GHBA Remodelers Council: Outdoor kitchen adds home value, can pay for itself

Custom and built-in outdoor kitchens are becoming more prevalent with new-home builders in today's marketplace. An outdoor kitchen not only adds value but is a great focal point for your back patio - and you can include it with your mortgage to reduce the immediate out of pocket expense incurred after closing.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), adding an outdoor kitchen will add value to your home. In fact, the return on your dollar can be as much as 130 percent. For example, a $10,000 outdoor kitchen at a 4 percent interest rate over 30 years would cost about $50 per month and only $3,000 after five years. If you sold the home on the fifth year, you could see a $13,000 value for that outdoor kitchen, therefore a net cost would be zero to own it for the first five years of use.

Over 75 percent of homes across the nation have some type of outdoor cooking feature at minimum, such as a portable grill or smoker. Many of Houston's top new-home builders are not only offering built-in outdoor kitchens as options, but some are installing them as standard features. These builders are taking advantage of the fact that people want to cook outside, enjoy the fresh air and find themselves having more family and friend gatherings while enjoying good food.

I strongly suggest that home buyers and home builders always look for an outdoor kitchen company that builds using 100 percent non-combustible materials along with mold- and mildew-resistant materials. These materials, such as brick, stone, stucco, granite countertops and a steel frame with mildew- and mold-resistant fiber board on the outside, provide long-lasting or even lifetime warranties. Don't settle for your outdoor kitchen investment to be built out of scrap lumber or a wood frame, a tile countertop or any type of porous top allowing water to infiltrate. These building practices not only open up the potential for a fire hazard, but cause more cost to install a steel "liner" as required by the grill manufacturers.

Another point to mention is proper venting of the outdoor kitchen. Lack of proper venting could prove to be a dangerous situation in the event of a gas leak at the grill connections or a potential mold hazard due to lack of airflow.

Cleaning your outdoor kitchen is not that difficult as long as it is done consistently to prolong the use. Light power washing of the exterior once or twice a year, keeping the granite or grill, doors, countertop and other components clean and wiped down will allow you to use and enjoy your new outdoor kitchen much longer.

Building an outdoor kitchen has become much more prevalent and it is important to make sure you are using a reputable company who is familiar with building them safely.

This article was provided by a member of the Remodelers Council of the Greater Houston Builders Association. The Remodelers Council is dedicated to promoting professionalism and public awareness of the remodeling profession through education, certification and service to the Houston community. For information on this article, please contact Lorraine Hartat lorraine@idealconsulting.net. To join the council or to find a professional remodeler in your area, please visitwww.ghba.org.