Most homeowners dream of having a beautiful outdoor kitchen but bury down the desire thinking it’s way too expensive. That’s not true at all! Don’t hire a designer; don’t go for the fancy stuff, and you can build your DIY outdoor kitchen, spending much less than you expected!
So how to build an outdoor kitchen on a budget? Here are some ideas on what you can do with your outdoor space to turn it into a beautiful patio without spending a lot.
Devise a Plan for Outdoor Kitchen Project
Any big project requires some blueprint; some planning so that you know where to go from here. Think out a practical method for your outdoor kitchen. It should be within budget and yet include everything essential to make it a functional kitchen where you can cook and serve the usual meals at least.
Here are a bunch of questions you need to ask yourself and note down their answers:
Where do you want your kitchen to be?
The question may seem simple and based entirely on your preferences, but it’s not! Think cleverly.
It would be best if you had an outdoor kitchen that has easy access to your home’s gas pipes and electricity connections so you won’t require any additional wiring or plumbing. Calling in a plumber or an electrician to make new connections is going to cost money; better avoid it as far as possible.
Also, try to keep your patio close to the central kitchen indoors since you’ll be transferring utensils, appliances, and dishes now and then; we don’t want to waste our energies running to and fro between the two kitchens! If you want to antique your old kitchen cabinets, you might be interested in checking out our detailed guide.
What will you need for cooking?
Since it’s going to be a fully functional kitchen, it should be able to cook, DUH! So what will you need for cooking? On a low budget, keep your wishes to a minimum. A basic, two-burner stove and a charcoal or gas grill should do. To make it even more budget-friendly, you can find a cheap unit that’s good enough for grilling and cooking both.
You’ll need some of the essential utensils, pots, and dishes as well if you’re thinking of using the outdoor kitchen regularly. Shuffling the necessary equipment between two kitchens can be difficult.
Do you need a seating arrangement?
See More: How Much to Renovate Kitchen: Budgeting Ideas
Your outdoor kitchen should also have a simple dining area with it. Please don’t make it too extravagant or spend a lot; a couple of chairs and a table would do. The whole point of a patio is so that you can enjoy cooking and eating outdoors with friends or family. You wouldn’t want to take your plates and go indoors when you have a beautiful garden to eat in!
Tips on saving money when building an outdoor kitchen
So you have a workable plan to start your DIY outdoor kitchen project with; let’s get down to business. How to build an outdoor kitchen on a budget? Here are a few useful tips to follow if you wish to save some bucks and yet enjoy cooking and eating outdoors to the fullest.
Choose a good quality propane grill
Setting up electric connections or gas lines to reach your outdoor kitchen can be pretty expensive. Unless you have picked a cleaver spot where a gas line is already available, it’s best to choose a grill that works on propane. Some grills allow the usage of both propane and natural gas, depending on what works best for you. As far as electric grills are concerned, let’s face it, they don’t deliver the authentic BBQ taste.
Our advice is not to save too much and buy a poor quality grill since you’ll pretty soon be ending up spending on their repairs or replacements. Get a simple but high-quality grill from a reputable brand, preferably a model that also includes a stove to cook your broths.
Pay a visit to reuse centers
You wouldn’t believe what you can find to give your outdoor kitchen a unique look in what you thought was a junkyard! Yes, it’s true! At amazingly low prices, these reuse centers can present what you can call a treasure hunt! From vintage tables, lounge chairs, and storage shelves to traditional charcoal grills, entire outdoor kitchens on a budget can be built from old, reusable items purchased at surprisingly low prices!
Light up your patio
So you need to light up your patio? You need the outdoor space to be usable at night as well. After all, bonfires and BBQs are best when hosted at night. If you don’t have the budget to call in an electrician for some wiring to install new holders and new light bulbs, you can purchase a string of fairy lights. Hand them over a shade or trees and connect them to a single wall plug. They’ll light up the entire area in the most beautiful way possible, much better than a bunch of light bulbs, you see!
Reuse old indoor furniture
Here’s another one of the outdoor kitchen ideas on a budget. Any furniture indoors that you’ve meant to throw out can find use in your outdoor kitchen. Just make sure that the sofa set, shelf, table, or anything else that you want to relocate outdoors can handle the weather of your area.
If it doesn’t look usable in its current state, you can have it refurbished or do so on your own to give it a new look! Most often, a bottle of furniture polish from the store will give your old, shabby furniture a brand new look and prepare it for your patio.
Conclusion
Your outdoor kitchen can be as functional and as beautiful as you want! You don’t need a big budget for it. All you need is a little imagination and some ideas to give you the push that you need. You might be interested in refinishing kitchen cabinets for better look? Have a look on our step by step guide.
By now, you would know precisely about building an outdoor kitchen. Once you put your mind to it, you’ll come up with your unique ideas to turn your outdoor kitchen into a masterpiece!
