Outdoor kitchens are a popular home feature around the Caribbean. After all, the weather is perfect almost all the time. Why not cook and eat outside?
You can also bring this island habit of cooking and eating outside to your home in the U.S. Outdoor kitchens can increase your home’s value and make it more luxurious. While you can build one yourself, hiring a professional is often better. We provide a realistic construction timeline for an outdoor kitchen below, so you know what to expect from this process.
Week 1: Plan Your Outdoor Kitchen
The first step of an outdoor kitchen is planning. You should collect inspirational images, perhaps of your home in the Caribbean. Take measurements of the area you want to put your kitchen in and look at the building materials you want the construction company to use. Call construction companies for quotes and present the chosen company with your plans.
Month 1: Submit Paperwork for Outdoor Kitchen Permits
The construction company will take your inspired plans and turn them into an official construction blueprint. In most areas across the U.S., homeowners need approval before construction can begin. Ideally, the construction company you hired can submit the plans for approval for you, along with requests for any additional permits. As the homeowner, you may need to assist them with this paperwork.
Month 2: Watch the Professionals Work
Paperwork approval takes time. It’s quicker in some areas and longer in others. Expect to wait around a month for approval. During this waiting period, you can plan the details of your outdoor kitchen with your hired construction company. For example, you could select your countertop material together at the construction company’s wholesaler or a home improvement store. Details like this won’t require official approval, which is why this is the perfect time to select them.
Month 5: Enjoy Your Outdoor Kitchen
Once your construction company receives the approval and permits they need to get started, they’ll build your Caribbean-inspired outdoor kitchen. The construction process can take around three months, bringing the total months of the project to five. While five months of work sounds like a long time, it’s a faster timeline than a DIY job. A quick timeline and convenience are two of the reasons it’s important to hire outdoor kitchen builders instead of attempting to DIY.
While much of this time is spent waiting, the result is worth it. You’ll have a piece of Caribbean luxury in your home in the States to use and enjoy.
