If you’re considering hiring a local builder to handle your outdoor kitchen project… as with any other home project, you want to make sure the person or company you choose is highly qualified.
So as you start to survey different builders, you’re likely wondering: “How do I vet an outdoor kitchen builder?”
Outdoor kitchens are not a small investment, so it’s critical to get a thorough answer to this question! As an outdoor kitchen manufacturer ourselves, we’ve encountered many homeowners over the years who consider an outdoor kitchen builder… and we advise them on proper vetting practices before making a final decision. In this article, you will learn why it’s important to vet an outdoor kitchen builder, how to vet one, and how to know if you have a good builder or not.
Why is it Important to Vet an Outdoor Kitchen Builder?
When you speak to local contractors about building an outdoor kitchen for you… you may assume that all of them are equally qualified. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case! In fact, we’d argue that most contractors aren’t sufficiently qualified to build an outdoor kitchen in particular.
There are 3 key reasons why it’s important to vet an outdoor kitchen builder:
- Most Contractors are Generalists: Your local contractor is likely to be a generalist. They are reasonably skilled at a wide range of tasks, but aren’t necessarily a specialist in any particular area. For many projects, hiring a generalist is okay… but an outdoor kitchen requires a high degree of specialized knowledge, and hiring a generalist for this task could lead to issues down the road.
- Most Contractors don’t Understand Safety Requirements: Currently, there are no set safety standards for constructing an outdoor kitchen, but these standards are sorely needed! As a result, most local contractors don’t know that there are even safety concerns that need to be addressed. For example, outdoor kitchens require adequate ventilation in order to prevent the risk of fires and explosions.
- Most Contractors don’t Use Ideal Materials for Your Climate: Oftentimes, local contractors prioritize using the cheapest materials over the best option for your needs and climate. If you want your outdoor kitchen to last as long as possible, you need to ensure your contractor is using high quality materials.
How to Vet an Outdoor Kitchen Builder
There are several things you can do to ensure you’ve properly vetted an outdoor kitchen builder:
- Ask Them the Hard Questions: Most importantly, ask your contractor the hard questions about materials and safety. Do they use materials that are appropriate for your climate? Do they include adequate ventilation? Do they use non-combustible materials? These are all essential questions to get answered before proceeding.
- Get More Context about Recent Projects: Inquire with your local contractor about recent outdoor kitchen projects. How many outdoor kitchens have they built in the past year? What about in the last 5 years? If they’ve only completed a handful of projects, this may be cause to give pause.
- Understand their Skill Level: Does your local contractor build outdoor kitchens as a standard offering, or is it something they’re just throwing in for extra cash? If outdoor kitchens are more of a one-off project, it’s likely your local contractor doesn’t have the skill to properly construct an outdoor kitchen.
- Ask for Project Photos: A skilled local contractor will likely take pride in their work, and have plenty of photos of previous projects. Ask your local contractor for photos of recent outdoor kitchen projects so you can get a sense of their handiwork.
- Look into Customer Reviews: If possible, see if there are online reviews for your local contractor. They aren’t always available, but when they are, it’s often quite telling!
Do You Have a Good Outdoor Kitchen Builder?
Now that you know how to vet an outdoor kitchen builder… how do you know if you have a good one?
Well, you’ll know you have a good outdoor kitchen builder if:
- They truly specialize in outdoor kitchen projects
- They understand proper materials to use in your climate
- They are knowledgeable about outdoor kitchen ventilation and other aspects of safety
- They have a robust portfolio of recent outdoor kitchen projects, plenty of photos, and positive customer reviews
As you consider vetting local contractors and other outdoor kitchen options… a great resource to check out is our Learning Hub. As you continue to learn more about outdoor kitchens, this page answers just about any question you may have! With the Learning Hub as your dedicated outdoor kitchen guide… you can have full confidence that whatever you decide for your outdoor kitchen, it’s the right choice for you.
