Home›Pet Door Installation Sydney

Two things about Sydney make this a different question from anywhere else in the country. A very large share of homes here are apartments, townhouses and villas held under strata. And a very large share of the people living in them are renting.

Both raise the same practical issue: the door or window you want to modify may not be yours to modify. That is worth sorting out before you order anything, and it has a workable answer in most cases.

If you live in a strata property

Under NSW strata arrangements, the external windows and doors of a building are commonly part of the common property rather than the individual lot — even when they are the only ones you ever use. Where that is the case, altering one is a decision for the owners corporation, not for the lot owner alone.

That is not a refusal. Approvals for pet doors are granted regularly. It just means there is a step first.

1. Read your by-laws Your strata scheme's registered by-laws will say what needs approval and what does not. Your strata manager can send them to you, and many schemes have a standing by-law covering minor alterations.
2. Ask before you buy Put the request to the strata manager or the committee in writing, describing exactly what would change — which door, what size opening, and who would carry out the work. A specific request is far easier to approve than a vague one.
3. Offer to make it reversible Committees approve far more readily when the change can be undone. Having the pet door fitted into a replacement pane, with the original stored, is the usual way to offer that.
4. Use a licensed installer Most schemes will want the work done by a qualified tradesperson rather than by the resident. Three Sydney installers are listed further down this page.

If you are renting

The same reversibility trick solves most rental situations, and it is worth understanding because it is not obvious.

A glass fitting pet door is fitted into a pane, not into the frame. So instead of cutting the landlord's glass, the glazier supplies a new pane with the pet door in it, swaps it in, and your original pane goes into the garage. When you move out, the panes swap back and the property is exactly as it was.

You still need the landlord's written consent to change anything, but "nothing will be cut and it goes back to original when I leave" is a much easier conversation than the alternative. Get the agreement in writing before any work is booked.

Glass or timber — what you have decides

Everything follows from the material of the door the pet will use.

Your back door	Range	Who does the work	Reversible?
Glass slider or glazed panel	Glass fitting	A glazier	Yes, via a replacement pane
Solid or hollow timber door	Wood fitting	You, or a handyman	Only by replacing the door
Security screen	Wood fitting, usually	A screen installer	Depends on the screen

If a screen is involved, read the guide to pet doors and security screens first — a certified screen cannot simply be cut.

Sizes

Choose by the flap opening. Measure your animal across the shoulders at the widest point, and take a flap comfortably wider than that. Where you are between two sizes, the larger one is safer — a pet that has to push through will give up on the door.

Glass fitting

Model	Suits glass	Cut-out	Flap opening (W × H)
Original Cat Door	3–10 mm	245 mm	165 × 193 mm
Slimline Pet Door	3–21 mm	267 mm	187 × 203 mm
Small Dog Door	3–28 mm	267 mm	187 × 203 mm
Intermediate Dog Door	4–32 mm	320 mm	216 × 250 mm
Dog Door — medium to semi-large dogs	3–32 mm	385 mm	270 × 313 mm

Wood fitting

Model	Fits panels	Flap opening (W × H)
Slim line cat door	11–30 mm	155 × 170 mm
Cat door tunnel	11–52 mm	155 × 170 mm
Small dog door	11–30 mm	180 × 240 mm
Dog door	5–36 mm	270 × 320 mm

Answer a few questions and we will name one model →

Three Sydney installers

New South Wales has more installers in our network than any other state. All three are independent businesses that already fit Pet-Tek doors.

See the full installer network →
How pet door installation works, step by step →

Common questions from Sydney customers

Do I need strata approval for a pet door?

Usually yes, where the door or window is common property — which in many NSW schemes includes the external doors and windows of a lot. Approvals are granted regularly, so treat it as a step rather than an obstacle. Ask your strata manager for the registered by-laws, put the request in writing describing exactly what would change, and offer to have the work done reversibly. We cannot tell you what your particular scheme allows; only your by-laws can.

Can I have a pet door in a rental?

With the landlord's written consent, and it is easier than most people expect. A glass fitting pet door goes into a pane rather than a frame, so the glazier can fit it into a replacement pane and store your original. When the tenancy ends the panes swap back and nothing has been altered permanently. Get the consent in writing before booking any work.

Do you install the doors yourselves?

No — we are the manufacturer. Pet-Tek has made Catwalk® and Dogwalk® doors since 1999 and supplies them across Australia, but installation is carried out by independent tradespeople. Three Sydney installers are listed on this page, and any qualified glazier can fit a glass model.

What does installation cost in Sydney?

Each installer sets their own price, and Pet-Tek has no part in it and takes no share. Ring more than one of the three listed — with three businesses covering the same city you are in a good position to compare. Tell each of them the same details: the material of the door, the thickness, and whether the glass is toughened.

Can a pet door go in a wall instead of a door?

Through a wall, the depth is the deciding factor. The tunnel models are built for thicker sections, taking panels from 11 mm up to 52 mm, and they are the ones normally used where a standard door body would be too shallow. Anything deeper than that needs a lined opening formed by the installer. Discuss it before ordering, because the wrong body cannot be made to reach.

How long does the whole process take?

The fitting itself is short — an hour or two for most glass jobs. What stretches the timeline is everything before it: strata or landlord approval if you need it, and the manufacture of a replacement pane if your glass is toughened or double glazed. Start the approval conversation early, because that is the part you cannot hurry.

Will the door lock?

Every flap has a four-way lock with settings for fully open, in only, out only, and fully closed. In only is useful overnight, and fully closed seals the opening when you are away. The lock is part of the door, not an accessory to buy separately.

How much is delivery to Sydney?

A flat $10 for up to ten doors, GST included, the same rate as anywhere else in Australia. Orders leave the warehouse within one to two business days, and Sydney is a metro destination so delivery usually sits at the faster end of the two to ten business day window. Shipping details →