Guide To Outdoor Kitchen Plans

How To Transform Your Life And Your Yard

Every great outdoor kitchen that ever was started with the same ingredient. A great outdoor kitchen pre-plan!

And great pre-plans answer questions that make for fabulous outdoor 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.

So finish reading 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.   Scour this site -- easy-outdoor-decor.com. You'll find lots of outdoor decorating ideas.   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.   Top of page 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.   Top of page Choosing The Right Location     Build an outdoor kitchen anywhere you like. But think about practical matters as your outdoor kitchen plans develop. Outside the kitchen door Poolside Inside a pool house On the pool deck Underneath a shady pavilion, pergola or gazebo At the far end of the deck or patio On a rooftop On a balcony As a distant retreat 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.   Top of page   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 repellents 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   Top of page   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 poolside 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 gazebo for overhead shelter if rain is common. All your outdoor kitchen appliances, storage pieces, furniture, ceiling fans, and cushions should be weather-worthy rugged.   Top of page   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 gofer 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.     Top of page   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. Top of page