung above the kennels, centered. How many times do we check ou dogs only to find we need a flashlight because of poor lighting? 7.) I would also construct a wooden storage bin in one corner or convenient location where food and supplies and chemicals can be safely stored away. 8.) * Drainage! Depending on the layout of your basement, it COULD be costly. However, it may not be. Ideally, having a drain in each kennel, tying into your sewer line would be the best however you may find difficulty getting the building permit from your local town office depending on what your home is zoned for. Codes go by the amount of bedrooms you have. Yes, bedrooms. Something to keep in mind before you plan this. If it is not cost effiecient or feasible, you may be able to design the concrete to slope away from the house, towards the outside wall, and have some sort of removeable panel toward the bottom, where you can wash away all drainage. USE CONCRETE AND SEAL IT!

st funk - you can put a sump crock and sump pump in the basement if the ordinance does not allow you to run directly to the sewer. this is inexpensive and a sump pump only runs around $80-$250. you can even build or place your storage cabinet over the crokck to hide it.

Thanks everyone. Good to know about concrete as I was trying to figure out if I should have any other type floor put in. This will save me some money that I can use elsewhere. I was wondering about the drains in the floor as I asked the contractor to include this in the price. Also good to know about the trap - did not think of that one. The original part of the basement has a sump pump, but is not near where I currently pen the dogs. Cleaning up the kennel is not easy as I have to lug buckets from upstairs. The light idea is also good as well as the outlet in each kennel area. Sections of the current basement does appear dark and as you said I am always dragging the dogs to better light, or getting a flashlight. I plan on taking these suggestions with me the next time I talk to the contractor to get the final price. I must be crazy .... I am more excited about getting the new kennel built than I am adding the new bedroom, bath and office on the second and third floors. Now - where to put the plasma tv and fridge. It will be a great place to go to escape my mother LOL. Cheryl

I would want automatic doggie doors that operate by an inside switch to let them out so if you are short on time you can filp the switch,it auto opens the doors to let them out to the runs, while you go make breakfast or ....stay in bed. Should not be expensive to add that. this in addition to the other good suggestions. If you go with a concrete floor, and I would, maybe a sealer on top that makes it slip proof, a spray on rubber surface perhaps? Make it comfortable for you also. If you have to spend days down there for whelping or escape, design an area for that, and as mentioned alot of electric outlets and 220 not just 110 and put them high enough that the dogs can't reach them and don't forget a few overhead outlets. You may not need them but it will increase the value of your house if you sell.JMO