Outdoor Kitchen Construction

Building the Island Before Anyone Picks a Grill

An outdoor kitchen is a small building. It has a foundation, a structural frame, a finish skin, a roof if you are wise, and three utilities running into it. The appliances are the last thing to go in, and they are the part that is easiest to change later. The structure is not. That is where we put the effort on every Scottsdale job.

Where the Kitchen Sits

Before drawing anything, we stand on the patio late in the day. The house itself is the cheapest shade you own. A cook zone tucked against an east or north facing wall gets afternoon shadow for free, while the same island placed out in the open on a west facing lot takes the full weight of the sun right when you are trying to cook dinner.

We also look at the prevailing wind during monsoon season, the path from the back door to the grill, and how far the new gas and electric lines will have to travel. A kitchen at the far end of a long yard can add real cost in utility runs alone. Sometimes moving the island twenty feet closer to the house saves more money than any material choice.

The Frame

We build islands on one of two frames:

• Galvanized steel stud framing covered in cement board, then finished with stucco, stone veneer or tile. It is light, straight and does not feed termites.
• Concrete block, which is heavier and very durable, and suits larger islands or a bar top that carries a lot of weight.

We do not frame outdoor islands in wood. Subterranean termites are common in the Valley, and a wood frame inside a stucco shell hides damage until the countertop starts to sag.

Both frames sit on a proper base, either the existing patio slab if it is sound and thick enough, or a new footing where the old concrete is cracked or the island is heavy.

Gas, Electric and Water

This is the work that needs permits and inspections through the City of Scottsdale, and it is where shortcuts cause real problems.

• Gas. A built in grill enclosed in an island needs ventilation in the island base so leaked gas cannot collect. Vent panels are placed according to the fuel type and the grill maker’s instructions. Many built in grills also call for an insulated jacket, and we follow the manufacturer’s installation guide on clearance.
• Electric. Outdoor receptacles need GFCI protection and weather resistant in use covers. A refrigerator, lighting and any fans or heaters are planned on circuits sized for them, which sometimes means checking panel capacity before promising a long list of appliances.
• Water. A sink is lovely but it is also the most maintenance heavy part of an outdoor kitchen here, because the water is very hard. We plan shutoffs you can reach and room for a filter on the supply line.

Shade and Roof

A solid roof ramada or pergola over the cook zone changes how often a kitchen gets used from May to September. Roof structures generally need their own review and permit, and in master planned communities the HOA usually controls height, roof color and materials. We prepare those submittals.

Order of Work

1. Design, HOA submittal where required, and permit drawings.
2. Footing or slab work and underground utility runs.
3. Rough in inspection.
4. Island framing and cement board.
5. Stucco, stone veneer or tile finish.
6. Countertop template, fabrication and install.
7. Appliances, final connections and final inspection.

We schedule stucco and mortar for early mornings in hot months, and we will tell you plainly if a project would be better started in October. Call (480) 623-9677 to walk your yard with us.