When looking for a dog house, you have lots of options but dog house cost seems to be a question that comes up a lot. You can always go the DIY route and build a custom best cheap dog house limited only by your imagination.
Building your own dog house is a huge reward, not only for your own dog but also for yourself. The reward for building your own dog house far outweighs going to the store to purchase one.
Dog House Costs For Spring 2020
A plastic dog house from a big box store will cost you anywhere from $50 – $400. It could be a little higher, or even lower than this depending upon the features.
Custom built, or wooden dog houses generally run from $250 – $2000. Again, it depends upon the style, finish, and features. I have even seen dog houses for several thousand dollars that have fully functioning air-conditioning, heating, and warranties.
If you do decide to purchase a dog house, keep a few things in mind. If the doghouse is made of plastic, it will be good to stop the wind and act to provide shade. The issue I found with the plastic doghouses is that in the summer, they get extremely hot, even oven-like. They work great to stop wind and rain but will bake in the sun and freeze in the winter.
Winter Anyone?
Speaking of freezing, depending on the type of plastic, the dog house might shatter if outside for the winter. That is, given the appropriate conditions, the plastic could crack or shatter. That yet another reason I would recommend making your own, out of wood or other similarly reasonable materials. I wrote an article after extensive research on wood. Both the safe and also those which are not safe for your furry friend.
I had a review here but the dog house is actually dangerous so I deleted the review. I’ll add more once I find a half-decent one. For now, consider building your own.
There are a lot of benefits to building. Like the satisfaction that you built something, your furry pal will love. If you decide you want to go ahead and build, the easiest material to use is wood. There are some kinds of wood that are not good to use though, due to being toxic. Before your pooch gets ill, check out my article on safe woods and toxic woods to use with your pet.
5 Tips To Save Big When Buying A Dog House
Build your own doghouse.
Building your own dog house is the cheapest way to get a dog house. You can save large by sourcing free or near-free materials. Just make certain that if your dog likes to chew on things, that you use woods that are safe.
Use free wood like skids.
You can often find free wood in the form of skids with just a drive. I drove through a warehousing area and saw several stacks of skids piled at the road for disposal. One even had a big sign saying “Free Wood”. All you need is a hammer and preferably a pry bar to remove nails. We’ve even got a video on building your own wood plank dog house using skids. Consequently, there’s nothing more rewarding than making the best cheap dog house yourself. Building anything yourself builds more than just the item, it builds character through accomplishment. That’s a win/win in my book.
Go Off-Grid To Save
If you want a GREAT material to build an insulated dog house, check with local garage door companies. Especially commercial service companies. They regularly have big insulated panels they throw away. Say a truck hits a big 16′ wide door. The sections get replaced and the damaged ones were thrown away. Well, often there are decent lengths of the panel you can cut from the damaged sections.
Insulated door panels can have really decent R-Value and are rigid so you can build the dog house walls out of them. All you will need is a circular saw with a metal cutting blade to cut pieces of the good panel off the damaged door sections. A lot of the time door companies will let you take these panels for free. Great off the grid idea.
Hunt For Sales
Want the best cheap dog house? Keep your eyes on pet store flyers to find a dog house on sale. Also, warehouse-style sellers like Costco and the like get decent products from time to time that can save you some coin. That is if you have a membership.
Buy Used To Save On Dog House Cost
If someone has lost their furry friend, they may sell their dog house. Keep an eye on reselling sites like Kijiji or Craigslist but for a great deal on a dog house. This is a way to get the best cheap dog house out there.
Special Thanks to Samantha for the picture.
More From The Dog House
- Insulating A Dog House
- Dog House Heaters
- Air Conditioners For Dog Houses
- Dog House Roof Guide – Roof Types, Roof Materials And More
- The Top Dog House Types For Each Climate
- Dog History With Humans
Check Out These Dog Houses
DIY Articles
- Dog House Size Charts – 440 breeds with recommended minimum sizes for your dog house including doorway size and floor space.
- Making a wood plank dog house – the video and article
- Wood plank dog house plans – free for you and all
- Wood Materials for building your dog house – Know which woods are bad for your dog and which are safe.
- Best Solutions For How To Insulate A Dog House Cheap
- Dog House Building Materials Basics
- Dog House Roof Guide – Roof Types, Roof Materials And More!
- The Best Dog House Solar Projects
- Dog House Air Conditioner Guide
- The Best Dog House Heaters
- Waterproofing A Dog House
- Dog House Types And Considerations When Buying
Video Channel
- Enter The Mobile Dog House VIDEO – Dog House Reno – Episode 1 – How to install a set of wheels on your dog house to make it mobile.
- Insulating a Dog House VIDEO – Dog House Reno – Episode 2 – How to install a double layer of insulation and an all-weather carpet to make the dog house warm and cozy for your dog.
- Making a Strip Curtain Dog House Door VIDEO – Dog House Reno – Episode 3 – How to make a double layer strip curtain for your dog house door and install it.
