Services
Outdoor Kitchens
Outdoor kitchens built to entertain — masonry or stone-clad islands, stainless cabinetry, built-in grills, side burners, fridges, and sinks. Gas, electrical, and water rough-in handled by licensed trades. Designed around your patio layout and the way you actually cook.
Pricing varies by site. Final scope, materials, and access influence the all-in number — we'll quote your specific project after a quick conversation.
About our outdoor kitchens work
Outdoor kitchens built to actually cook in — not just look good on day one. We design around the way you entertain, then build masonry or stone-clad islands on engineered slabs with proper drainage, weep holes, and stainless framing where the climate calls for it. Built-in grills, side burners, power burners, ceramic kamados, pellet smokers, and pizza ovens are roughed in to their exact cutout specs — we don't fudge clearances and end up cutting stone after the fact. Gas runs are sized to BTU demand, pressure-tested, and inspected. Electrical is dedicated 20A GFCI circuits in weather-tight conduit, run by a licensed electrician. Water and drain lines for sinks and ice makers are stubbed in below frost (rare here, but we still bed lines properly) and trapped. Stainless cabinetry doors and drawers go in after the masonry cures — we prefer 304 stainless from Danver, RCS, or Challenger for anything sitting in west sun. Countertops are sealed granite, dense quartzite, or porcelain slab — never standard quartz, which yellows in UV. Layout is built around your patio's actual traffic pattern, not a showroom rendering.
What's included
- Engineered slab or reinforced footing for island load
- CMU or steel-framed island carcass with proper weep drainage
- Stone, brick, stucco, or tile cladding installed over moisture barrier
- Gas, electrical, and water rough-in by licensed trades
- UV-stable countertop in granite, quartzite, or porcelain slab
- Stainless 304 cabinetry, drawers, and access doors
- Built-in grill, burners, fridge, and sink integration
- GFCI-protected outlets and weather-rated lighting
Materials & techniques
Island carcass is CMU block (filled with rebar and grout at corners) or 14-gauge steel stud framed with Hardie or DensShield over a moisture barrier — we don't use wood framing on outdoor islands, ever. Cladding is set on a notched-trowel polymer-modified thinset rated for exterior, with weep tabs at the base course and a flashing detail at any horizontal break. Gas lines are black iron or CSST (where allowed) sized per manifold BTU load and pressure-tested at 1.5x working pressure. Electrical runs in PVC or LFMC conduit with in-use covers on every receptacle. Countertops are sealed annually with a penetrating impregnator. Appliances are stainless 304 minimum — 316 within 5 miles of coastal exposure (not really an issue in San Antonio, but worth noting for travel-home builds).
How the project runs
- 1
Design and equipment selection
We finalize layout, appliance cut sheets, gas BTU load, and countertop selections before any concrete pour — appliance cutouts drive the whole build.
- 2
Slab, utilities, and permits
Slab gets poured with rebar and proper isolation joints. Plumber, electrician, and gas tech rough-in to inspection-ready stubs. Permits pulled.
- 3
Carcass construction
Island is built in CMU or welded steel frame with cement board skin, sized exactly to appliance cutouts and code clearances around combustibles.
- 4
Cladding, counters, and trim-out
Stone, brick, or stucco goes on over moisture barrier with weep drainage at base. Counters template after cladding for an exact fit.
- 5
Appliance install and commissioning
Grill, burners, and refrigeration drop in. Gas pressure test, electrical inspection, and water leak check before final walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
What's the realistic budget for an outdoor kitchen?
Basic island with a built-in grill, side burner, and stone cladding: $18k–$28k. Mid-range with fridge, sink, pizza oven, and quality stainless cabinetry: $35k–$60k. Full outdoor kitchen with multiple cooking zones, integrated bar, and pergola tie-in: $70k+. Appliances alone can run $5k–$25k depending on brand.
Granite, quartzite, or quartz?
Granite and dense quartzite are the right calls outside — UV stable, heat tolerant, and weather-rated. Quartz (engineered stone with resin binder) yellows and de-laminates in direct sun. Porcelain slab is a newer alternative that performs well and comes in larger formats with less seaming.
Do I need a permit?
Gas and electrical work require permits and licensed-trade inspections in every San Antonio jurisdiction. The masonry and finish work usually doesn't, but we still pull the gas/electrical permits and schedule inspections — it's not optional.
Can you tie into my existing gas line?
Often yes, but we have to verify the supply line and meter can carry the additional BTU load. A 199k-BTU grill plus a side burner pulls real demand — if your meter is already at capacity for the house, we coordinate a meter upsize with the gas utility before building.
How much shade do I need over an outdoor kitchen?
At minimum, a roof or pergola over the cooking zone — direct west sun on stainless and stone is brutal in San Antonio. Refrigeration especially needs shade or it cycles constantly and fails early. Most clients pair the kitchen with a covered patio or pavilion.
Why hire us for outdoor kitchens
In-house crew
Design, build, irrigation, and maintenance all run under one roof — no subbing out, no juggling vendors. You get one project manager from sketch through final walk-through.
San Antonio specialists
Built for South-Central Texas — heavy clay, caliche, long dry summers, and flash rain. Our designs and installs are tuned to what survives and looks good locally.
Clear pricing
No surprise line items. We size the work after a quick conversation or site visit and issue a written quote with materials and labor broken out so you can compare apples to apples.
