All great outdoor kitchen plans start with the
same ingridient: A great pre-plan.
And great
pre-plans answer questions that make for fabulous alfresco
kitchen plans.
What's the right
location? Should you
hire a pro
, do it yourself, or do a little of
both? Which
design team is right for you?
How can you control costs ? And how will you
pay for it all
? How will you deal with mosquitoes and weather changes? And wouldn't an
idea file
be useful?
The Guide
helps bring into prospective all the nitty-gritty pre-planning
details. Then points you towards answers.
Outdoor Kitchen
Design Ideas Video
Outdoor Kitchen - Design Sizing & Configuration
This video will give you some
idea of some of the amenities, design sizes and measurements you
might want to consider as your outdoor kitchen plans take shape.
Watch it and let's get cooking!
Creating An Idea
File
Planning an outdoor kitchen is as
much fun as planning an indoor room.
So while you're dreaming up the perfect outdoor
kitchen plans, use these tips to get started.
Start a clip file or use a notepad,
notebook, scrapbook, or shoebox to hold you ideas.
Look for images of decorative accents, outdoor
rooms, container plantings, furniture, and water features in garden
magazines.
Go on a
house tour in your local area and take pictures of features you
especially like.
Use the web to download images and
articles.
Visit outdoor living specialty stores and collect
images in their catalogs.
And start collecting stone, brick and tile samples that
move you.
Choosing A Design
Team
Outdoor kitchens are relatively new.
And so are a lot of builders and designers
specializing in outdoor kitchen plans and outdoor kitchen
construction.
That's why it's
so important that you ask lots of questions, talk to past
clients, and see samples of their work.
Professionals who design and build homes from
scratch may not be masters in the art of add-ons.
Residential landscape architects and kitchen
designers will have more experience.
Specialty stores will sell and install modular and
manufactured outdoor kitchen units.
Ask friends who have outdoor kitchens to recommend
someone. You may get lucky and come across a craftsman who installs
wood-burning ovens or
outdoor
kitchen islands
.
Selecting A Pro
Choosing the right landscape designer, architect,
or contractor will have your outdoor kitchen plans running
smooth.
The experience will be more enjoyable and you'll get
top-notch results.
Ask friends and colleges who they'd recommend.
Even better, use these professional organizations
to help with local referrals.
The American Institute of Architects, 800-242-3837,
aia.org.
The National Kitchen & Bath Association,
877-NKBA-PRO or 800-843-6522, nkba.org
The American Society of Landscape Architects,
202-898-2444, asla.org
The Professional Landcare Network, 800-395-2522,
landcarenetwork.org
Make sure to get references, and call to find
out what you can -- positive and negative.
Ask to tour any projects recently completed or
currently underway to see for yourself the quality of their
work.
Savvy professionals will zero in on your expectations
and needs by asking you lots of questions. Don't trust your outdoor
kitchen plans to any that don't.
Give the working relationship a test drive by asking
for preliminary drawings.
Get bids for appliances or other features.
Each bid should include detailed materials lists, a schedule
indicating what gets done when, and a payment
schedule.
Choosing The Right
Location
Build an outdoor kitchen anywhere you like. But think
about practical matters as your outdoor kitchen plans
develop.
Close to the house means less money spent tapping into
water, electricity and natural gas utilities and fewer conveniences
will need to be installed.
And out of sight may mean out of mind.
So site your outdoor kitchen so you'll be tempted to grill
and entertain every time you glance out the window.
Dealing With
Mosquitoes
Here are a few common sense and preventative tips for
dealing with mosquitoes.
Routinely check for and remove sources of standing
water
Use repellants sparingly on skin and
clothing
Use Ultra-Low Volume (ULV) foggers
Install devices that lure and trap
mosquitoes
Use structural barriers like screened or glass
porches
Install a good ceiling fan
Dealing With Changing
Weather
Climate control is a major outdoor kitchen must-have.
And designing with weather in mind extends your outdoor season by
weeks or even months.
Consider building an outdoor kitchen in a screen room
and install fans near the cook zone.
Fans not only keep it breezy, but
double as mosquito repellants.
Overhead shade and misting systems keep things
cool.
An outdoor kitchen is fabulous pool side in hot
climates.
A fire pit, hearth, or patio heater is great where
days cool fast or nights are cool.
Natural tree or shrub screens are very effective at
diverting wind.
Think
about an arbor, pergola, or
browse gazebo ideas for overhead shelter if rain
is common.
All your outdoor kitchen
appliances, storage pieces, furniture, ceiling fans,
and cushions should be weather-worthy rugged.
Controlling
Costs
Remodeling projects typically end up 10-15 percent
over budget. No matter how detailed your outdoor kitchen plans,
there's always some unexpected charge or situation not accounted
for.
And with all the excitement and enthusiasm that comes
with outdoor kitchen construction, spur-of-the-moment upgrades make
their way in.
So avoid the hassle and headache by padding
in overruns now.
Whether your dream outdoor kitchen plans are simple or
elaborate, these tips save money.
A concrete patio costs way less than stone even
when it's customized to look like the real thing. So choose
materials wisely.
Ask your friends and family for help. Or throw a
party and feed guests in exchange for help. You can even swap jobs
with handy neighbors.
Consider helping the contractor as a general laborer.
You can save lots of dollars by preparing the site yourself, doing
daily cleanup, acting as a helper or playing golfer for your
contractor.
If you have lots of time, why not be
your own general contractor?
In most cases, renting equipment is cheaper than
buying. So remember this if you're doing any of the work
yourself.
Avoid dipping into your savings, going into debt, and
interests charges by building your outdoor kitchen in stages.
Start with basics like a built-in grill with counter
space. Then add amenities like a beer tap, a refrigerator or
weather-worthy cabinets later.
Finding The
Money
You've got your heart set on your outdoor kitchen
plans. Now let's find the money.
No worries! There are several ways to bankroll a new
outdoor kitchen.
There's no waiting, no interesting charges, and no
payments, if you've squirreled away enough to fund the
project.
Another way to avoid interest charges is to plan
the construction stages to coincide with your paycheck.
This approach stretches out the project, gives you time
to shop for bargains, pads in time to pay for big-ticket items and
you can do some or all the work yourself.
The trade off is you won't be cooking alfresco as soon
as you might like.
If you don't want to use your savings, and you don't
like waiting, then consider a home equity loan. You may be able to
finance the entire project.
Home equity loans usually have lower rates and can also
be tax deductible.
What about a home equity line of credit? It's like
using a credit card, but with a lower rate and a tax deduction.
You'll borrow up to a preset amount on a revolving
credit account. The advantage is that you only pay interest on the
money you spend.
With a home equity loan, you'll pay interest on the
entire loan amount whether or not you spend it.
If your outdoor kitchen plans are for a home you're
about to buy, consider getting a mortgage that covers the
price of the home, plus the outdoor kitchen.
The interest is tax-deductible and the cost is spread
out over the life of the loan.
Credit cards are a last resort.
They're only useful when you're taking advantage
of low teaser rates, or the amount you plan to borrow
is small, or you can pay off the balance quickly.
Why not mix and match your funding.
You could use only a portion of
your savings, then pay some of the expenses as you go, and take
advantage of a retailer's no-interest-for-one-year offer on
appliances, and also contribute sweat equity of your own.
Easy
Outdoor Decor 
What's the right
location? Should you
hire a pro
, do it yourself, or do a little of
both? Which
design team is right for you? 