There are several considerations that affect the cost and feasibility of installing a pet door into your existing glass door. For budget purposes, the average cost for the new glass and installation will run between $377 and $1,200 and does not include the cost of the pet door that you will order.
Here are a few questions that might help you decide if a pet door is feasible for you:
1. What is the age of your house?
If you have a house that was built after 1980, your existing door likely has dual pane (insulated) glass in it. Most suppliers won't warranty glass that has a corner notch cut into it. Even if your home is older there is a possibility that the doors have been replaced at some time since 1980. Insulated glass is very expensive (approx. $1,000 ) and has no warranty, and you would still have to supply the dog door. People still do it, but you have to agree to those conditions. It’s much less expensive if your existing door is older and has single pane glass in it.
2. What style door do you currently have and how big is your pet?
These questions are related. Is the door that
you want to install the pet door in a sliding or swinging door? Sliding patio
doors have lower bottom rails which allow a dog or cat with shorter legs to
step over the bottom rail. A swinging door will usually have a taller bottom
rail which might stop a small dog or cat from being able to step over the rail
and through the door. Also most swinging doors will have a fixed
(non-swinging) sidelite glass. The pet door can be installed in either glass.
The size and height of your dog makes a difference
since a small dog can only step over a shorter barrier (bottom rail of a door)
and a larger dog requires a bigger cut-out. Most pet doors have about 4 inches
of the pet door at the bottom that is stacked on top of your existing door’s
bottom rail. That means a 4 inch tall bottom rail on your door will actually be
about 8 inches your pet will have to step over. It is important to measure your
pet from feet to shoulders to get a correct flap size and figure how large a
cut-out you will need.
We have installed lots of dog and cat doors over the years. But the pet door cannot be installed in your existing glass as tempered glass cannot be cut. So we will have to order a new tempered safety glass with a custom cut-out designed for the door you choose.
There are other possibilities: Using round cut-outs in tempered glass for smaller pets works well and can be less expensive and less likely to break. Using unbreakable Lexan instead of glass can work well for large breeds of dogs or handicapped pets who don’t always hit the opening.
Money saving tip! If you would like Madison Glass to do the job for you we would have to make two trips to your house, one to measure the existing glass and a second trip to go back when the new glass comes in. You can save the cost of those service trips and substantial field labor by bringing the door to our shop. Lead time can vary from one week to four weeks depending on whether your glass is single pane or insulated glass.
If you will email us a photo of your existing door, your zip code, and the size/type of your pet - we’ll be happy to give you a rough estimate. Actual cost might vary depending upon the type of pet door you choose.
We do suggest you save the old door glass so it can be reinstalled in your door when you are ready to sell your house.
"I was selling my property and had two windows that needed replacing. One had thermal seal failure and one was broken. I had gotten a quote from a “window” company and they said the whole window plus the transom above it would have to be replaced and their cost was over 1700.00. I called another glass company and they have yet to call me back to even come out and look at replacing the glass only. I called Huntsville Glass and I believe they came out within 2 days to measure and give me a quote. It was under 600.00. After I gave them the go ahead to order the replacement glass I was told it would take 2-3 weeks and that was fine with me but they came in at least a week sooner and they installed them within two days of calling me to say they were in!! John and James arrived right on time and were finished quickly and left behind no mess. The even answered my questions and explained the process to me patiently. I will definitely use them again! I appreciate their exemplary customer service!"
"I was very pleased with the replacement of a window in a double door, which was installed by Mr. May and Mr. Davis. They were on time, worked very efficiently, and were most pleasant to talk to.
In addition, when my plantation blind was removed, there was decay on frame that I was unaware of. They were able to repair the damage, which would have been extra expense for me if I had to call in an extra repairman.
This is the third project that Huntsville Glass has assisted me with; therefore, I am very comfortable calling when I have another project."
"Great experience with this company and especially John and Curtis. They are quick, detail oriented and above all trustworthy. I highly recommend this team."
"We had a storm window recently broken while the yard was being mowed. We called Huntsville Glass who was very friendly and helpful. Two employees came out that day to measure for a repair quote which we received the next day. Those two employees John May and James Davis Sr. came back to the repair work. They were friendly and knowledgeable in doing their work. They also made sure that the window area was clean and no broken glass fell on the ground. Thank you so much. "
"I had a piece of glass installed. The workers actually came a bit early. They were efficient in their work and pleasant to deal with. Couldn't ask for more."
"Excellent experience. They installed multiple panes of glass in very old window frames (19 pieces of glass in window frames that are pushing 100 yrs old). price was very-very good for assistance and service provided. they are experienced and provided good suggestions on options for how things could be done and what to expect with each. Friendly service counter staff. I'll definitely use this business for future work."
"John May and James Davis did an OUTSTANDING job for us! Very professional, courteous, ahead of schedule, and fast!!!! Thanks guys!! Mike Neeley, The Neeley Center for Health"
"I am writing about the outstanding service provided by two of you service technicians, John May and James Davis. They arrived early, were extremely proficient in removing the existing large picture window, kept the area clean, moved the window outside to their truck, removed the frame and placed the new window into the frame. They brought the window back inside and installed it in the wall. Throughout the process, they were communicative, very professional, did the required caulking, and subsequent cleanup. I would gladly recommend your company and these two service technicians to anyone needing such service."
"Thank you and Thank your crew (John and his worker) for doing an excellent job. It is refreshing to see someone just come in and do exactly what they are supposed to do, with no issues or complaints. Job well done!!
My builder had no clue, I immediately called Huntsville Glass because I knew you guys would not have any issues."
"I ordered a custom piece of glass and the staff was very prompt and courteous. They worked with me to reschedule based on my availability. John and James did a good job, and within the the time estimated."
"Stephanie and Hsv Glass are great!!! Very prompt, very efficient, always right and always on time!! We've never had any issues whatsoever when ordering glass for our cabinets! We typically email our orders and go to the store to pick them up....we are very pleased with the service we receive and will continue to count on Huntsville Glass for our needs."
Huntsville, AL 35816
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