Outdoor Grill Islands & BBQ Island Kits for Sale

You’re probably expecting us to say “it depends”. Well, you’re right!

There are many factors in play when it comes to determining the cost of your outdoor kitchen. 

Materials used, appliances, and the size of your grill island will ultimately determine your price.

On average… A good quality grill island will cost anywhere from $1,000 – $2,000 per linear foot. 

This average includes countertops, appliances, and island structure. For example, a 6’ linear grill island would cost around $6,000 – $12,000. 

Of course, you will see outdoor kitchens that cost more! But these will be decked out with all the bells and whistles. The above estimate is the most common pricing you’ll see. You can read the detailed answer for grill island cost here. 

Once again… It depends! 

The installation method you choose will directly affect the cost. Say you choose a prefabricated outdoor kitchen option like RTA. The work is 95% done for you already. 

In this case… You can install it yourself in a few hours with a friend. With no need to hire anyone… You completely eliminate the installation cost there.

On the other hand, you could hire a contractor to install your prefab BBQ island. Expect this to run you anywhere from $700 – $1,500. 

You may also decide to build your BBQ island completely from scratch. It will take days or weeks for installation depending on your design. Hiring a contractor to build your island this way could add thousands of dollars in installation costs.

There are many BBQ island solutions out there. How you make one depends on the method you choose!

Most commonly, BBQ islands are made from a frame. They can be made from wood, metal, or concrete block. 

If the frame is metal or wood, you’ll attach cement board to create a surface. From there, you apply the finish you desire. It could be stone, brick, tile, stucco, etc. Drop in your countertop, install appliances, hook up utility and gas lines… And you’re good to go. 

The steps are simple… But it definitely requires some construction know-how to ensure being properly installed.

Perhaps you’re interested in a more modern approach to BBQ island construction. In that case, consider RTA. Our outdoor kitchens are frameless… Which eliminates multiple steps in assembly. 

Instead of frames, we utilize structural concrete panels. These panels are constructed and designed with longevity in mind. Even better? The finishes are already incorporated into the panels. 

You simply fasten the panels together, drop in your countertop, install appliances, and hook up utility lines. No need to fuss with constructing frames… Attaching cement board… And applying your own finish.

While it’s technically possible to put a regular BBQ into an island… It’s not recommended.

Most cart model BBQ grills are not designed for adding into an island. As a result… You can create safety or grill performance issues. Yikes!

To make matters worse… It wouldn’t be easy to install anyway.

These BBQs are not designed to be dropped in. Therefore, you have to build around them. Sounds like a lot of work!

Further, cart model BBQs tend to have shorter warranties. They’re also not designed to last a lifetime. So if your grill goes kaput… You have a structure built around a grill that doesn’t work. This can create some serious challenges down the road with repairs and replacements.

Many outdoor kitchens are built deeper than indoor kitchens. Standard depth for interior cabinets are generally 24”. For outdoor kitchens, this increases to 30”.

Why? 

Simply put, it has to do with the appliances. Most outdoor appliances are larger and require more island depth to fit properly.

That’s not to say you can’t make your BBQ island wider… It really comes down to personal preference and what you’re looking to accomplish.

Well, it depends!

The type of outdoor island grill and appliances you select determine how mobile it is.

You’ll likely remember we stated modular outdoor kitchens can move with relative ease. They’re fairly simple to disassemble and move to another location. (This is especially true of our modular option, MOKs!)

RTF grill islands are definitely not recommended to change locations. It’s not something you can just take apart the same way as modular. So if you decide on a ready-to-finish outdoor kitchen… Make sure you’re okay with leaving it behind if you move. Or, make sure it’s installed at your forever home!

RTA is a mix of the two. Our kitchens are easy to assemble and disassemble, yes. However, our concrete panels are going to require much more attention in transit than the metal pieces of a modular model. In many cases, it may be more trouble than it’s worth.

A simple Google search will show you tons of ideas! But sometimes, you’re looking for something with more detail.

Shameless plug here… But our website is a wealth of information for grill island ideas. In fact, we have an entire blog dedicated to that purpose.

Other than a Google search or perusing our website pages… Also look into reading outdoor living blogs or publications. Oftentimes, you’ll see outdoor kitchens featured in a stylized setting. These images can really get the creative juices flowing!