When considering who you want to work with for your outdoor kitchen project… you may be at the stage where you’ve narrowed down your options between RTA Outdoor Living and a local contractor.
But of course, the question is: “Which is better? Should I work with RTA Outdoor Living or a local contractor for my outdoor kitchen?”
It’s a perfectly valid question, and one we have to contend with on a daily basis! At RTA Outdoor Living, we have helped many homeowners determine whether RTA or a local contractor is a better choice for their outdoor kitchen project. However, we do understand that this article may come off as inherently biased… and as a result, we have done our best to present objective facts, and to be honest about the true pros and cons of each option.
In this article, you will learn the advantages and disadvantages of working with a local contractor, the advantages and disadvantages of RTA Outdoor Living, and how to decide which option is better for your needs.
Quick Links:
- What are the Advantages of Working with a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
- What are the Disadvantages of Working with a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
- What are the Advantages of Working with RTA Outdoor Living for my Outdoor Kitchen?
- What are the Disadvantages of Working with RTA Outdoor Living for my Outdoor Kitchen?
- Should I Work with RTA Outdoor Living or a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
What are the Advantages of Working with a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
There are several distinct advantages of working with a local contractor for your outdoor kitchen:
- You’re Supporting the Local Economy: If you value helping your local economy survive and thrive, you may be more apt to work with a local contractor for your outdoor kitchen.
- You Can Possibly Get Highly Customized Designs: If your local contractor is highly skilled in outdoor kitchen builds, you can possibly get highly customized designs that wouldn’t be possible with a dedicated outdoor kitchen manufacturing company. A couple examples of this would be curved islands or two-tiered bar islands.
- May be More Affordable (at the expense of material quality): A local contractor may be able to offer you a better deal on your outdoor kitchen… but keep in mind that this often comes at the expense of material quality and subsequent longevity of your outdoor kitchen. Using metal frames and cement board instead of concrete or masonry materials will bring the costs down, but they will not last nearly as long in most climates.
- Can Typically Offer a Wide Variety of Finishes and Appliances: Unlike RTA Outdoor Living, contractors usually don’t partner with any appliance brands. This means that, generally speaking, whatever appliance brand you want to purchase can be incorporated into a contractor-built outdoor kitchen. This is also true of finish options, as the contractor can generally apply whatever finish material the homeowner desires.
- Tend to be Flexible with Changes: If you need to make changes to your outdoor kitchen mid-project, a local contractor will be much more likely to make changes on the fly. If you work with a company like RTA Outdoor Living, once your outdoor kitchen enters the manufacturing process, changes can no longer be made.
- Usually Knowledgeable about Local Codes: Local building codes can be difficult to navigate, but local contractors are usually in-the-know about what is required vs not required. If you need guidance on whether or not fees or permits will be required for your outdoor kitchen, a local contractor is likely able to assist.
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What are the Disadvantages of Working with a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
Wondering what the downsides of working with a local contractor for your outdoor kitchen are? Here’s the disadvantages:
- Typically Involves Vendor-Juggling: Local contractors generally don’t have wholesale or retail accounts with outdoor appliance manufacturers. This means you will have to do the legwork of researching and coordinating appliance purchases yourself.
- Lagging Project Timelines: Contractors are almost always working on multiple projects at a given time… which means that no one is the priority. Especially during the summer peak season, you may find yourself in the midst of lagging timelines and an unfinished project that sits in your backyard for weeks on end.
- Change Orders: When you work with an outdoor kitchen company like RTA Outdoor Living, prices are locked in after you make a purchase. When you work with a contractor, prices may be subject to change. The initial quote you’re provided with isn’t always set in stone. If your contractor uses more materials or needs more time than expected, that increased cost will be reflected in the final bill.
- Quality is a Roll of the Dice: In all likelihood, your local contractor is not a specialist in outdoor kitchen construction. They’re a generalist in many areas, and building an outdoor kitchen is just one of the many services that they can provide to you. Unfortunately, this lack of in-depth experience often lands homeowners with an inferior product in the long run. Both quality of materials and quality of craftsmanship is often questionable, so it is important to highly vet your local contractor before working with them on an outdoor kitchen project.
- They Often aren’t Aware of Safety: Piggybacking on the lack of specialized experience, this also means that local contractors don’t usually know about the requirements to build an outdoor kitchen safely. If they don’t plan on including ventilation or using non-combustible materials, this is a red flag!
- Customer Service is Spotty: Most local contractors are a one man show, meaning there is no customer service line to call when something goes wrong. Due to how busy contractors are with handling new projects, service calls are often de-prioritized, or worse, left unanswered.
- Warranties not Often Offered: A local contractor generally won’t warranty their outdoor kitchen. Material warranties would fall to the manufacturer of the materials, and winning a claim on those is tenuous at best. At most, a local contractor may offer a craftsmanship warranty on their work.
What are the Advantages of Working with RTA Outdoor Living for my Outdoor Kitchen?
Below are the advantages of working with RTA Outdoor Living for your outdoor kitchen project:
- You Access a Dedicated Team of Specialists: Working with RTA Outdoor Living means working with a cohesive team that specializes in all aspects of outdoor kitchen design, construction, and assembly. Throughout the process, you will be assigned a dedicated Design Expert, Blueprint Liaison, and Project Success Manager to guide you through the process.
- RTA Specializes in Safe, Climate-Hardy Outdoor Kitchens: RTA outdoor kitchens are designed with both your safety and longevity in mind. Every RTA outdoor kitchen includes built-in ventilation and is constructed with non-combustible materials. These materials, such as high-performance concrete, are also hardy in even the most extreme climates.
- Consistent Quality in Production: Every RTA outdoor kitchen is produced the same way, every time… ensuring a consistent and high quality outcome no matter when you order.
- Specialized Support: If you need assistance at any stage, your Project Success Manager will be made available to handle any and all issues that arise. Whether by phone or email, you can expect a prompt response.
- Warranty-Backed: All RTA outdoor kitchens are backed by a limited lifetime structural warranty, so you can feel confident in the future of your investment.
- Locked-in Prices: Once payment is made, prices on your RTA outdoor kitchen order will not change.
- Quicker Assembly: RTA outdoor kitchens can be assembled in a single afternoon, whether you choose to DIY this part or hire an installer. This one-and-done assembly process ensures you aren’t left with a half-baked install for weeks on end.
- Can Offer Financing: If needed, RTA Outdoor Living can offer financing on your outdoor kitchen order to provide more flexibility.
What are the Disadvantages of Working with RTA Outdoor Living for my Outdoor Kitchen?
The disadvantages of working with RTA Outdoor Living for your outdoor kitchen project are as follows:
- Can’t do Highly Specialized Designs: Although RTA outdoor kitchens are highly customizable, there are limitations! If you need something with a curvature or a two-tier bar island, RTA won’t be the fit for you.
- Won’t Have a Local Presence: RTA Outdoor Living is a nationwide outdoor kitchen brand that services all the lower 48 states. If you prioritize supporting local service-based businesses, this may be a drawback for you.
- Can’t See and Feel the Product before Buying: Apart from a couple minor exceptions, RTA Outdoor Living doesn’t have showrooms where you can see and feel the product before you purchase it. We do our best to mitigate this problem by offering samples that can be shipped to your home, but we recognize it isn’t the same as seeing a complete outdoor kitchen in person.
- Usually More Expensive than a Local Contractor: Due to the investment we make into top-grade materials, RTA outdoor kitchens will often be priced higher than that of a local contractor.
Should I Work with RTA Outdoor Living or a Local Contractor for my Outdoor Kitchen?
Now that you’ve seen the advantages and disadvantages of working with either RTA Outdoor Living or a local contractor for your outdoor kitchen project… you may be wondering: “Which option is better for me?”
Allow us to help answer that very question.
You should work with a local contractor for your outdoor kitchen if:
- You prioritize supporting your local economy
- You want customization that RTA can’t offer, but your local contractor can
- You are budget-conscious and need to keep costs down (just remember change orders)
- You don’t mind purchasing the appliances yourself
You should work with RTA Outdoor Living for your outdoor kitchen if:
- You want a high-touch process with tailored design assistance and specialized support
- You live in a harsh climate and need durable build quality
- You have more flexibility in your budget
- You want quick, single-day assembly
At this stage, you should have a good idea of whether a local contractor or RTA Outdoor Living will be a better fit for your needs. And if you should decide that you’re leaning towards RTA Outdoor Living… perhaps it’s time to get a free call with a Design Expert on the books, which you can schedule below!
