How to choose a catio builder: questions to ask and red flags

Updated 6 November 2026 · By the Cat Enclosures team

Short answer: Choose a catio builder who surveys the whole space, explains exactly which mesh, timber and fixings they use, checks the design against permitted development limits, and gives one fixed written price. Warning signs include chicken wire or staples-only mesh fixing, no mention of the base, no questions about your cats, and vague prices that change after the visit.

How to choose a catio builder: questions to ask and red flags

Why the builder matters more than the design

Most catios look similar in photos. The difference between one that lasts and keeps your cat in, and one that fails within months, is in details you cannot see in a picture: how the mesh is fixed, how the base is prepared, how the frame is joined and whether every gap has been closed. Cats are persistent and will test every joint, so a builder who understands cat behaviour matters as much as one who understands carpentry.

A good builder asks about your cats before talking about sizes. How many cats, how old they are, whether they are climbers, whether they have escaped before, whether they get on. A catio for one elderly cat looks very different from one for three young Bengals.

Questions to ask before you book

What mesh do you use, what is the hole size and wire gauge, and is it galvanised after welding?
How is the mesh fixed to the frame: under battens, or just with staples?
What timber do you use, and is it pressure-treated for outdoor use?
How will the base be prepared, and how will you stop anything digging under?
What roof do you recommend, and how will rainwater drain?
Does the size and height fit within permitted development limits for my property?
How long will the build take, and will you need access through the house?
What does the price include, and is it fixed?
What maintenance will the catio need, and how often?

What a good quote includes

A clear quote sets out the size, materials and finish so you can compare like for like. If two quotes differ a lot, the cheaper one usually uses thinner timber, lighter mesh or skips the base work.

Item	What to look for
Size	Length, width and height in metres, including the walk-in height
Frame	Timber section size and treatment, or steel frame and coating
Mesh	Type, hole size, wire gauge and how it is fixed
Roof	Solid, part-solid or mesh, and the roofing material
Base	Slabs, gravel boards, ground anchors or a mesh skirt
Door	Size, lock and whether there is an airlock entry
Extras	Shelves, ramps, tunnels and cat flaps itemised
Price	One fixed total, with what happens if something unexpected is found

Red flags

Chicken wire or hexagonal netting offered for a cat enclosure
Mesh held on with staples alone, with no battens or washers
No questions about your cats or how they behave
No mention of the base or of stopping digging
Price only given verbally, or a price that grows after the visit
Pressure to pay a large sum before any design is agreed
No awareness of permitted development or planning limits
A design that leaves gaps where the catio meets walls, fences or the house

Checking past work

Ask to see photos of completed enclosures, ideally close-ups of joins, corners and the base rather than just a finished overview. Close-ups show whether mesh is cleanly fixed and whether edges have been finished so there are no sharp wire ends. If a builder has only stock photos or images that appear on manufacturers' websites, ask for pictures of their own work.

If you know someone who has had an enclosure built, ask how it has held up after a winter. Timber that was not treated properly, or a base that holds water, shows problems within the first year.

What to expect on the day

A small or medium catio is usually built in one or two days, and cat-proof fencing for a typical garden in a similar time. A good builder will tell you in advance whether they need access through the house, where they will cut timber and mesh, and how they will leave the site at the end of each day. Keep your cats indoors throughout the build, because open frames, tools and offcuts of sharp mesh are a real hazard.

Before the builder leaves, walk round the finished enclosure together. Push the mesh at every corner, check the door shuts and locks without a gap, look along the base, and ask how to look after the timber and roof. If something is not right, it is far easier to fix while the builder and their tools are still there.

Getting an accurate price

Send clear photos of the space from several angles, rough measurements, the height of nearby walls and fences, where you would like a door or cat flap, and how many cats you have. Include anything near the boundary such as sheds, trees and bins. With that information, most builders can give a fixed price without guesswork, and you can compare quotes properly.

When comparing quotes, line them up item by item rather than just looking at the total. Two catios of the same size can differ by hundreds of pounds because one uses thicker timber, heavier mesh fixed under battens and a proper base, while the other uses light mesh stapled to thin framing. The cheaper option often costs more over its life once repairs are counted.