Outdoor kitchen masonry in Fort Lauderdale FL - a block island built around your grill
Grilling off a cart or a cracked old island? We build a block kitchen with openings sized to your grill and a finish you've picked.
Send your grill list with your request
Call (754) 228-0031 or use the form, and include the model numbers of your grill and appliances so I can size every opening on the first visit.
What goes into building an outdoor kitchen from block?
Outdoor kitchen masonry in Fort Lauderdale means building your grill island and counters from concrete block, then covering that block with stucco, stone veneer or tile, so you end up with a solid kitchen sized to your appliances and finished the way you pictured it.
Most people who call already have a grill in mind and a spot on the patio picked out, and they want to know what it'll take. The price moves with the length of the island, how many appliance openings it needs, the counter and the finish, since a stone veneer or a stucco finish over a full base coat takes more steps than a thin coat on bare block. The schedule turns on whether your appliances are chosen yet, whether the job needs a permit and when the other trades can come in, and the written estimate I leave you lists each step and material for your own kitchen.
Why Fort Lauderdale homeowners call us for outdoor kitchen masonry
I come to every estimate
I come out to every estimate myself, and I'm on site with our crew while the work is done. The person who measured your openings is there checking them as the block goes up.
Every step written down since 2023
I started this business in 2023 after years at a desk, and I still measure, check and write down every step. Your estimate lists each material and step, not one lump line.
Florida licensing you can check
We're licensed and fully insured. A certified Florida license covers work anywhere in the state, and a registered one only covers places where the contractor holds a certificate of competency, so it's worth asking.
On an outdoor kitchen, the openings and the finish are the two choices that are hard to undo once the block is up, so send us your appliance list and we'll start there.
What our outdoor kitchen masonry work covers
Before we lay out a single block, I ask for your grill and appliance list, because every opening in the island has to fit what's going into it. Then we go over the finish together, so you know before we start whether the block joints will show through. After that we mark the layout on your patio, set the block courses true and level, build up the counter base and put on the finish you picked. When we pack up, the site is clean and the island is square, the kind of work you'd be glad to show a neighbor.
Most kitchens connect to something else on the property. If you need a path from the back door to the grill, our walkway construction gives you a firm, even route out there, and if you want the kitchen framed by a low wall or a privacy wall, we do brick wall installation that can be planned alongside the island.
Stucco over block
Suits a clean, painted look that matches a stucco house. Stucco over block adds water and impact resistance on top of the look, and it's meant to work as a barrier against moisture.
Stone veneer over block
Suits owners who want a natural stone face on the island. The block underneath carries the counter and the grill, and the veneer is the last layer, so it's chosen early but set late.
Tile over block
Suits a kitchen that wants an easy-wipe face near the grill or a bold color. Solid block gives the tile a firm, flat base to set on, which is what keeps it from rocking loose.
How do you know it's time for a new outdoor kitchen?
Grill parked on a cart
You're cooking off a rolling cart with plates balanced on a patio chair. If you plan to build, decide on the island soon, because appliances bought on their own may not suit the layout you want.
Cracks in the island stucco
Hairline or open cracks in the face of an old island usually mean water has a way in. Left alone, the cracks widen and the finish starts coming loose in patches.
Loose tile or stone
Tiles or veneer stones on the counter or face rock when you press them, or a few are already gone. The bond underneath is usually letting go, and water gets behind the rest.
Wood frame going soft
An older island built on wood framing feels spongy at the base or shows dark stains near the grill. That frame is usually rotting from inside, and it only gets weaker under the counter's weight.
What happens after you call about an outdoor kitchen in Fort Lauderdale?
Call and book your estimate
You call or send a request, and we set up a visit. I come out myself, check the spot and your appliance list, and write up each step and material.
Permit, then the build
Once you're ready, we take care of any permit the job needs and schedule the inspections. Then our crew builds the island in order, block first and finish last.
Walk the finished kitchen together
At the end we walk through the kitchen with you, opening by opening and along the finish. The site is cleaned up, and anything you want a second look at gets it then.
Outdoor kitchen questions we hear
These are the questions Fort Lauderdale homeowners ask most before building a block kitchen. If yours isn't here, ask me at the estimate and I'll answer it for your own patio.
How much does outdoor kitchen masonry cost in Fort Lauderdale?
There's no single price, because the cost comes from your own island's size, openings and finish, and your written estimate gives you that figure. A longer island with more appliance openings takes more block and labor, and a full base coat with a finish or a stone veneer costs more than a thin coat on bare block. A permit, if the job needs one, and any extra parts your grill maker requires also go into the total.
Should I pick my grill before the outdoor kitchen island is built?
Yes, choose it first. One contractor guide advises buying, or at least choosing, your appliances before the block layout is final, since building around the wrong dimensions means costly rework. The grill also sets what the island needs, because one grill maker's guide requires at least two vents in the island whatever it's built of, and another treats stucco or tile over wood framing as combustible and requires an insulated jacket around the grill.
Does stucco hide the concrete block joints on an outdoor kitchen?
A thin skim coat put straight on the block usually won't, because the mortar joints will likely show through, especially when the wall is wet. A cement base coat, called a brown coat, hides the joints and gives a good surface for an acrylic or cement finish. If you want an even look, plan for the base coat from the start.
How long does it take to build a masonry outdoor kitchen?
Most of the time goes to the order of the work, not the block alone. The block structure goes up first, then utility lines are usually roughed in by those trades, and the stone veneer or finish goes on last, so expect other trades partway through. Your estimate lays out that order for your own kitchen.
Who handles building permits for an outdoor kitchen in Fort Lauderdale?
The city's Building Services division handles all permitting in Fort Lauderdale, and new applications are filed online. That filing is ours to do when your job needs it. For a general zoning question, the city's Zoning Division answers at Zoning@fortlauderdale.gov or 954-828-6520, with walk-in hours for simple questions Monday through Friday from 8 am to 10 am.
How do I know if an outdoor kitchen island is built strong enough?
Ask your builder whether the island will be reinforced block, where grout bonds the block and steel bars so they act together to resist loads. It's a fair question to put to us too, and since our estimate lists every material, you'll see the answer in writing.
Get a written outdoor kitchen estimate
Tell us where the kitchen will go and list your grill and appliances, and we'll reply within one business day to set up a visit. I come out myself for the free on-site estimate, and there's no obligation.
Outdoor kitchen masonry examples
Other work around your kitchen
Walkway construction
A firm, even path from your back door to the grill keeps you from carrying hot plates across soggy grass or uneven old pavers.
Learn moreBrick wall installation
A brick wall beside the kitchen can screen it from neighbors or the street and give the patio a finished edge that suits the island.
Learn more