Custom masonry outdoor kitchens with built-in grills, stone counters, pizza ovens, and integrated fireplaces. Coordinated with patio, retaining wall, and outdoor fireplace work so the whole outdoor living space reads as one project. Designed for West Michigan year-round use.
Outdoor kitchens are masonry projects. The grill, side burner, refrigerator, and sink are appliances, but everything that holds them in place and ties them into the rest of the yard is brick, stone, block, and concrete. Done right, an outdoor kitchen lasts as long as the house. Done wrong, the masonry cracks within a couple of winters and the appliances rust out because water got in behind them.
Typical scope: built-in grill surround with masonry counter, storage cabinets and access doors, side burner, refrigerator and ice maker, sink with drain-down plumbing for winter, prep counter, dining counter or bar overhang, pizza oven (freestanding or integrated), integrated outdoor fireplace, and overhead structure for shade or shelter when called for. We coordinate the masonry around appliances you select (you pick the grill, we build the surround to its exact spec).
This page covers outdoor kitchen masonry. For standalone fire features without cooking, see our outdoor fireplace and fire pit page. Most outdoor kitchen projects in West Michigan include both, and we build them together.
Every outdoor kitchen is custom, but the components are the same across projects. What changes is which ones you want and how they fit together.
Pizza ovens are the most-requested upgrade on outdoor kitchen projects in West Michigan. We build wood-fired masonry ovens (typically dome style for classic Neapolitan pizza, or barrel style for higher capacity) as freestanding units or integrated into a larger kitchen build.
A masonry pizza oven runs $6,000 to $25,000 depending on size, dome construction (custom-built brick dome versus pre-cast refractory dome), and exterior finish. The oven needs its own footing, a proper hearth height for working comfort (typically 36 to 42 inches off finished grade), and a flue that meets clearance-to-combustibles code. Wood-fired ovens reach 800 to 1,000 degrees in 45 to 90 minutes and hold heat for hours, which means pizza, then bread, then slow-roasted meat from one fire.
Gas pizza ovens skip the wood and the wait. They are easier to use and easier to permit because there is no combustion air and ash management. The masonry surround is the same. For most West Michigan clients we recommend wood-fired for the experience, gas for the convenience. Both work in a masonry build.
The most striking outdoor kitchen layouts include a masonry fireplace at one end of the kitchen run, often facing the dining area. The fireplace extends the use of the space into spring, fall, and the warmer winter days, and it acts as the visual anchor of the whole outdoor living room.
Integrated fireplaces share the kitchen footing, share the materials, and share the chimney work when feasible. The result is a single masonry structure that reads as intentional architecture instead of a patio with stuff on it. Fireplace cost adds $8,000 to $25,000 to the kitchen build depending on size and finish.
Cross-reference our outdoor fireplace and fire pit page for fireplace-specific design and code information.
An outdoor kitchen that only works five months of the year is a missed opportunity in a climate where people grill in the snow. Year-round design adds a few key elements:
Outdoor kitchen pricing varies more than almost any other masonry project because the appliance selection, material choice, and integration with other features (patio, fireplace, pergola) drive cost as much as the masonry itself. The ranges below are typical residential builds in West Michigan.
Outdoor kitchens trigger more permits than most masonry projects because of gas, plumbing, and electrical. The City of Grand Rapids and most Kent County municipalities require:
We coordinate licensed gas, plumbing, and electrical subs and handle the permit process so the homeowner does not run point on it.
Grand Rapids and the surrounding metro (Wyoming, Kentwood, East Grand Rapids, Walker, Forest Hills, Grandville, Hudsonville, Rockford, Cascade, Ada, Caledonia, Allendale), the lakeshore (Holland, Zeeland, Grand Haven, Muskegon, Norton Shores), and farther out to Kalamazoo and Lansing.
How much does an outdoor kitchen cost? Basic builds run $8,000 to $18,000. Mid-range with side burner, sink, and refrigerator runs $18,000 to $40,000. Premium with pizza oven and integrated fireplace runs $40,000 to $100,000+.
What appliances can you build in? Gas and charcoal grills, side burners, smokers, pizza ovens, warming drawers, ice makers, refrigerators, kegerators, sinks, and dishwashers. Pick the appliances first; we build the masonry around them.
Do outdoor kitchens work year-round in West Michigan? Yes when built for it. Year-round design includes freeze-protected plumbing, weather-rated appliances, sealed masonry, and a snow-clear layout. The grill and pizza oven get year-round use. The sink and refrigerator get winterized November through April.
Do you build pizza ovens? Yes. Wood-fired or gas, dome or barrel style, freestanding or integrated. $6,000 to $25,000 depending on size and finish.
Can the kitchen tie into an existing patio or fireplace? Yes, and it usually should. We coordinate with patio, retaining wall, and outdoor fireplace work so the whole outdoor living space reads as one project.
How long does the build take? Basic 1 to 2 weeks. Mid-range 2 to 4 weeks. Premium 4 to 8 weeks. Permits, appliance delivery lead times, and weather can extend the schedule.
The fastest way to know what your project will cost is the free on-site assessment. The space, the appliances you want, and the integration with the rest of the yard drive the design. Request your free estimate or call (616) 345-5247.
A senior consultant will reach out within one business day.