Cost of small outdoor kitchen
Outdoor Kitchen Cost - How Much Do Outdoor Kitchens Cost?
Find out how much it costs to install an outdoor cooking area By Maureen Gilmer
The cost of an outdoor kitchen will depend largely on its size, the materials you select and the appliances you want installed. A basic outdoor cooking area with a patio, grill and countertop can run a few thousand dollars. While a luxury design with top-of-the-line appliances will cost many times that amount.
Basic Outdoor Kitchen | Luxury Outdoor Kitchen |
---|---|
$2,000 - $10,000 | $50,000 - $100,000 |
AppliancesThe biggest ticket item in an outdoor kitchen is the grill. There are many manufacturers that offer grills at a variety of price points. Some drop-in grills are as affordable as eight hundred dollars, while others can cost more than ten thousand. Communicate clearly to your designer or contractor how much you are willing to spend on the grill and what features you desire.
- Pro Tip: Don't spend your whole budget on the grill. A luxury grill surrounded by sub-par counters looks out of place.
Average prices for popular appliances:
- Grill: $200-4,000 (depending on size and BTUs)
- Stainless steel sink: $100
- Refrigerator: $400-1,000
- Pro Tip: If you are trying to keep the cost at a reasonable level forgo the sink, refrigerator and side burner. Instead locate the outdoor kitchen near your indoor one so that you can conveniently move between the two. You may even be able to use your kitchen window as a pass-through.
If money is no obstacle there are a variety of upgrades you can make to an outdoor kitchen. First, you can upgrade the materials. Instead of a stucco base, opt for a natural stone veneer. Instead of ceramic tile counters, opt for granite. Second you can upgrade the appliances. Brands such as Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet and Viking offer premium outdoor grills and accessories. You may also want to consider including warming drawers, a deep fryer or other unique appliances. Third, you can add features that will turn your kitchen into entertaining central. Try an outdoor television with surround sound.
- Pro Tip: Outdoor refrigeration appliances such as wine chillers and keg dispensers have ongoing costs to keep them cold and functioning properly. Another option is to install a beverage center that can be filled with ice to keep drinks cool during a party.
Location: Perimeter vs. Satellite
Most outdoor kitchens fall into two categories that have a big influence on cost. Understanding the differences can be helpful in early decision making due to the links between location and cost. Keep in mind the costs can be generated by invisible factors such as utilities, which are closely tied to the features designed into the layout.
Outdoor kitchen expert Dawn Whyte of Lake Street Design Studio in Michigan prefers to divide all kitchens into two location based categories.
"A perimeter kitchen is right outside house, maybe sharing wall, overhang or patio cover. Here you need a grill, perhaps a refrigerator, but due to proximity of the indoor kitchen you may not need a sink. However, because you're so close to the house you can add sink later on because the house utilities are right there."
- Pro Tip: Running utilities for an outdoor kitchen can be expensive. Try locating it near your home where water and electric are already available.
"A satellite kitchen is out in the landscape, separated from the house so it must be as self sufficient as possible. For satellite kitchens, all utilities must be run at significant cost. Then you need sewer hook up or a daylight drain depending on the local codes. Here design is more important because you need to cover all the details in the same depth as we do indoor kitchens to make sure it works for the client."
Estimating
What makes an outdoor kitchen so challenging to estimate is that every one is a unique creation. The constellation of elements within the kitchen as well as costs related to overhead structures and paving is highly variable. A primary division of costing out such a project is whether the kitchen will be composed of all new custom built structures or those modular prefabricated "frames" that are finished on site with more decorative surfacing and details. This is why it's difficult to set an overall cost.
Most outdoor kitchen projects exclusive of paving and overhead structures will fall into this division of costs:
- General construction $5,000 to $12,000
- Cost and installation of appliances $2,000 to $5,000
- Cost of an outdoor kitchen with brick or masonry $400 to $600 per linear foot
- Cost of an outdoor kitchen with prefab framework $300 to $500 per linear foot
Invisible Infrastructure Costs
Perhaps more important to the overall cost is the utility requirements. For example, an outdoor sink requires a hot water hook up and drain to the sewer system. Items such as a refrigerator requires 110 volt electrical lines in conduit. The grill may require natural gas piping. These are the sometimes hefty costs that cover the invisible infrastructure. Providing utility stub-outs is far easier on a new home outdoor kitchen than it does a remodel where existing structures may require alteration to provide access.
Framework Costs
When you use prefabricated outdoor kitchen frames, these average about $200 per linear foot for the raw frame itself. This frame will hold all your appliances and it must be finished on site. This finish is a veneer that integrates it with existing architectural materials or those proposed for a new landscape. The costs detailed below are rough estimates that may vary by region and contractor, but they provide a relative basis for choosing an affordable veneer. The costs below are all rated on a surface square foot basis.
- Stucco: $5.00 per sq. ft.
- Manufactured stone: $20.00 per sq. ft.
- Brick veneer: $15 to $25 per sq. ft.
- Standard brick: $25 to $35 per sq. ft.
- Natural stone: $25 to $45 per sq. ft.
- Bluestone countertop: $35 to $40 per sq. ft.
- Granite countertop: $60 to $70 per sq. ft.
- Poured concrete countertop: $60 to $70 per sq. ft.
From Budget to High-End Designs
Tempted to level up your backyard entertaining with an outdoor kitchen? You’re not alone in your thinking — outdoor kitchens are trending big time. In HomeLight’s recent Top Agent Insights Report, 46% of agents ranked outdoor kitchens as homebuyers’ most-wanted outdoor feature.
Depending on your choice of appliances and materials, your outdoor kitchen can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $100,000 to build. That’s quite the range!
Fortunately, like indoor kitchen remodels, outdoor kitchens add value to your home. According to a recent report from the National Association of Realtors , outdoor kitchens typically garner a 71% return on investment.
We’ll break down outdoor kitchen costs so you can see just how far your budget will go. For next-level insight, we spoke with experts in real estate, design, and construction to weigh in on three outdoor kitchen project scopes, ranging from a modest kitchenette to an elaborate luxury design.
Source: (Chris Barrett Design)Project cost by scale: From budget to high-end designs
Do you want a casual space for dining al fresco? Or, would you prefer an elaborate design for hosting parties? Questions like these help you determine details like the appliances and counter space.
“Every homeowner is different when it comes to what they want and [what] their needs are for the space,” says Sean Moore, project manager for Marquis Fine Cabinetry in Florida. “The budget is really determined by each client.”
Here are some options to consider for a budget-friendly, mid-range, and high-end outdoor kitchen design.
Budget-friendly outdoor kitchen: $4,500 to $10,000
More than half of agents surveyed in HomeLight’s recent Top Agent Insights Report agree that a built-in grill is one of the top amenities buyers want in their backyard retreat. For a budget-friendly kitchen, this is the most important purchase you’ll make.
“[If] I was just going to buy one thing, I would buy the greatest barbeque I could find,” says Chris Barrett, interior designer and owner of Chris Barrett Design in Southern California. Since the grill is the focal point of your outdoor kitchen, spend what you can. For instance, this top-rated 4-Burner Natural Gas Grill by Saber Grills for $1,999 is well worth the splurge.
You can offset the cost of the grill by selecting more affordable countertops and cabinets. Joe Raboine, Director of Residential Hardscapes at Belgard, a leading manufacturer of hardscape materials for outdoor kitchens, suggests tile countertops since these can cost as little as $1 per square foot. “Not only will it last forever, it’s easy to clean and typically less expensive than granite or natural stone,” he says.
If you opt for a fully customized outdoor kitchen design, expect to dedicate roughly 70% of your project budget to labor alone. Fortunately, pre-made outdoor kitchen islands are another excellent option for budget-friendly builds. For instance, this 7-foot BBQ Island in Stainless Steel from Home Depot comes with four burners, a stylish stone veneer, and a porcelain tile countertop space for prepping your burgers and brisket, all for $3,601.
If there’s room in your budget, wrap up your design with a fire pit and string lights for ambiance, two upgrades buyers are craving this year.
Overview of a budget-friendly outdoor kitchen:
At just $4,500, you can build a 100 square foot kitchen atop an existing patio with stock cabinets against the wall, tile countertops, and a freestanding grill.
Cost breakdown (materials):
- Flooring:
- Porcelain or ceramic tile: $2-$30 per square foot
- Appliances:
- Practical natural gas or propane grill (built-in): $900-$4,000
- Outdoor kitchen island kit (forgo expenses for framework, cabinets, and countertops): starts at $1,500
- Framework:
- Stucco (finish material): $3-$6 per square foot
- Wood (framing): $200-$300 per linear foot; $300-$600 per linear foot
- Cabinets:
- Aluminum: $700-$3,000
- Countertops:
- Ceramic tile: $1-$50 per square foot
- Cover:
- Awning: $1,385-$4,091
Mid-range outdoor kitchen: $10,000 to $30,000
“The most basic of outdoor kitchen designs have three parts: the mini-fridge on the left, the grill in the middle, then a base on the right side for countertop space or a sink,” says Moore. “As far as a mid-range priced kitchen goes, those three components are typically the go-to purchases to include.”
Select a premium, built-in natural gas or propane grill for your mid-range kitchen for as little as $1,000. If you want a charcoal option, Kamado grills are versatile and trendy. The BBQ Guys rated the Primo Large Round Ceramic Kamado Grill the “Best Built In Kamado Grill” this year, available for just $750.
Then add a fridge for beverages and easy-access snacks, like this top-rated Summit 24-Inch Outdoor Rated Compact Refrigerator, available on Amazon for $1,219.95.
Leslie Carver, a top Nevada real estate agent with 25 years of experience, recommends that homeowners extend the counter space to incorporate a bar. Not only will this make your outdoor kitchen more conducive to entertaining, but it’ll reel in buyers when you’re ready to sell. “Buyers are emotional,” says Carver. “They look at how they’ll use the space … how they’re going to entertain.”
Plan for at least 36 inches of counter on either side of the grill for preparing and serving food. If you want to add a sink, allow for 18 inches to 24 inches on either side and remember to factor in the cost of plumbing (roughly $300 to $1,500).
To top it all off, add an exquisite pergola overhead.
Overview of a mid-range outdoor kitchen:
The average cost for an outdoor kitchen is around $13,000, according to both Fixr and HomeAdvisor estimates. For this price, you can build a 300 square foot kitchen outfitted with a fieldstone framework, a stone counter, a built-in grill, a refrigerator, and a pergola.
Cost breakdown (materials):
- Flooring:
- Brick: $8-$12 per square foot
- Appliances:
- Premium kamado grill (built-in): $750-$1,700
- Premium natural gas or propane grill (built-in): $1,100-$6,800
- Top-rated compact refrigerator: $400-$2,600
- Sink: $200-$500
- Framework:
- Brick veneer (finishing material): $20-$30 per square foot
- Aluminum (framing): $200-$300 per linear foot; $300-$600 per linear foot
- Cabinets:
- Stainless steel: $900-$2,400
- Countertops:
- Soapstone: $60-$185 per square foot
- Cover:
- Pergola: $1,500-$6,000
High-end outdoor kitchen: $30,000 to $65,000
A luxury outdoor kitchen includes a wide range of appliances set amongst custom cabinetry and high-end finishes.
For your appliances, create a cook station fit for a distinguished chef, with plenty of space to prepare everything from lobster to lamb. Include specialty appliances, like wine coolers and warming drawers. Add a dishwasher for convenience and a pizza oven for a functional focal point.
Barrett also suggests upgrading your fire pit to a built-in fire pit table for dining and lounging in style. Need more convincing? HomeLight’s research indicates that homeowners recoup 84% of fire pit costs at resale.
Alternatively, Carver recommends an outdoor fireplace, which can cost as little as $1,500 or as much as $20,000. “You can add all the bells and whistles onto the barbecue area, but … creating that additional space with the fireplace and the built-in TV — that really is ‘wow,'” she comments. Pair a top-of-the-line sound system with your flatscreen TV to complete the space.
Overview of a high-end outdoor kitchen:
For a budget of roughly $45,000, you can create a 500 square foot outdoor kitchen with a freestanding roof cover, a top-of-the-line grill, a refrigerator, two sinks, stone countertops, and both a bar area as well as a separate seating area.
Cost breakdown (materials):
- Flooring:
- Natural stone: $5-$35 per square foot
- Appliances:
- Luxury gas grill (built-in): $3,000-$10,000
- Pizza oven: $1,600-$14,000
- Beer tap: $700-$7,000
- Wine cooler: $400-$2,000
- Warming drawers: $1,200-$4,000
- Refrigerator: $400-$4,000
- Dishwasher: $400-$2,000
- Sink: $200-$500
- Framework:
- Natural stone (finishing material): $25-$45 per square foot
- Steel (framing): $300-$400 per linear foot; $400-$800 per linear foot
- Cabinets:
- Weatherproof: $3,000-$5,000
- Countertops:
- Granite: $75-$400 per square foot
- Cover:
- Patio enclosure: $8,000-$25,000
Why your outdoor kitchen can cost $5,000 or $50,000
As is the case with indoor kitchen renovations, outdoor kitchens can cost as little as a few thousand dollars to well into the six-figure range. Materials, features, size, and site all influence your project cost. Let’s take a look at a few of these cost factors:
Materials and features
“Similar to an indoor kitchen, the size, quality, number of appliances, and countertop surface are the main drivers of the price,” says Raboine. “However, there are endless material options that give homeowners flexibility … for both design and performance aspects, while staying [within] budget.”
Here’s an overview of average cost ranges of outdoor kitchen features per Fixr:
- Flooring: $40 to $100 per square foot
- Appliances: $1,500 to $7,000
- Framing and Cabinets: $200 to $600 per square foot
- Countertops: $10 to $100 per square foot
- Cover: $25 to $100 per square foot
Remember to research details like product warranties and durability to choose the best options for your outdoor kitchen. For instance, concrete is an affordable choice for flooring, but it’s also susceptible to cracks in cold-weather regions.
Size of your space
Outdoor kitchen projects can cost roughly $40 to $130 per square foot to build from scratch. Naturally, the size of your project increases its price — the larger the outdoor kitchen, the more materials you’ll need.
Here are some popular dimensions for outdoor kitchen designs, paired with amenities you can fit into each:
- Kitchenette: 10 linear feet (includes at least 36 inches of countertop workspace, as well as a grill, cooktop, sink, and storage)
- Small: 13 linear feet (includes at least 48 inches of countertop workspace, as well as a grill, cooktop, sink, storage, and refrigerator)
- Medium: 16 linear feet (includes at least 72 inches of countertop workspace, as well as a grill, cooktop, sink, storage, refrigerator, and perhaps additional storage and refrigeration options)
- Large: 20 linear feet or more (includes at least 156 inches of countertop workspace, as well as a grill, cooktop, sink, ample storage, a refrigerator, drink cooler, and other amenities)
Location: perimeter versus satellite
If you build your outdoor kitchen against your home’s exterior wall, you can save on utilities and appliance costs.
A perimeter kitchen’s proximity to the kitchen indoors makes additions like a sink and full-size refrigerator less essential, saving you $300 to $1,500 in installation costs alone. However, even if you opt to incorporate these features, you can connect them to the home’s existing plumbing to save on installation costs.
For a satellite kitchen, which sits further away from the home, you’ll need to bury electrical cables and gas lines to reach your outdoor kitchen area, perhaps in two separate trenches depending on local codes. You may pay as much as $35 per linear foot to run new gas lines.
Source: (Sean Moore / Marquis Fine Cabinetry)If you plan to sell soon — keep it simple
As much as you and your guests would enjoy an extravagant outdoor kitchen, it’s best to scale back the project if you’re selling in the near future.
“If you’re truly looking to [remodel] to sell your home, you’re gonna want to keep it simple,” Carver advises. And she’s not alone in this thinking. In the National Association of Realtors’ recent Remodeling Impact Report, only 1% of Realtors® suggest sellers install an outdoor kitchen before listing their home.
Header Image Source: (Joe Raboine / Belgard)
Closed summer kitchens to order
The summer kitchen at the dacha is the most indispensable building in the warm season. Sooner or later, every owner asks the question: "How to make a summer kitchen on your site?" There are several options: you can build it yourself or buy a finished structure and install it in your country house. The second option is simpler, but it lacks the manifestation of imagination and creative thought.
If you decide to build a summer kitchen yourself, you should immediately decide on the type of kitchen for further construction of the project. It is known that summer kitchens are divided into open and closed. The advantage of an open kitchen is its natural ventilation, openness and unity with nature. Closed summer kitchen is good in its own way. It allows you to hide in bad weather, can be used as a guest house for the summer, or even as a pantry.
Features of the construction of a closed summer kitchen
It must be remembered that a lot can depend on the chosen place on the plot. It is necessary to make sure that the summer kitchen is far enough away from possible fire hazardous places, on a slight elevation with a drain for water, so that the building does not get warm during the rains. Do not forget about the proximity to the house - a too remote location can be inconvenient when carrying kitchen utensils and products. We recommend that you take care of a comfortable and non-slip path connecting the house and the summer kitchen in advance. Also, do not forget that the summer kitchen must have an electricity network, water supply and sewerage.
You should pay attention to the combination of styles of your home and light construction. It is desirable that they harmoniously complement each other. Buildings of this type were previously used for their intended purpose only in warm weather. Now, thanks to the diversity in the building materials market, you can use the summer kitchen not only in summer, but also in winter. To do this, you only need to indicate this circumstance when choosing a kitchen and purchase air heating elements for greater comfort and convenience.
As you can see, light summer buildings do not lose their obligatory part over time, but on the contrary, they acquire a lot of advantages, gradually turning instead of comfortable rest, family unity and simply excellent cuisine.
Before starting the construction, it is not superfluous to know that the kitchen can be built not only from boards, but also from logs, which are rounded and planed. Rounded logs are obtained as a result of the production layer-by-layer removal of the outer part of the log until a dense and strong core remains. The output is finished logs of the same size and diameter, and even with ready-made blanks for construction.
Planed logs are made by hand and are correspondingly more expensive than round logs, however, they have a small error in the output and slightly differ in diameter.
The process of erecting light summer buildings begins with the foundation. It can be tape, columnar and slab. The choice is determined by the type of structure and soil.
For the strip foundation, it is necessary to dig a trench along the perimeter of the future summer kitchen below the freezing level, at least thirty centimeters wide. Then the finished trench is covered with stone and sand and poured with cement. It is recommended to make special holes for ventilation in the strip foundation. A layer of waterproofing is laid on a frozen foundation.
The column foundation is installed on normal soil. To do this, several holes are dug under the pillars in all corners of the summer building below the freezing level, thrown over with fragments of brick, stone and poured with cement.
A feature of the slab foundation is the excavation of a pit according to the diameter of the future gazebo, which is filled with crushed stone, a reinforcement grid is placed on top and poured with concrete. This foundation is designed for complex soil and a large summer kitchen.
For a closed summer kitchen, a foundation is laid out depending on the materials that will be used in construction. If a brick is taken as the basis, then in this case a strip foundation is poured, if a tree, then a columnar one is used. The foundation itself should be 10 cm larger than the future building.
After pouring the foundation, the assembly of the log house begins. There are two ways of joining corner logs: a cut without residue and a cut with a residue.
Cutting into the "paw" method without a trace saves wood, but requires accuracy and some experience, because the logs must be laid evenly and close to each other in order to avoid deformation and premature decay.
Cutting into the "bowl" with the rest leaves about 15% of the sawn timber due to protruding elements, but is appreciated for giving the buildings a traditional Russian flavor.
When the walls are erected, the construction of the roof begins. Slate, metal tiles or corrugated board are suitable for the roof. Preference is given to metal tiles, as it goes well with the color of the wooden summer kitchen. If a canopy is used instead of a roof, then it can be covered with other material.
At the very end of the construction, the summer kitchen is finished with varnish, wax, paint and enamel. It is also worth noting that the use of decorative elements in the form of carved wooden ornaments will make your building unusually fabulous.
Do not forget about the windows. The better the tightness, the cozier and more comfortable it will be indoors on cold rainy evenings.
Before you decide where and how to make a summer kitchen, try to imagine first mentally, and then, having already sketched on paper, determine the place and style of your summer kitchen. The best option would be to strive for harmony in the style and ensemble of buildings on your backyard. For example, if the house is wooden, then the summer kitchen in the style of ancient architecture will only add charm and color to your site. If you want to surprise friends and guests with a flight of fancy, then do not hold back your impulses and aspirations.
Recently, the owners of household plots and country houses are trying to embellish the free space near the house. They plant trees, lay out flowerbeds, work on alpine slides, build small ponds, build gazebos and summer kitchens, based on their own passions and financial capabilities
Finishing a summer kitchen
kitchen from the inside. At this stage, you can show maximum imagination and ingenuity.
In addition, modern building materials markets offer the most diverse building materials for every taste. Most often, the floor is covered with linoleum, ceramic tiles or boards. The ceiling is decorated with wood, in the same way you can decorate the walls or use other available material.
The most important item of a closed summer kitchen is a stove or oven, above which an exhaust hood is installed without fail, or it is initially included in the project. And of course, do not forget about the presence of water supply and sewerage.
It would not be out of place to say that the design of the summer kitchen can not only indicate the homeowner's taste and style, but also give a feeling of comfort and coziness in this summer haven.
Types of summer kitchens
Kitchens can be of two types - open and closed in any design and using various modern materials. But no matter how good the latest building materials are, the soul is often drawn to the natural component - wood. In addition, the logs themselves, which serve as building materials, are not only safe for the body, but also useful. Because for the most part, conifers are used to build any building from a log, releasing useful antioxidants.
Let's take a closer look at each type of summer kitchen.
A kitchen that has nothing more than a roof, one or two walls, a stove and a water inlet and outlet is called an open kitchen. But at the same time, this kitchen is so open that even the fumes from cooking, barbecue or barbecue are generally invisible. In addition, close proximity to nature favorably affects both guests and hospitable hosts.
The second type is a closed summer kitchen, which differs from the previous version in a more solid construction. This is a kind of small house with windows and doors. It has everything that is in the open type, but sometimes there is enough room for imagination and funds to equip a simple room for a lone hunter's bungalow or a guest house, after separating the cooking area from the resting place.
Of course, an important factor is the price, which can be made up of many nuances. In this case, everything can be taken into account. And the material from which the summer kitchen will be made and its quantity. For example, less material will be used for an open summer kitchen than for a closed one. It follows that the second option will cost a little more than the first. We should not forget about the delivery and installation of the brought structure by specialists. These services are provided and carried out only at your request.
The rhythm of modern life very often unsettles us. At such moments, you need to stop, think, relax. The best place on earth for this is our house and it is desirable if it is located outside the city limits. It is best to relax outdoors in the garden in the gazebo or in the summer kitchen with a cup of aromatic coffee or a tonic drink.
If you do not yet have such an ideal place for solitude or relaxation, then you should at least think about building a summer kitchen. It is worth noting that this building can be suitable not only for reflection and relaxation, but also for more active activities - cooking, family dinners and receiving guests.
You can build a gazebo yourself or entrust the work to professionals, the PETA company. We have been producing summer kitchens for more than 6 years and we are proud of
If you want to calculate the cost of a summer kitchen according to your own sketch or order a project, you can contact the technologist by phone: +7 (925) 686-58-50
The specialist will tell you more in detail about our products and will offer several options for gazebos in accordance with your preferences. You can get acquainted with our projects and ready-made pavilions built by PETA specialists in the Summer and Winter Kitchen section.
In fact, it does not matter whether the light summer kitchen is made by you personally or erected by experts in their field. The main thing is that you feel cozy and comfortable in it, smelling like a thicket of coniferous forests.
You may also be interested in OTHER KITCHEN
50 successful projects (+ photo)
In the warm season, the last thing you want to do is to be indoors, and even more so - to fry by the stove. But there are other reasons why the owners of dachas and country houses are thinking about arranging a summer kitchen. This building will become the center of family or friendly gatherings, barbecue, the realm of seasonal conservation and a great way to save energy.
Summer kitchens in the country, the projects of which are presented in our photo gallery, are as individual and diverse as the traditions of each individual family.
In appearance, they may differ from the existing buildings in the country house or harmoniously and complement them. And for the price - to demonstrate "chic and brilliance", to be a completely budget option or a golden mean.
Since you are interested in this topic, most likely you already have a rough idea of how the summer kitchen will look like in your country house. We will help you not to lose sight of important details, share interesting ideas, and a selection of photos will charge you with the enthusiasm necessary to implement them.
How to start working on your own project? To begin with, we would recommend defining a list of tasks that the summer kitchen will perform.
Functions of the summer kitchen
Dimensions, type, layout, subject content of the summer kitchen in the country, and many other points depend on the purpose of this building.
After all, it is used for cooking, as well as for placing:
- canteen;
- recreation areas;
- areas for washing and storing dishes;
- guest;
- barbecue or barbecue area;
- kitchen utensils that you don't use often in the main house;
- dryers for clothes, linen, mushrooms, berries, fruits and herbs;
- gardening, fishing or hunting equipment.
A washing machine or dishwasher can be moved into the closed summer kitchen if there is no place for them in the house.
Taking into account the fact that not so many buildings fit on a standard 6 acres, it would be rational to find a use for the space above or below the kitchen.
The cellar is useful for storing spins and preserves, seeds, tubers that are not resistant to frost, plant rhizomes and country equipment. In the attic, you can equip a place for drying fruits, mushrooms or fish.
It is better to think about the summer kitchen project at the stage of construction of the dacha itself (if possible). First of all, it is cost-effective and reduces the cost of repairs.
An attic can always be completed, but with a cellar, everything can be much more complicated. An insulated and waterproofed cellar is useful only for storing a variety of things, including firewood.
Choosing a stove
Even in ancient times, building a house began with a stove. Today this is not the case, because there are a lot of heating devices, and their use is often limited only to cooking.
The type of stove must be determined in advance - since it depends on what to run gas pipes or cables.
Most often in the country they put an ordinary gas stove. According to the older generation, it is easier to cook on it and it is cheaper. If it is not possible to supply gas, you can use a propane tank or opt for an electric stove.
For lovers of barbecue and grilling, there are portable kitchens that can be rearranged from outdoors to a shed and vice versa.
Fans of multifunctional items will appreciate heating and cooking stoves or oven complexes. After all, a Russian, Swedish or Dutch stove can be not only a fireplace and a means for cooking, but also an effective way to heat the adjacent rooms of the house - for example, baths, saunas or showers.
Installing a metal tank near such an oven, you will provide the kitchen in the country with hot water (which is very convenient when washing dishes and cans).
If the purchase of new equipment or the construction of complex structures is not included in your plans, and even more so when you strive for maximum closeness to nature and want to build a fire source with your own hands - make a brazier.
If you:
- do not intend to purchase new appliances for your dacha;
- do not plan the construction of complex structures;
- do not trust portable structures;
- want to arrange a fire place yourself -
Build a barbecue. This props, useful in the country, can be made by hand.
or so:
Country life is unimaginable without a barbecue, which you can do with your own hands. (the word “construction” is found in other parts of the text).
For laying out the area in contact with fire, you will need a refractory material such as firebrick, mortar or clay. The outer layer of the brazier can be decorated with river or facing stone.
An eco-fuel alternative to gas and electricity - firewood - will definitely reduce your heating costs, especially if there is a forest nearby. But, as in everything, it also has its drawbacks, because wood-fired cooking requires:
- regular cutting and harvesting;
- storage location;
- annual chimney cleaning.
Now let's move on to the next step: select the type of building.
Closed summer kitchens
Closed, completely protected from the wind and other weather surprises, the summer kitchen will perfectly cope with the role of a guest house. And if you provide good heating, it will be adapted for housing in the winter. Examples of closed summer kitchens in the country - in the photo below.
The closed summer kitchen with sofa and dining area is a complete, durable home with obvious advantages. Neither rain, nor snow, nor mosquitoes will kick you out from the table, disturb your plans, and even more so - they will not spoil furniture and appliances. But for its construction, more materials are needed.
The walls are built of brick, stone or foam concrete, and the roof is made of tiles, slate or corrugated board. And for all this you need a solid foundation with a depth of at least 50 cm.
A properly designed and built closed kitchen will function all 4 seasons, regardless of the climate zone.
If the guest room is located in the main house or is not included in your project at all, the size of the kitchen can be reduced. The required minimum for a kitchen-dining room is an area of 8-9 square meters, but who better than you to know the exact figure.
Tip: to avoid suffocating while cooking on hot summer days, consider turning a closed kitchen into a semi-open one by opening windows or additional doors.
Open-air summer kitchens
Buildings that are completely or partially missing walls, and sometimes even a roof, are considered open. These include gazebos, pavilions, awnings, patios or pergolas.
This is a great opportunity to organize a kitchen with a barbecue or other source of fire. An open kitchen will not cost you much. It is quickly erected, does not require an exhaust hood, heating, a strong foundation and professional building skills.
Having dug a foundation pit 15-20 cm deep, you fill it with sand or gravel, tamp it down, and then lay terrace boards, brick, stone or paving slabs - that's the foundation.
Important: the roof in an open structure should extend beyond the building - this way it will save you as much as possible from slanting rain.
The absence of windproof walls and the free circulation of air masses are both an advantage and a disadvantage of an open kitchen in the country. On the one hand, the wind saves from the heat and inflates the fire. But in the company of rain and cold, it makes your stay in nature uncomfortable, and open structures - short-lived buildings for seasonal purposes.
Often, open-plan kitchens are used to create cozy outdoor dining areas. Partitions decorated with climbing garden plants or trees will act as walls.
Clematis, bindweed, grapes, kiwi, creepers - choose plants so that they bloom in turn, and your kitchen is constantly changing in color. A beautiful and useful wall substitute for a dining room would be a mosquito net with a pattern, long curtains or blinds.
To get an idea of the variety of outdoor summer kitchens, take a look at these photos.
Combined
Semi-open summer kitchens combine the positive qualities of indoor and outdoor buildings. You are still in the fresh air, but no longer under all four winds.
One of the walls can be attached to a house or other building, allowing you to save on materials. Two stone walls make it possible to equip a corner kitchen, convenient in terms of ergonomics and placement of the dining room.
Kitchens made of different materials are also called combined kitchens - for example, stone or brick goes up to the level of windows, and above - beams, frame technologies or panels.
Having decided on the functions and choosing the degree of "closeness" of the planned building, we proceed to the search for the best place for its location.
Optimal location
Finding the best location for a new building is probably one of the most difficult parts of a project. By placement, summer kitchens are divided into two types: free-standing buildings and extensions to the main house.
But here's something to consider. On the one hand, the summer kitchen in the country should be closer to home, because it will be easier to bring communications. But then smoke and heat can enter the house, causing inconvenience. Therefore, it is important to find out in which direction the air masses are most often directed.
Like any place for preparing or eating food, the kitchen should be located away from the toilet, chicken coop, dog house, driveway, compost pit, and other sources of unpleasant odors.
Cooking in the sun is an unpleasant occupation, so the proximity of a dense tree crown will not hurt.
And, of course, everyone would like to enjoy a magnificent landscape, garden or vegetable garden, and not the wall of a neighboring house. At this point, a compromise is possible - a partition decorated with climbing plants, textiles, stained glass or decor that will hide an unsightly view.
It must also be taken into account that a closed summer kitchen requires a deep foundation.
Economy options
Many people dream of a summer kitchen in their country house, but often the prices of the stone most suitable for its arrangement direct our enthusiasm to something else. But in vain ...
After all, the kitchen can be made from improvised materials, you just need to turn on your ingenuity. For example, old window frames will reduce the cost of building an enclosed kitchen.
True, this will not relieve you of the need to lay the foundation.
Alternatively, a summer kitchen can be made from a railroad container. It is possible that it will be much cheaper compared to construction to purchase a ready-made change house that does not need additional finishing.
But still, the summer kitchen project in the country, which falls under the category of economy class, most often involves an open-type building. And since the concept of a “simple summer kitchen” is very individual and extensible, let's look at several different options.
1. Stove, sink and work surfaces united by an island, located on a common foundation with the house in the open air. Stone, plastic, stainless steel and thoughtful design will protect the island from the influence of moisture, but you and the cooked dishes will be saved by the awning installed nearby.
2. Conversion of a gazebo, porch or terrace into a summer kitchen.
3. Connecting two existing buildings with a common roof made of tarpaulin or lighter waterproof materials.
4. Stakes or metal supports woven over with vines as walls and thatched roof.
5. Arrangement of a summer kitchen near the fence wall: it remains to add an awning or a pitched roof.