Outdoor kitchens and fire pits
Built into the patio rather than dropped onto it, so the whole space works as one piece.
Plan it with the patio, not after it
An outdoor kitchen or a fire pit is easiest and cheapest to build at the same time as the patio it sits on. The foundations, the gas and electrical runs, the drainage and the pattern of the pavers around it all get decided once. Added later, the same feature means cutting into a finished patio, trenching through a lawn that has just grown back, or setting a heavy island on a base that was never built to carry it.
Outdoor kitchens
Most outdoor kitchens are a masonry island built around a grill, clad in stone veneer or finished to match the house, with a countertop and space for storage, a sink or a small fridge. The masonry is our part. What makes one last is what sits underneath and around it:
- A footing sized for the weight. A stone island is heavy. It needs a reinforced slab or footing below it, not the paver bedding sand.
- Utilities planned first. Gas lines and electrical work need licensed trades and, usually, a permit. The runs go in before the patio does, so nothing has to be cut up later.
- Materials rated for outdoors. Countertops, doors and drawers live in rain, sun and a New Jersey freeze. Weather rated components and stainless hardware hold up where indoor ones do not.
- Clearances. A grill needs room around it, a vented enclosure where it is built in, and the manufacturer's clearance to anything combustible.
Fire pits and seat walls
A built fire pit is a ring of masonry with a fire rated steel insert or a firebrick liner inside it, set on a proper base and usually surrounded by patio. A curved seat wall behind it turns it into somewhere people actually sit. We build them in segmental block or natural stone, sized to the space, and set so the fire sits at a comfortable height for the seating.
Check your town's rules on recreational fires and the distance a pit has to be from the house, the property line and trees before choosing the spot. Some towns and some homeowner associations restrict wood burning, in which case a gas fire feature is the alternative.
Common questions
What is the average cost to build an outdoor kitchen?
It ranges widely with the size of the island, the veneer and countertop, the appliances you choose, and how far gas, water and power have to run. A grill island and a full kitchen with a sink and a fridge are very different projects. We give you a written price once the layout is settled. See what drives the price.
What is the cheapest way to build an outdoor kitchen?
Keep it compact: a straight grill island rather than an L shape, a concrete block core with a simple veneer, and appliances placed close to where gas and power already are. Building it with the patio rather than afterwards saves the most.
How thick does a concrete slab need to be for an outdoor kitchen?
Four inches of reinforced concrete is a common starting point, with thicker footings under a heavy stone island. The right answer depends on the weight of the island and your soil, and we set it when we quote.
How much does it cost to install a fire pit?
A simple built pit in segmental block is the entry point. Natural stone, a seat wall, a gas conversion or a new patio around it all add to it. We price the pit and whatever goes around it in writing.
Can you put a fire pit directly on pavers?
Not an open fire straight onto concrete pavers, because sustained heat can discolor and crack them. A built pit uses a fire rated insert or firebrick, and it is set so the heat goes up rather than into the patio.
What should go in the bottom of a fire pit?
A layer of gravel or lava rock under the fire area helps drainage, so the pit does not hold water. Avoid smooth river rock, which can trap moisture and crack or burst when heated.
Is an in ground or above ground fire pit better?
Above ground pits built from block or stone are easier to drain, easier to see and step around, and keep the fire at a better height for seating. In ground pits look low and neat but can collect water.
This page was last updated in September 2026.
Planning a patio? Plan the rest with it.
Call (973) 489-3642. A fire pit or kitchen costs less built with the patio than added later.