Outdoor Patio Cooking Grill Layout Options

2 years ago

Building a home. We did not elect to have an 'outdoor kitchen'. But they left in the plans a place for a grill. We're not big into grilling but who knows... Basically I can select some granite and if I like they'll leave a cut-out for a built-in unit and they'll put doors down below. Or I can skip some or all of it and get a credit back... A gas drop is also scheduled to go in this corner along w/ a plug.

Since I'm not sure how much we'll use it - rather than spending more $ on a built-in and being stuck with it (maybe rarely use it - maybe love and wish I'd gotten more burners, features...) - was considering a stand alone... thoughts?

On a related note (for an upcharge) they suggest a 'leathered' granite surface vs polished.

Option A - have them put in a countertop and leave a gas drop and later at my convenience can shop around and buy a stand alone grill... I'd get a decent amount of countertop space too.

Option B - I'd have to select a built-in grill now. They are a little more expensive (and quickly get a lot more expensive) but don't know much here. Putting it on the side like this is pretty tight - would have to eliminate the stone siding (blue) and/or pull it back from the edge...

Option C - essentially a built in facing to the back - same place as a stand-alone might go.

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Comments (5)

chispa
2 years ago
If you are not big into grilling then I would skip all the built-in stuff. I would still have them do a gas drop, because later you can get a free standing grill and use the natural gas connection instead of having to buy propane tanks.

I just built in FL and if a grill gets installed permanently under a patio roof it has to have an exhaust hood installed over the grill, so you might want to check what the code is in your area and if the builder included that extra cost.
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Mark Bischak, Architect
2 years ago
Keep your fire insurance premium paid.
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nycbluedevil_gw
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You didn’t ask but even if you don’t do a full-scale outdoor kitchen, consider running the propane line, a water line and power to the area now. When we built our pool, we had them do this which made installing our outdoor kitchen the next year easier and cheaper. (We didnt go crazy—just grill, sink, fridge and some storage.) While you might not think you are a grilling fan, you might discover that you really like it. Cooking outdoors helps keep the kitchen cooler and the oven much cleaner. And having a water source at the grill lets you do a lot of prep and cleanup without having to go in and out of the house constantly. We are on Long Island, so we get use out of the grill eight months a year so I think it’s really worth it.
JT7abcz
2 years ago
If the budget was on track, I’d take the outdoor kitchen since it’s already included. The built in units reach a much higher temp than the stand alones which allows a better sear on food - you may discover it makes grilling easier and taste better.

I’m a big fan of outdoor kitchens, especially when they can expand living space for a relatively small cost. In fact, I’d plumb for a sink (weather region permitting) which can be used for gardening, patio clean up and food prep and add an outlet for an under counter refrigerator. I know, I know, that escalated quickly 😁.

Any grill can cause smoke discoloration on the wall behind it. If Option C opens to the yard, you can wall mount an oscillating fan on a switch to blow the smoke out and also possibly work around any venting codes

We considered the leather finish on our granite but opted for the polished because we didn’t want dirt embedded in the grooves.
anj_p
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
I don't know...I think outdoor kitchens are more trouble than they're worth unless you're spending a LOT of time outside and you like grilling. We thought about running gas for our deck but it was $1k and we opted not to...and now we're trading in our gas grill for a traeger, so I'm glad we didn't spend it. We DID add electrical to our house for a future deck, which we will tap into for the traeger, so I'm glad we did that.

Option A/C - you block most of the counter with the grill so why pay for it? Grill is probably too close to the house.

Option B - Way too close to the house

Where are you located? Because that also makes a difference.

Seems like there would be a better place for a grill than this tight corner.

Outdoor Patio Cooking Grill Layout Options

Comments (5)

chispa

Mark Bischak, Architect

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