Outdoor kitchen masonry in Lincoln NE - a grill island built around your grill
Got a grill picked out and nowhere solid to set it? We build a brick or stone island that fits it and your yard.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- We reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to build a masonry outdoor kitchen in Lincoln?
Outdoor kitchen masonry is building the brick, block or stone island that holds your built-in grill, with a cabinet and countertop made from material that won't burn. In Lincoln, NE, we build it to fit the grill you've picked, so the grill has the base it was made to sit in.
Most people who call me have a grill picked out, or close to it, and a spot on the patio in mind, and they want to know what it'll take. The price mostly comes down to how long the counter runs, how many openings it needs for the grill, a side burner, a fridge or doors, and whether you want brick, block with a stone face or full stone. The schedule turns on having the grill's manual in hand so we can lay it out, and on the weather, because hot and cold spells both work against fresh brick and mortar, so we set the build date around it. Your own figure comes with the written estimate.
How we build outdoor kitchen masonry
It starts with your grill. Pick it first and hand me its install manual, because the island gets built around what that maker asks for, the size of the opening, the clearances and the vents, and we work to it. If you're cooking on propane, we settle where the tank goes before any masonry gets laid out, since moving it later means tearing into a finished wall. Then we mark the island out on site, build the frame and cabinet, face it in the brick or stone you picked, set the countertop and leave the grill opening sized to the manual. We clean up as we go, so what's left at the end is the island, ready for the grill to drop in.
A kitchen out in the yard is only handy if you can get to it. If yours sits away from the back door, a walkway out to the grill keeps you off wet grass with a full plate, and we can lay it while we're there. Some people also want a low brick wall around the cooking area for a little privacy or to block the wind, built to match the island.
A grill island
This suits most yards, because it's the grill, some counter on each side and storage underneath. It's also the easiest to tuck against the house or the edge of a patio.
A longer counter run
This suits people who cook out a lot and want a side burner, a fridge or bar seating built in. Each added opening means more layout and more masonry, so we plan every appliance before we start.
Call before the patio or gas line goes in, not after, so the island, the hookups and the tank spot all get planned together.
What happens when you call us about an outdoor kitchen in Lincoln?
Here's how a job goes from your first call to the walk-through. I handle the visit and the estimate myself, and our own small crew of masons does the building with me on the job.
Call us or send the form
Reach us at (402) 202-7624 or through the form, and we'll set a time for me to come out. It helps to have the grill's install manual, your fuel choice and the spot you're picturing ready.
I come out and look
I look over the spot, the manual and where the hookups and tank would go, and walk you through what I'd build and why. You get a written estimate, so you know the price before we start.
We handle permits and scheduling
If you go ahead and the job needs a permit, we take care of the application and set up the inspections. Then we pick a build date with the weather in mind.
We build it and walk it
Our own crew does the masonry with me on the job, and when it's done I walk the island with you before we call it finished. Satisfaction guaranteed on every job.
Get a free written estimate for your outdoor kitchen
We reply within one business day to set up a time. I come out, look at the spot and your grill's manual, and you get a free written estimate with no pressure to book.
(402) 202-7624Building outdoor kitchen masonry in Lincoln
The City of Lincoln's list of homeowner projects that need a building permit names decks, sheds, garages, basement finishes, fences over seven feet and putting up or taking down walls, but it doesn't name outdoor kitchens, so the list alone doesn't settle whether yours needs one. The hookups can change that, because depending on the job the city may also want an electrical, mechanical or plumbing permit, and it issues those only to a licensed contractor or to a homeowner for their own primary home. If your lot sits in a flood plain, building there takes a Flood Plain Permit too. When a job needs a permit, we handle the application and set up the inspections, and if it's unclear, we check with Building and Safety, the office that enforces the city's building code, before we start.
A lot of houses in Lincoln are brick, and most people want the island to look like it belongs with the house, so we match the brick or pick a stone that goes with it. We're based in Lincoln and work in the cities around it, and we build kitchens the same way on jobs in Seward and Gretna, where the permit question goes to whichever office covers your address.
Outdoor kitchen questions we hear in Lincoln
What is the best material for an outdoor kitchen grill island?
Brick, block, stone or another material that won't burn, if your grill's install manual calls for it, so check yours before you settle on materials. One grill maker's guide says the cabinet frame, the cabinet and the countertop around its built-in grill must all be non-combustible, which rules out a wood frame hidden behind a stone face. The same guide calls for vent openings at each end of the cabinet, and we leave room for whatever your manual asks for.
How do I plan where the propane tank goes in an outdoor kitchen?
Plan on its own enclosure off to the side, if your grill's manual follows the same rule as one maker's guide, which says the tank can't sit directly below the grill. That guide also says the tank enclosure has to keep the tank apart from the burner area and shield it from heat and hot drippings. That usually adds a compartment to the island, which changes how long it runs.
How much does a masonry outdoor kitchen cost in Lincoln, NE?
It comes down to the size of the island, the number of appliance openings and the brick or stone you pick, so I give you a figure once I've seen the spot and the grill's manual. Full stone usually costs more than brick or a stone face over block, and a long counter with a fridge and side burner costs more than a plain grill island. Your written estimate spells out the price for your job.
Does an outdoor kitchen contractor need to be registered in Nebraska?
Yes, Nebraska requires contractors to register with the Nebraska Department of Labor before doing any construction work in the state. The department says registration doesn't ensure good work or protect against fraud, so ask about a builder's past jobs too. We're licensed and insured, and I'm glad to talk through work we've done.
How do I get a built-in grill installed in a masonry island?
Have a qualified installer set it, if your manual reads like one maker's guide, which says its built-in grill must be installed and serviced by a qualified installer to local codes. We build the island so the grill drops into the opening its manual calls for, and the installer works from that same manual.
Can I build my own outdoor kitchen in Nebraska without a contractor?
Yes, state law says a person working on their own property isn't a contractor under the registration act, so you don't have to register to build your own. The grill and its hookups are a separate question, since the grill's manual and the city's trade permits each have a say in who does that work.
Other masonry work that goes with an outdoor kitchen
A firm, even path from the back door to the grill means you're not crossing wet grass with a full plate after dark.
A low brick wall can screen the cooking area from the neighbors or the wind, and it can match the island so the patio looks planned.
Get your grill island on the schedule
Call (402) 202-7624 any day from 6 AM to 11 PM or send the form, because the sooner the layout is settled, the sooner we can pick a build date that suits the weather.