Building an outdoor kitchen can give you more cooking options, force you to spend more time outside, allow you to socialize more, and even boost the value of your home.
But how are you supposed to budget for this large installation? And is it always worth saving up the money for it?
Why Build a Custom Outdoor Kitchen?
Why should you consider building a custom outdoor kitchen?
- Exactly what you need because you’ll have the autonomy to customize your kitchen from top to bottom. You can build exactly what you need – no more, no less. That means you won’t have to overpay for outdoor kitchen features that you don’t want or won’t use, and you can plan something totally within your budget if you have financial limitations.
- Additional cooking space. Some people greatly appreciate the additional cooking space provided to them by an outdoor kitchen. If you typically cook for large groups or if you have multiple people cooking simultaneously, this is a huge advantage.
- A more enjoyable cooking experience. Cooking outside is simply better. It’s great to breathe fresh air. The fumes and odors from cooking are much more distributed, and cleaning up when you’re done is a cinch.
- Socialization potential. Outdoor kitchens provide you with more opportunities to socialize. You can all relax outside together, even if you’re cooking a big meal.
- More time outdoors. It’s hard to overstate the benefits of spending more time outside, and an outdoor kitchen helps you do it. More fresh air, more sunshine, and more space can improve both your mental and physical health, further justifying the costs.
- Home value increases. Additionally, installing an outdoor kitchen can boost your home value significantly. It probably won’t be enough to eclipse what you paid for it, but it should mitigate the costs of installation if you ever plan to sell this house.
A Starting Point
The average outdoor kitchen ranges from $6,000 to $25,000. That should be a good starting point for forming your budget. Obviously, the lower end of the spectrum represents more minimalistic outdoor kitchens, with limited appliances and a smaller overall footprint. If you want something bigger and more comprehensive, you’ll need to budget closer to the high end of the spectrum.
This isn’t meant to be a comprehensive framework for your budgeting, but it should give you a good start. At this point, you should understand whether an outdoor kitchen can work in your budget and what type of outdoor kitchen you might be able to buy.
Key Considerations
Many factors will influence the cost of your outdoor kitchen, including:
- Location. Costs vary by location. This is not a phenomenon unique to outdoor kitchens. Both products and services tend to be more expensive in areas with a higher cost of living.
- Supplier. Your costs will also depend on the supplier you choose. Some suppliers are more affordable than others, though you might have to make some compromises in pursuit of these lower prices.
- Size. The bigger your outdoor kitchen is, the more you’re probably going to pay for it. The same is true for houses or any other manmade structure.
- Build approach. How you approach the build also matters. It’s possible to order the components of an outdoor kitchen so they can be easily assembled by a handyman or a skilled DIYer. It’s also possible to have contractors build the entire outdoor kitchen from scratch. The latter is going to be significantly more expensive than the former, though you might end up with a better final product as well.
- Appliances. Appliances are some of the most expensive individual components of your outdoor kitchen, so your choice of appliances plays a major role in determining your final costs. Which appliances do you want? Do you want something top-of-the-line or something budget-friendly?
- Utility access. Are you going to run utility lines for water, electricity, or natural gas to your outdoor kitchen? If so, your costs are going to increase.
- Aesthetic choices. Many of your aesthetic choices will also play a role in determining your budget. Some types of materials and styles are more expensive than others.
- Financing. You may be in a position to finance the purchase of an outdoor kitchen, especially if you’re willing to tap into your home equity. This isn’t the right move for every buyer, but if you’re having trouble saving up the full amount for an outdoor kitchen, it might be worth considering.
Saving Up
Once you start shopping around and learning more about the options available, you should be able to develop a much narrower price range to target. At that point, all that’s left is to make some final decisions and save up the money to get started.
