Outdoor Kitchen: Top Costs and Benefits

Outdoor kitchen

Have you been considering adding an outdoor kitchen to your home?

For those of us in Michigan, summer is everything. We have short summers that can get pretty hot and a lot of lakes.

For some of you, an outdoor kitchen would be the crown jewel on your backyard oasis. It would enable you to be outside as much as possible, soaking up the sun and entertaining your friends and neighbors effortlessly.

Plus, how cool would it be to grab a cold drink without even leaving your chair?

Outdoor Kitchen Considerations

The first thing you will want to do is decide what you want to add and where.

Are you changing your entire back patio area? Are you building an extension? Or are you planning to add a grill, a sink, and a refrigerator to a finished space?

These are big, essential questions, and the cost of your new outdoor kitchen will rise or fall accordingly. You can build something for as little as $5,000 and spend as much as $200,000 if you plan to go all-out.

Let’s break down an outdoor kitchen into separate elements.

Elements of an Outdoor Kitchen

Foundational Changes

A very fancy grill is one thing. However, an entirely new deck, patio, or semi-enclosed space, or the addition of an outdoor fireplace or pizza oven, is where you will spend the big bucks.

New structures require more materials, labor, and permits, and they take much more time.

It makes sense to go this route if your deck needs an overhaul anyway if you know you would like to install the plumbing for an outdoor sink, or if you want to beef up the electrical system to your outdoor living space anyway.

For structural changes of this kind, you are looking at a price similar to that of adding another room to your house. That is essentially what you are doing.

Plumbing & Electrical

Putting in a sink or something like a refrigerator or dishwasher in your outdoor kitchen may require more or less work than you think.

It all depends upon the location of plumbing inside your house, and where the gas meter and breaker box are located.

These things could cost around $1,000 on average if it’s an easy job. If you have to dig trenches, pull special permits, or tap the water and sewer lines, it might add up. However, this could be a worthy investment that brings many years of outdoor fun.

Islands, Counters, & Cabinets

Permanent fixtures outside have to withstand the weather year-round. You are looking at granite and quartz for countertops, stone for an island.

Additionally, cabinets that must be treated yearly or are made of something indestructible, like stainless steel. To build a large enough island could cost around $3,000 before you add the countertops.

Grill

For a grill that is going live outdoors, you need to buy one that won’t rust or break when exposed to the weather.

You are essentially building your outdoor kitchen around this grill as well, and grills do not come in standard sizes like ovens.

Make sure you buy a grill made with 304-grade stainless steel. For this, you may spend upward of $1,000.

Bringing it Home

Are you ready to start working on your outdoor kitchen? Your investment, if you build it and protect it right, could be your favorite thing you ever do to your house.

If you live in Southeast Michigan, let us know if you want to talk about outdoor kitchens. We would be happy to help!

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