Built In Dog Crate — Under the Stairs or in the Mudroom Cabinets
The wire crate in the kitchen takes up half the floor — moved into the dead space under the stairs, or into the end of the mudroom cabinets.
A built in dog crate goes under the stairs or into a mudroom cabinet run. JMB Builders frames or builds the enclosure to your dog's size, fits a slatted wood or metal-bar gate with a latch, lines the floor with something washable and trims it to match the house. Priced per project, quoted from your photos within one business day, Twin Cities metro.
- Priced per project
- Sized to your dog
- Slatted or metal-bar gate with latch
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A dog crate is a box your dog sleeps in, and most houses have a spot that is already a box: the triangle under the basement or main stairs, or the end of a mudroom bench and cabinet run. Building the crate in gets the wire crate off the kitchen floor and makes it part of the house.
Under the stairs, we open the wall where the tall end is, frame the opening, line the inside with a durable surface and hang a gate. In a mudroom run, one cabinet bay becomes the kennel, with a gate in place of a door and a countertop or bench over it. Either way the size comes from your dog, standing and lying down, not from the space.
Gates are wood slats spaced for airflow or a metal-bar panel, with a latch the dog cannot nose open. The floor is something that wipes clean, and the lower walls get a surface that holds up to claws and a wet coat. Painted or stained to match the trim.
What you supply
- Photos of the stairs or mudroom wall, and of the other side of that wall
- Your dog's height at the shoulder and length, standing
- Gate style: wood slats or metal bars, swing or slide
- Your paint or stain color
What JMB supplies
- Wall opened and framed under the stairs, or a cabinet bay built for the kennel
- A check of what is inside the stair wall before cutting
- Durable, wipeable lining for the floor and lower walls
- Gate built from slats or a metal-bar panel, hung with a latch
- Trim and caulk to match the room
- Photos of the finished kennel in your job folder
- Painting or staining quoted as its own line
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Under-stair opening vs. a cabinet bay in a mudroom run
- Size of the dog and the kennel
- Wood slat gate vs. a metal-bar panel
- Wire, duct or pipe in the stair wall to work around
- Bench or countertop over the kennel
- Painting or staining, quoted as its own line
Send a photo of your dog next to the wire crate you use now; that crate's size is a good starting point.
How long it takes
Under-stair kennel: one to two days, plus paint. In a new mudroom cabinet run: part of that job.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Under the stairs
The tall end of the under-stair space opened, framed and lined, with a gate. Keeps the rest of the space for storage behind a separate door if it is deep.
Mudroom cabinet kennel
One bay of a mudroom bench or cabinet run built as the kennel, with a gate in place of a door and a bench or counter on top.
Double kennel
Two dogs, two compartments with a removable divider, side by side under the stairs or in the cabinet run.
Built In Dog Crate — Under the Stairs or in the Mudroom Cabinets: questions, answered
Can you build a dog crate under the stairs?
Yes. The tall end of the under-stair space is opened, framed and lined with a wipeable surface, and a gate is hung on it. We check what is inside the wall first: under stairs there can be ducts, wires or a pipe. The size is set by your dog.
Can mudroom cabinets have a built in dog kennel?
Yes. One bay of the cabinet or bench run is built as the kennel, with a slatted or metal-bar gate instead of a door, and a bench or counter on top. It is easiest when the mudroom is being built, but a bay can be added to an existing run.
How big should a built in dog crate be?
Big enough for your dog to stand, turn around and lie stretched out. The wire crate you use now is a good guide. Send its size and a photo of your dog and we size the kennel from it.
What kind of gate goes on a built in dog crate?
Wood slats spaced for air and sight, or a metal-bar panel for a chewer. It swings or slides, with a latch the dog cannot nose open. Metal bars hold up better with dogs that chew.
What goes on the floor of a built in kennel?
Something that wipes clean and handles a wet dog: a vinyl or LVP floor, or a sealed panel. The lower walls get a durable, washable surface too. A dog bed goes on top.
Will the kennel match the rest of the house?
Yes. It is trimmed with the same casing and painted or stained to match. Painting is quoted as a separate line, or leave it primed and caulked and paint it yourself.
Recent JMB work, from our job log
59 installs recorded across 30 Twin Cities communities since Dec 2025. Window and door installs for homeowners and for the builders and dealers we sub for. Counts come straight from our job log; no customer names.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
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Read morePage reviewed September 26, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All built-ins pages
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