Planning Your New Outdoor Kitchen

Planning your own backyard outdoor kitchen can appear to be a daunting task at first but if you approach methodically and logically then it becomes a much more manageable task. A good place to start is usually by setting up a budget unless, of course, money is no object – how many of us wish we could say that. Anyway, once you know how much money you can spend it makes things easier to plan.

Next, is surveying the space that you have and deciding what is possible from a practical standpoint. Obviously, if you don’t have the space for a mega-outdoor kitchen then it doesn’t matter how elaborate you want your kitchen to be. You’re limited by your space and have to plan accordingly.

At this point you have to decide whether or not you want to bring in an outside designer/consultant to help with the planning.

This really is a function of how much time you want to spend on the whole project yourself. Hiring someone to help would probably make the whole process less time consuming and may ultimately help you end up with a better finished product but you may get a lot of enjoyment out of taking the time yourself to do the research and planning.
Since there are so many sources of information now on the internet it cuts down greatly on the time needed to do research on both designs and equipment. Simply visiting a lot of outdoor kitchen design sites can provide you with numerous ideas as to what you might want your kitchen to look like. And the same goes for sites that retail gas grills, sideburners, smokers, refrigerators and the many other accessories that can make up a great outdoor kitchen.
So you can do a lot of research on your own before bringing in the designers and builders or you engage these experts from the start and let them help you with all of the major decisions that go into creating your perfect outdoor kitchen. Either way, the process becomes a collaborative one and it really pays to find some people to work with that you really feel comfortable with and who seem to understand your vision of what you want. The biggest and most experienced company isn’t necessarily the best for you so make sure you shop around a little and see who’s available in your market area to help you.
And one of the other important things that you need to decide in the beginning stages of your planning is just exactly what kind of outdoor kitchen you really need, as well as want. It might be nice to have a kitchen with all the bells and whistles and everything else that’s available to use but if your level of expertise isn’t the highest and your gatherings aren’t really going to warrant the need for this type of facility then you should probably scale back your plans a bit. See what works for you first and then add features as you go. This is something that experienced designers can help you do and it will make your whole outdoor kitchen experience a lot better in the long run.

The Basics Of Building An Outdoor Kitchen

It seems like more and more people are interested in building their own outdoor kitchen nowadays. Well, maybe not building it

themselves of course, but working with a designer and builder to come up with a great design for the space that they have to

work with in their backyard. What’s driving this trend? It’s hard to say but in a way it might be the economy.
Even though it can cost a bit to build a great outdoor kitchen, once it’s done you just have to buy food and invite over your

friends and relatives. So maybe instead of entertaining in expensive restaurants it’s actually cheaper in the long run to just

entertain at home. There’s less traveling and more fun as you can cook what you like and sharpen your skills as a chef.
And with the tremendous variety of equipment available on the market and plenty of places to buy online the prices on all

kinds of equipment couldn’t be better. Also, many companies offer free design services and consultations so it’s even easier

than ever to put together the outdoor kitchen of your dreams.
The process with most companies that specialize in outdoor kitchen construction is quite simple. Give them a call and let them

know basically what you’re looking. Most companies will be happy to come out to your house right away and survey your space.

Then, with some ideas for you on what you want and also a budget to work with, they can put together a design that will

fulfill your needs.
When it comes to the equipment itself, most companies either sell it themselves or work with large retailers who have a big

selection of the various elements that make up a well-equipped outdoor kitchen. Gas grill are, of course, usually the

centerpiece of any outdoor kitchen but other accessories that you may want to consider include smokers, sideburners,

refrigerators and icemakers, warming drawers, outdoor electronics, tools and accessories and even pizza ovens.
Because if you want to have a really great outdoor party then you’re going to want to be able to conduct it all outdoors and

not just cook outside. A great thing to do this time of year (autumn) is have a great Saturday or Sunday afternoon barbecue

and watch your favorite football teams go at it. The farther south you are, the longer into the season you can go but even in

cold weather locales you can prolong your outdoor entertaining season with the use of outdoor space heaters which can raise

the temperature just enough to make it comfortable with only a sweater on.
Whatever you eventually decide to do with your outdoor kitchen just make sure that you hire a reliable builder that has had

experience with outdoor kitchens before and knows the ins and outs. Also make sure that you research both equipment prices

thoroughly as well as construction material prices and costs. It’s so easy to do now with the internet. In a couple of hours

you can compile all the information you need to make your fantasy outdoor kitchen an affordable reality.