Outdoor kitchen masonry in Macon GA - an island built around your own grill
Got a grill picked out and a bare patio? We build the block, stone and counter base around it, with the venting planned from day one.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
What goes into building an outdoor kitchen island in Macon?
Outdoor kitchen masonry in Macon is the block, stone and brick work that turns a patio into a built-in cooking island. It's done in stages, from the slab and block structure to the stone veneer and the prep for your countertop.
Most people who call us have a patio, a corner of the yard in mind and a grill they've been eyeing, and they want to know where to start. The price mostly moves with the size and shape of the island, how many appliances it holds and whether it's faced in stone or brick. The schedule turns on the countertop, which gets made after the block is up, and on when the other trades can come out. When the job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections. You get your own figure on the estimate, once I've looked at the spot and written up the scope.
How do you know it's time for a built-in outdoor kitchen?
A grill cart crowding the patio
You roll the grill out, set plates on a folding table and run inside for everything else. That usually means you cook outside often enough that an island with real counter space would earn its keep, and every season you wait is another season of carrying things back and forth.
Loose stone on an old island
Pieces of stone are cracked, sound hollow when you tap them or are already lying on the patio. Usually water has been getting behind the face or the base underneath has moved, and the longer it goes, the more of the face lets go and the bigger the repair gets.
Scorch marks beside the grill
The stone or counter next to the grill is darkening, or the cabinet under it gets hot to the touch. That often means the heat has nowhere to go because the enclosure wasn't built with enough air moving through it, and leaving it can hurt the grill, the counter and whatever you store underneath.
How we build outdoor kitchen masonry
Pick your grill and appliances before we lay out the block, and I'll build the island around their real sizes, because a grill picked late can mean tearing out block that's already set. We plan the grill's venting into the design from the start instead of cutting it in later. Then we work in stages, starting with the slab and then the block structure. Once the block is up, your plumber or electrician roughs in the lines, and after that we put on the stone veneer or brick face. Last, we prep the top so it's ready for the countertop.
The island is often one piece of a bigger backyard job. We handle the walkway construction that connects it to the house, and the brick wall installation when you want a wall that matches the island's brick and frames the patio.
Stone veneer over block
This suits you if you want the look of natural stone. Manufactured stone veneer is a lightweight face that carries no load, so the block underneath does the real work and the stone is there for looks.
Brick-faced island
This suits a brick house, since we can pick a brick that ties the island to the walls behind it. It's a good choice when you'd rather the kitchen look like it was always part of the house than stand out from it.
Get a written estimate for your outdoor kitchen island
Tell us where the island's going and which grill and appliances you've picked, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out myself to look at the spot and write up the scope, and the estimate is free with no obligation.
(478) 309-1109What Macon's permit rules mean for your outdoor kitchen masonry
In Macon-Bibb, any construction that runs over $2,500 needs a building permit, and the Building and Fire Safety Department answers questions about what a project requires. If your lot is zoned "H" or "CBD," it sits in a Design Review District, where the island may need Design Review Board review and a Certificate of Appropriateness before we start. When your job needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections, and if you're in one of those districts, we'll help you work through the review steps before any block goes down.
A lot of the islands we build in Macon go onto back patios where the roof drains straight toward the cooking area, so I look at where the water goes before we set anything on the slab. We do the same work for homeowners in Warner Robins and Milledgeville, and in plenty of other cities across Middle Georgia.
What happens when you call about an outdoor kitchen in Macon?
Call or send the form
Tell us where the island's going and which grill and appliances you've picked, with their sizes if you have them. We'll set a time for me to come out.
I look at the whole spot
I come out myself and look at the patio and everything around it, down to the gutters and downspouts, then tell you what I think the job needs. Your estimate spells out the materials and the steps, so you can see what you're paying for before anything gets built.
We build it, then walk it
Our lead mason and crew build the island in stages while I check in, with any permit paperwork taken care of before we start. When it's done, I walk it with you before we call it finished.
Frequently asked questions
How much does outdoor kitchen masonry cost in Macon?
The price comes down to the size and shape of the island, how many appliances it holds and what it's faced with. A straight run costs less than an L-shape, a sound existing slab saves work over pouring a new one, and every added appliance means another cutout and more venting to plan. I'll give you your own number after I've seen the spot.
Do I need a permit to build an outdoor kitchen in Macon GA?
Yes, if the construction runs over $2,500, which is Macon-Bibb's line for a building permit. The permit also takes a valid Certificate of Zoning Compliance before it's issued. When your job needs one, we handle the application and the inspections.
How long does it take to build an outdoor kitchen island?
One estimating guide puts the masonry for a standard L-shaped outdoor kitchen at 7 to 12 working days. The countertop adds a 2 to 3 week lead time to make, and lining up the plumber or electrician adds more. So plan on the whole project running a good bit longer than the masonry itself.
What is the best way to vent a grill in an outdoor kitchen island?
Follow your grill maker's instructions, because they decide it. One maker's bulletin on grill enclosures says to leave one side completely open to the outside or build ventilation openings into the walls, and one grill maker's guide says its built-in grills are designed only for masonry, non-combustible enclosures like the block islands we build. We make that call in the first layout, once we know which grill you've picked.
Who installs the grill in a masonry outdoor kitchen?
Check your grill's manual, since one maker's guide says its built-in grills must be installed and serviced by a qualified installer to local codes. It's worth asking who that will be before the island goes up. We build the masonry so the installer can reach the connections.
Does a brick outdoor kitchen need to be painted?
No, clay brick needs no paint or surface treatment, and its color is built into the brick. Once masonry is painted, most paint authorities agree it'll need repainting every three to five years. That's why we'd leave the brick bare unless you really want a color.
Macon, GA
Pick the grill, we'll build the island
Call (478) 309-1109 any day until 9 PM, or send the form with your grill's make and model so I can read up on its cutout and venting before I come out.