Fire pits in Charleston
A fire pit is the reason a lot of people build a patio. We build them in wall block, natural stone or brick, round or square, wood-burning or gas, around a steel fire ring, and we set them where the fire code and the wind both agree.
We price a fire pit by its size, its material and whether it burns wood or gas. Send a photo of the spot and you get the number the same day.
- Built in
- Wall block, natural stone or brick
- Fuel
- Wood or gas
- Siting
- Open wood fires kept 25 feet from the house, as the fire code sets out
- Warranty
- Two years on our workmanship
- Part of
- Our hardscaping work
Fire pit construction that stays put and burns clean.
- The spot checked against the house, the fence, the branches overhead and the wind
- A compacted base under the pit, tied into the patio around it
- Wall block, stone or brick laid around a steel fire ring
- Drain gaps at the base so rain does not stand in the pit
- The gas line, burner and key valve run by licensed trades on a gas pit
- A seating wall or a paver ring around it if you want one
Plus seating walls by the foot, and the gas line on a gas pit. The material sets the range.
What a fire pit costs in Charleston: material and fuel set the range.
A round block pit on a finished patio is the simplest job here. Stone, a custom shape, a gas line or a chimney each move the number up.
A buried line under the spot is the usual surprise, and gas pits need a clear route from the meter. We file an 811 locate before we dig and plan the gas run before the pit goes in.
Wood-burning, gas, or an outdoor fireplace
Wood gives you the crackle and the smell, and a smoke trail that follows whoever sits downwind. Gas lights with a key, burns clean and shuts off when you go inside, which suits a smaller yard or neighbors close by.
An outdoor fireplace does what a pit cannot: it sends the smoke up a chimney and throws the heat forward onto the seating. It costs more and takes more room, and it makes a fine back wall for a patio or an outdoor kitchen.
Fire pit distances and burning rules in Charleston
Twenty-five feet for a wood fire. The fire code most towns here work from keeps an open wood fire 25 feet from any structure or anything that burns, and North Charleston writes that distance into its burning ordinance along with a limit on how big the fire can be. So a wood-burning pit belongs out in the yard, clear of the house, the fence and low branches. We site it before we price it.
Clean wood only. South Carolina allows recreational fires as an exception to its open burning rules, with clean wood only: nothing painted, stained or pressure-treated.
HOAs have a say. Some HOAs limit wood-burning pits or ask for gas, and a gas pit needs its own clearance, set by the maker. We read the covenant before we draw it.
- Where we build
- Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island, Johns Island, West Ashley, Daniel Island, Summerville, Hanahan and Goose Creek.
Fire pit questions Charleston homeowners ask us.
How far from the house does a fire pit need to be?
For an open wood fire, 25 feet from the house or anything that burns, which is the distance the fire code sets out. A gas fire pit follows the maker’s clearances, which are shorter, so it can sit closer to a patio or a porch.
Gas or wood fire pit?
Wood for the crackle and the smell, if the yard has room to keep it 25 feet out. Gas for a smaller yard, close neighbors or anyone who wants to turn it off with a key.
What is the best material for a fire pit?
Wall block made for fire features, or natural stone, around a steel fire ring so the heat does not crack the block. We avoid ordinary concrete block, which cracks and flakes under heat.
Can you build a fire pit on my existing patio?
If the patio base is sound and the spot meets the distance, yes. We cut the pavers where the pit sits and build it on a proper base.
Do you build outdoor fireplaces?
Yes, in block, brick or stone, with a chimney. They cost more than a pit and need more room, and they turn a patio into an outdoor room.
How long does a fire pit take?
A block pit takes a day or two on a finished patio. A fireplace or a gas pit takes longer, set by the trades and any permit.
Send the spot, take the price.
A photo of where the fire pit goes and whether you want wood or gas. That is enough for a real number the same day.