Outdoor Kitchens Guide

When people find out I am an outdoor kitchen contractor, what do you think the first thing they want to know is? You probably guessed right. They want to know how to build an outdoor kitchen, of course! And I usually let out a little laugh, and then ask them a couple of questions to see just how large the scope of their design might be. I usually find out rather quickly that they don’t have any idea of the scope because they don’t have any idea of their design yet! And that brings me to the point I want to drive home with this article. If you want a cool new grill, go ahead and get one. But if you want an outdoor kitchen, you have to think on the same level you would if you were renovating a bathroom or kitchen. This is a serious home improvement, and if it handled in the right way it will add serious value to your home. If handled the wring way, well, you just have a shoddy looking grill area.

OK, so now that I have made my point and hopefully have you thinking about this in the right way, we get back to the question of how to build an outdoor kitchen. In the vast majority of cases, the only way to do it right is to use a professional contractor. I know that may not be what you were looking to hear, but it is the truth. There are some people who are more than handy who can handle most home improvements, and if you are that type and want to give it a go, then go for it. But a true outdoor kitchen requires structural, plumbing and electrical knowledge, and those are things taken pretty seriously by most local code enforcement people. if you ever sell your home, you want your outdoor kitchen to be something that added money to your bottom line, not something that cost you a sale because it contains work that is not up to code.

But, since the title of this article is “How To Build An Outdoor Kitchen”, and you asked, I am going to give you a clue as to what it takes to get this job accomplished. If you want a complete blueprint on how to get this process started and completed the right way, I urge you to spend $9.99 on my e-book, “The Outdoor Kitchen Guide“. That book will save you many times more than it’s cost, and that is not sales pitch. After dealing with hundreds of customers over the years there is one thing I know without a doubt. And that one thing is the right way to go about building an outdoor kitchen.

The first thing you have to do is establish a budget. Over the years it has truly amazed me how many people have absolutely no idea what it costs to build and outdoor kitchen. I have actually visited people who wanted to talk about building an outdoor kitchen with all the bells and whistles, only to draw up a good plan and itemize a proposal and find out they are shocked that their project would cost more than their $3,000 budget! Approximately half of the grills I am used of dealing with cost more than that, yet there are many people who think they can get the whole project done for that price. It really is amazing, but it also drove home to me years ago that part of my job is to educate people on this process. That is the purpose of this website. So, doing a little homework and develop a budget for your project is step one. You may not have any idea what electrical work or plumbing work costs, but at least you can go into it with some understanding of prices for the things you have in mind. Which leads me to my second shameless plug. I recently completed my second e-book, “Choosing The Right Grill For Your Outdoor Kitchen”. That one also sells for $9.99, and it is the only place I know of where you can get all the information you need in one place for almost 50 built in grills. Most people end up taking me up on the special offer price of $14.99 for both books, and I can promise you that if you read both of them and then refer to them as you go through this process, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars. Check out the information on the home page.

OK, you have a budget, or at least a starting point. Now, develop your outdoor kitchen plans. This simply means take a look at your outdoor spaces and decide where you want your outdoor kitchen and what shape you want it to take.In many cases this is very obvious. Some homes are actually built with a future outdoor kitchen in mind. If you don’t have an obvious spot for yours, you may have to think outside the box a little. Consider electrical and plumbing, and how far away they are.

Once you have a clue as to where your kitchen will be and what shape it might take, think about the outdoor kitchen appliances you want and do a little math to determine if they will fit in the area you have identified. This is only a starting point, but it is important you get at least close to the right plan on paper so you can finalize your budget. You might find out later that you really cannot fit the things you thought for reasons you never considered, but at least you will be closer than you are now.

This article was not really intended to teach you how to build an outdoor kitchen in the literal sense. I cannot give you specific plans for yours because every home is different. I did not intend to tell you exactly which grill or outdoor kitchen cabinet type to choose, those are decisions only the home owner can make. I guess the real title maybe should have been, “how to plan for an outdoor kitchen”. But according to Google, not very many people search for that phrase, and as I said, my goal is to help as many people as I can. I hope I have given you some things to think about seriously as you get ready for this particular home improvement. If you

approach it the right way you will be very happy with your new outdoor space, both when you are using it and when it adds money to your bank account when you sell your home.

And with all that in mind, my 4th and final shameless plug. I have fun with this stuff, and I hope that comes through at least a little in my writing. but I wrote 2 e-books that I know will both help people and save them a lot of money if they listen to what I tell them. Let me help you avoid all the pitfall I have seen so many people fall into over the years. Go to the home page of this site and take a look at my e-books. If you buy them and read them for 30 days and don’t feel like you got your money’s worth, I will refund your money. No questions asked. If you buy them and find them helpful, or think of something that might be useful in the next editions, I would love to hear from you at MikeO@outdoorkitchensguide.com