Outdoor kitchens in Charleston
An outdoor kitchen is a patio with a job to do. We build the grill island, the counter and the bar in block or stone on the same compacted base as the patio, so the kitchen and the pavers around it settle together. Licensed trades we bring in run the gas and the power, and we stay your one point of contact from the first sketch to the first cookout.
We price a kitchen by its length, what goes into it and the finish on the counter. Send a photo of the spot and tell us what you like to cook on, and you get the number the same day.
- Built in
- Wall block, brick or natural stone
- Fitted with
- The grill, burners, sink and fridge you pick
- Gas and power
- Licensed trades, one contact: us
- Warranty
- Two years on our workmanship
- Part of
- Our hardscaping work
Outdoor kitchen construction, from the footing up.
- A sketch of the layout, with the grill, the counter and the seating placed around how you cook
- A footing and base under the kitchen sized for the weight of block, stone and a counter
- The island built in block, brick or stone, with openings cut to the appliances you choose
- Gas and electrical run by licensed trades before the counter goes on
- The counter set, sealed and finished
- The patio, lawn and beds around it finished by the same crew
Plus the counter and the openings for your appliances. The finish on the island sets the range.
What an outdoor kitchen costs in Charleston: length and finish set the range.
We price the island by its length, then add what goes into it. You buy the grill and the appliances, or tell us the models, and we build every opening to the maker’s spec sheet.
Buried lines between the house and the kitchen are the usual surprise. We file an 811 locate before we dig, and if a line sits in the way, you hear about it before we move anything.
Built for salt air and a Charleston August
Near the water, salt air pits and stains cheaper grades of stainless steel. Marine-grade 316 stainless resists it far better, and it is worth the difference on grills, doors and drawers anywhere you can smell the ocean.
Summer sun is the other enemy. A kitchen facing west cooks the cook by five o’clock. We place the grill so the smoke drifts away from the seating, and where the afternoon sun lands on it, we plan shade: a pergola, a pavilion or the house itself.
Approvals, HOAs and clearances for outdoor kitchens
HOAs want to see it. HOAs across Mount Pleasant, Daniel Island and the island communities expect to approve an outdoor kitchen before it goes in, and downtown the Board of Architectural Review reviews new construction visible from the street in the historic districts. We draw it up and handle the HOA and BAR paperwork with you.
The trades pull their permits. Gas lines and new circuits go to licensed trades, and they pull whatever permit your town requires. We schedule them so the counter never goes on over work that has not been signed off.
Clearance comes first. Every grill maker sets how far the grill sits from the house and from anything overhead that burns. We lay the kitchen out to those numbers before the footing goes in.
- Where we build
- Charleston, North Charleston, Mount Pleasant, James Island, Johns Island, West Ashley, Daniel Island, Summerville, Hanahan and Goose Creek.
Outdoor kitchen questions Charleston homeowners ask us.
Do I need a permit for an outdoor kitchen?
In most towns here the gas line and any new electrical need one, and the licensed trades who run them pull it. HOAs and, in the historic districts, the Board of Architectural Review want to see the plan too. We check your address before we quote.
What is the best countertop for an outdoor kitchen in Charleston?
Granite handles heat, sun and salt air, and it is the most common choice here. Poured concrete gives you a custom shape and color but needs sealing. Tile grout stains and cracks outdoors, so we steer people away from tile counters.
Can you add a kitchen to my existing patio?
Often. If the patio base is sound and there is room, the island goes on a footing of its own at the edge of the patio. If not, we extend the patio and build both together.
Do you sell the grill and appliances?
No. You buy them or tell us the models, and we build each opening to the maker’s specifications. That keeps the appliance warranty between you and the maker.
Will salt air ruin an outdoor kitchen?
Salt attacks cheap stainless steel and bare metal. Marine-grade 316 stainless, a sealed counter and a cover over the grill between uses hold up on the islands.
How long does an outdoor kitchen take to build?
Most take a week or two of building once approvals are in. Stone finishes and the trades add days. You get the schedule with the price.
Send the spot, take the price.
A photo of where the kitchen goes, how you like to cook and whether you want a sink or a fridge. That is enough for a real number the same day.