Thinking About an Outdoor Kitchen?
Now that the weather is great, you may be looking out at your backyard and longing for an outdoor kitchen again. Think about a few things before you get started so you’ll be happy with the results.
It sounds obvious, but what kinds of cooking will you be doing outside? Will you want to store items, do prep work, dine and entertain in the space? If you are grilling or cooking outside now, think through what works for you and what doesn’t. Do you want the outdoor kitchen near your home or farther away?
777 Roebleing Rd
Figure out how much you can spend. Soon you’ll have enough information to know whether you can afford what you want, from prefab kits to custom. You may have to downscale your plans or do it in stages over time. You’ll probably want to talk to an expert even if they aren’t going to build it. You’ll need to talk to the city’s building codes department to find out about regulations – location and fire safety rules, plus you’ll need permits.
5 High Hope Way
Think through where on your property you’d like an outdoor kitchen and how it would work in your yard. Do you want it to be very visible from inside the house? Make sure to lay out the kitchen on paper so it functions well; think through placement of items, work space, etc. Decide your priorities. If you want water, power and gas, you’ll need to talk to an electrician and plumber.
20 Carrier Bluff
You’ll want at least an outlet and enough lighting to use the space after dark. It’s very useful to have a sink, even if it just has cold water. If you already have natural gas you may want to run a line to the grill; otherwise you may just want to have a backup propane tank so you don’t run out. A buried tank is expensive and has to be inspected for leaks every few years, so it may not be worth the expense. For all the utilities, have a professional do the work so it is safe and meets code.
82 Greenleaf
After you do some practical planning, you can have fun designing your outdoor kitchen and know you’re less likely to kick yourself later for what you didn’t think to do.
Blog submitted by Celia Dunn SIR. If you are interested in buying a house with an outdoor kitchen visit www.celiadunnsir.com, or call 912.234.3323 for Savannah, GA | 843.836.3900 for Bluffton, SC.
