STORY AT-A-GLANCE
- Most pet owners consider their animals part of the family, so many now want homes that are designed with pets in mind
- Around 70% of potential homebuyers have pets, and many are actively looking for features that make daily life easier for animals and their people
- Some builders now offer dedicated pet spaces, including pet suites with washing stations, feeding areas, storage and outdoor access
- Pet-friendly home design can also include dog doors, litter box cabinets, outdoor enclosures, bird spaces and other built-in conveniences
- Practical finishes like washable paint, durable floors, good storage, strong vacuum systems and air filtration can help keep a pet-friendly home cleaner and easier to manage
Editor's Note: This article is a reprint. It was originally published February 13, 2015.
Well over half of U.S. households include at least one pet. And increasingly, pet guardians consider their dog, cat, bird, hamster, or other companion animal to be a member of the family, deserving of the same consideration in living arrangements as the kids, or grandma, or the in-laws.
Around 70% of potential homebuyers have pets, and many bring them along to look at homes for sale.
Would a couple with children build a home that was not suitable for children?
Would a professional who works from home build a house that would not accommodate a home office?
Would a family that includes a handicapped family member build a home that was not properly equipped for even basic handicapped accessibility?
Of course not, you say. So why would a pet owner build a home that was not designed to make pet ownership as convenient as possible?
— The B.O.L.D. Company1
Adam Cowherd Construction of Springfield, Missouri, builds pet-friendly additions to existing homes. “Owners want it uniquely functional, very contemporary and something that catches the eye,” says Cowherd.
Is it any wonder that enterprising homebuilders are now offering a wide and wonderful variety of built-in pet amenities in new home construction?
How About a Pet Suite in Your New Home?
Luxury homebuilder Standard Pacific Homes, which is building developments across the U.S., conducted “livability studies” with homeowners, and discovered that pets were a constant theme. As a result, the company now offers pet suites as an option in all their new homes.
The large suite is 170 square feet with tiled walls and floor. It comes equipped with a wash station, handheld sprayer, a drying area complete with a commercial pet dryer, water station, automatic feeders, a bunk bed, cabinets for food, treats and toys, a stackable washer and dryer, a flat-screen TV, and a French door that opens to a dog run.
In the Los Angeles area, the large Standard Pacific Homes pet suite adds $35,000 to the price of a home. In other communities, there are smaller pet suites available starting at 60 square feet and $8,000.
If a potential buyer has a cat, Standard Pacific can modify the pet suite to include, for example, a scratching post instead of the pet dryer. There are also endless ways to design a room or several rooms in a home to appeal to a kitty’s natural drive to climb, jump, and perch on high. You can see examples here, here, and here.
Other Great Ideas for Built-in Pet-Friendly Comfort and Convenience
The B.O.L.D. Company (B.O.L.D. = Builders of Lifelong Dreams) encourages dog owners to ask their homebuilders about built-in pet doors to the backyard or garage, invisible fence, and permanent or removable dog gates or Dutch doors. Another possibility is a pet waste management system.
Cat owners may want to talk to their builder about installing litter box cabinets in less-traveled areas of the home that even include low-volume fans to keep air circulating and odor to a minimum.
And since indoor kitties really enjoy safe, protected access to the outdoors, cat guardians might want to think about a pet door to an outdoor kitty enclosure. Other options could be a sunroom, a screened porch, or extra-deep windowsills or window seats.
Bird owners might want to think about a backyard flight cage, or a built-in birdcage or bird room indoors.
Additional Pet-Friendly Ideas for Your Home
When building or renovating a home where pets will live, it’s a good idea to select, non-toxic pet-friendly flooring and wall coverings. Washable paints help maintain clean walls, and hard floors are easier to clean and more durable for households with pets.
It’s also a good idea to pick colors that hide pet hair, and surfaces that won’t reveal every scratch or claw mark, for example, a distressed wood floor. Another thought is to install pet supply storage that will be inaccessible to a determined, clever dog or cat.
It’s also important for the sake of home cleanliness to make smart vacuum (for example, a strong central vacuum system) and air filter choices.
