Outdoor Kitchen Builder in Fort Lauderdale
We design and build custom outdoor kitchens across Fort Lauderdale — grill stations, stone countertops, full cooking setups under cover. Built for a climate that destroys most of what people put outside.
What an Outdoor Kitchen Costs in Fort Lauderdale
Most contractors won’t answer this. Here’s where projects usually land.
A grill station — $6,000 to $8,000
A built-in grill, counter space either side, and storage below. Usually 6 to 8 feet of run. This is where most people start.
A working kitchen — $10,000 to $15,000
Grill, refrigerator, sink, and enough counter to actually prep. Typically 10 to 14 feet, often in an L. Requires water and drainage.
A full outdoor kitchen — $25,000 and up
Everything above plus a side burner or pizza oven, bar seating, and a larger run. This is the setup built for entertaining rather than weeknight cooking.
A full kitchen under a pergola — $45,000 and up
The same kitchen with an aluminum pergola over it. This is the version most people picture, and it’s the one that actually gets used in August.
What moves the number
Countertop material is the biggest swing, and there’s no single price per square foot — it depends on the slab you pick and how much fabrication it takes.
Granite is the most common choice here and usually the most affordable of the three. It handles heat and weather well, and the range within granite itself is wide — a standard slab and a premium one can be very different numbers.
Quartzite costs more. It’s harder than granite, more durable in the long run, and the material itself carries a higher price.
Porcelain sits at the top, and not only because the slabs cost more. It’s harder to fabricate — cutting, mitering and handling all take more time and more care — so the labor adds up alongside the material.
We’ll walk you through slabs in person. It’s difficult to judge stone from a photo, and the difference between two granites can change the feel of the whole kitchen.
Appliance choice is the second biggest factor. A mid-range built-in grill against a premium brand can be a several-thousand-dollar difference on its own, before anything else in the kitchen changes.
Then there’s what’s underneath. Running gas, water, drainage and dedicated electrical to a spot in the yard costs real money, and the distance from the house drives it. A kitchen ten feet off the back wall is a very different job from one at the far end of a pool deck.
Permitting and engineering add $3,000 to $5,000 depending on scope.
What Goes Into It
Cooking
The built-in grill is the anchor. Beyond that: side burners for sauces and sides, a power burner for anything that needs real heat, a pizza oven if you’ll use it. Ventilation matters if the kitchen sits under cover — we’ll size it to the space rather than guessing.
Cold storage and cleanup
An outdoor-rated refrigerator, an ice maker if you entertain, and a sink with hot and cold. The sink is the piece people skip and then regret. Without it, every rinse is a trip back inside, which defeats the point.
Counters and cabinetry
Granite, quartzite and porcelain are the three materials we build with most. Stucco with a stone cap also works well and is a common South Florida approach.
Cabinetry has to be marine-grade stainless or a rated polymer. Standard kitchen cabinets do not survive outdoors in Broward, regardless of what a supplier tells you.
The part people forget
Dedicated electrical circuits, GFCI protection, a gas line sized for the appliances, water supply and drainage. None of it is visible in the finished photos and all of it has to be permitted.
Why It Needs to Be Covered
An outdoor kitchen in direct South Florida sun gets used in the morning and after dark. That’s it. Between eleven and five, nobody’s standing at a grill in August.
Cover changes that, and it protects the investment too. Stainless steel handles weather, but constant sun degrades seals, gaskets and electronics faster than most people expect. Rain sitting in an open kitchen finds its way into cabinetry and outlets.
An aluminum pergola over the cooking area solves both. A louvered roof gives you the choice — open the blades for airflow while you’re cooking, close them when a storm rolls through. An insulated solid roof cuts the heat coming off the panel and makes the space genuinely usable mid-afternoon.
Since we build both, the structure and the kitchen get designed together rather than one being fitted around the other afterward. That matters for ventilation clearance, lighting placement, and where the posts land relative to the counter run.
Permits, Code and HOA Approval
Outdoor kitchens in Broward County involve more permitting than most homeowners expect, because they touch several trades at once.
Gas requires a permit and inspection. So does the electrical. If there’s a sink, plumbing and drainage come into it as well. Any covered structure has to meet High Velocity Hurricane Zone wind-load requirements, which means signed and sealed engineering.
We handle drawings, submittal and inspections across all of it, so you’re dealing with one contractor rather than four.
Setbacks matter too — lot lines, easements and pool enclosures all affect where a kitchen can legally sit. We check that before designing anything.
If you’re in a neighborhood with an HOA, expect architectural approval on top. That’s common in Coral Ridge, Harbor Beach and the communities west of I-95, and we can supply the drawings your board will want.
How the Project Runs
First, we come out and look. We measure, talk through how you cook and entertain, and give you an honest read on what the space will support. Free, no pressure.
Then we design and quote. Layout and a fixed price. If the number doesn’t work, we’ll show you where the cost sits and what changes it.
Next, engineering and permitting. Drawings prepared and submitted to Broward County or the City of Fort Lauderdale, depending on your address.
Then trades and installation. Gas, electrical and plumbing rough-in first, then the structure, then the kitchen itself. Actual construction runs 1 to 3 weeks on site.
Be aware that permitting is the long part. From signed contract to final inspection, a fully permitted outdoor kitchen typically takes 3 to 6 months. Most of that is waiting on the county and the trades, not building. We’ll tell you where your project sits once we see the scope, rather than quoting you a best case.
Finally, inspections close it out, and you get documentation for your records.
Client Reviews
Common Questions
How much does an outdoor kitchen cost in Fort Lauderdale?
Projects run from around $6,000 for a grill station to $45,000 and up for a full kitchen under a pergola. Size, materials and appliances drive most of the difference. We quote a fixed price after seeing the space.
Do I need a permit?
Yes — usually several. Gas, electrical, plumbing and any covered structure each require permitting in Broward County. We handle all of it.
How long does it take?
Construction itself runs 1 to 3 weeks on site. But from signed contract to final inspection, a fully permitted outdoor kitchen usually takes 3 to 6 months.
Permitting is what drives that, and it varies by jurisdiction and by how many trades are involved. We’d rather tell you six months and finish in four than the other way around.
Can you build one without a cover?
We can, and some homeowners do. But in this climate an uncovered kitchen gets far less use and the appliances wear faster. We’ll tell you that up front rather than after.
What countertop material holds up best here?
Granite, quartzite and porcelain all perform well outdoors. Marble looks beautiful but etches and stains more readily, so we’ll talk through the trade-offs based on how you plan to use the space.
Call (954) 787-7703 or fill in the form below. We’ll come out, measure, and give you a straight answer on what it takes.