Outdoor Kitchens in Los Angeles and Across Southern California
Southern California gets ten usable months a year outdoors, and an outdoor kitchen that is built like a kitchen — permitted gas, a dedicated circuit, a frame that does not crack — is the difference between a feature you use every week and a barbecue with a stone skirt around it. We design and build grill islands, L- and U-shaped kitchens with a sink and refrigerator, and full kitchens with a pizza oven and a hood, across Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and western Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Green Design and Build is a licensed general contractor (CSLB #1110975) that designs, permits and builds outdoor kitchens for homeowners across Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley, Orange County, Ventura County, western Riverside County and western San Bernardino County. An outdoor kitchen is where the gas line, the dedicated circuit and the grill clearances all get inspected, and design-build means the layout, the permits and the trades are all ours. For a roof over it, see patio covers; for the whole yard, start at outdoor living.
Outdoor kitchens
We build grill islands; L-shaped and U-shaped kitchens with a sink, an outdoor-rated refrigerator and a bar overhang; and full kitchens with a pizza oven, a hood under a cover, and lighting.
Gas and electrical. A built-in grill wants a dedicated natural gas line from the meter, with a shutoff and a sediment trap at the island, not a propane tank hidden in a cabinet. A refrigerator, lights and outlets need a dedicated GFCI-protected circuit. Both always need a permit and an inspection, in every city we work in; our licensed plumber runs the gas, our licensed electrician runs the circuit, and we pull the permits. See plumbing and electrical.
Frame. Steel-stud framing with cement board is light, fast and does not crack; it is our default. CMU block on a footing is right when the island doubles as a low wall or carries heavy stone veneer. A wood-framed island, which grill manufacturers’ instructions do not allow next to a burner without an insulated jacket, is the one we are still asked to replace every year.
Counters, sink, refrigerator. Poured concrete can be cast around the appliances; it needs sealing and will hairline-craze, which most owners accept. Granite takes heat and ignores sun; pick a darker slab. Porcelain slab is heat-proof and UV-stable and needs a fabricator who has cut it before. A sink drain has to go somewhere legal: the house sewer through a trap and vent, which is a plumbing permit, or a dry well where the city allows it. The refrigerator must be outdoor-rated; an indoor unit in a 100-degree Valley afternoon lasts a season.
Clearances. Grill manufacturers specify clearance to combustibles beside and above the grill, and the inspector reads the manual. A grill under a solid cover needs a vent hood, or a cover of non-combustible materials with open sides. We fix the kitchen’s position before anything else, because moving a gas stub later is the most expensive change on the job.
What an outdoor kitchen costs in Southern California
Outdoor kitchens are priced by tier, because appliances and utility runs matter more than the length of the island.
| Outdoor kitchen tier | What it includes | Typical Southern California installed range |
|---|---|---|
| Grill island | 6–8 ft steel-stud island, built-in gas grill, side burner, storage door, concrete or granite counter, gas line and permit | $6,000–$16,000 |
| Kitchen with sink and refrigerator | 10–14 ft L-shape, grill, burner, sink with drain, outdoor refrigerator, dedicated circuit, gas line, both permits | $13,000–$35,000 |
| Full kitchen with pizza oven, bar and cover | U-shape or two runs, premium grill, pizza oven, sink, refrigerator, bar overhang, lighting, and a cover with a hood | $40,000–$85,000+ |
These are typical Los Angeles budgeting estimates, not a price list or a quote. Your project can come in lower or higher depending on the house, the scope and the finishes; the only real number is a written proposal after a site visit.
Where we build
In Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley, most kitchens go on slab lots with the panel on the far side of the house, so the electrical run is often the swing item. In Orange County, an outdoor kitchen in Irvine or Yorba Linda goes through HOA architectural review before the city permit, and we prepare that package. In Ventura County, from Thousand Oaks and Simi Valley to Camarillo, wind on open lots decides which way the grill faces and how hard a cover has to be braced. In western Riverside County, Corona, Riverside and Murrieta lots are larger and summer heat is the design driver, so shade over the kitchen earns its cost. In western San Bernardino County, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and Upland, the afternoon wind off the Cajon Pass decides which way the kitchen faces. Full list on our service areas page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for an outdoor kitchen in Los Angeles?
Yes, for the gas line and the electrical circuit, in every city in our service area, and for a sink drain tied to the sewer. The island itself is usually below the threshold for a building permit unless it is a tall block structure or carries a roof. A new cover over the kitchen needs its own building permit. We pull all of them and schedule the inspections.
Can I put a grill under a patio cover?
Only with the right design. A gas grill under a solid cover needs a vent hood rated for outdoor use, or a cover built of non-combustible materials with open sides, and the manufacturer’s clearance above the cooking surface has to be met. An open pergola is usually fine. Ignoring this is the most common failure we inspect: soot on the ceiling, then heat damage to the framing.
How long does an outdoor kitchen take to build?
Plan on four to eight weeks from permit to first cookout for a kitchen with a sink and refrigerator: a week for trenching, rough-in and inspection, a week for the frame, a week or two for counters and finish, then appliance set, final inspection and gas tie-in. A grill island is faster. Appliance lead times are the usual delay, so we order them before we break ground.
Start with a site visit
The right outdoor kitchen depends on where the gas meter and the electrical panel are, how the yard drains, and where the grill can legally sit. The site visit is free, takes about two hours, and you will have a written proposal within 48 hours with the permits, the utility runs and the appliances listed separately.