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The seven-step plan
- Decide how you'll actually cook and entertain
- Pick the spot: wind, sun, distance from the house
- Plan the layout in zones
- Choose your shelter
- Pick weatherproof materials
- Sort gas, electrics and water (with professionals)
- Set a realistic budget, and check planning rules
1. Start with how you'll use it
Before looking at a single product, answer three questions:
- What will you cook most? Pizza, grilled meat, low-and-slow BBQ or a mix? This decides your "hero" appliance.
- How many people, how often? Family dinners need a compact, efficient setup. Regular parties need more worktop and seating.
- Which months? If you want to cook into autumn and winter, shelter and lighting move from "nice to have" to essential.
A common mistake is buying every appliance on the wish list. Most of the best outdoor kitchens are built around one main cooker (a BBQ, kamado or pizza oven), generous worktop space and good storage.
2. Choose the right spot
- Distance from the house: close enough to carry food easily, but far enough that smoke doesn't drift indoors.
- Prevailing wind: in much of the UK it blows from the south-west. Position cookers so smoke blows away from seating, the house and the neighbours.
- Sun and shade: an evening-sun spot is lovely for eating. A little shade stops the cook from roasting.
- Ground: you'll need a level, solid base, usually a patio or concrete slab, that can take the weight of worktops and masonry.
- Clearances: keep heat sources well away from fences, sheds, trees and overhanging eaves. Always follow appliance manufacturers' minimum distances.
3. Plan the layout in zones
Indoor kitchen designers think in zones, and the same works outside:
| Zone | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Hot zone | BBQ, pizza oven, side burner, griddle |
| Prep zone | Clear worktop (aim for at least 60cm beside the main cooker), chopping area |
| Cold zone | Outdoor fridge, drinks cooler, ice bucket |
| Wet zone | Sink (optional, see water below) |
| Dry storage | Cupboards for tools, fuel and covers |
| Social zone | Bar seating, dining table, fire pit, kept clear of the hot zone |
Popular layouts
- Straight run: simplest and cheapest, perfect against a wall or fence (with suitable heat protection).
- L-shape: separates cooking from prep and fits neatly into a patio corner.
- U-shape or island: the "proper" outdoor kitchen. Guests sit on one side while you cook on the other.
4. Shelter: the UK essential
A roof turns an outdoor kitchen from a summer-only space into something you use most of the year.
- Pergola with a solid or louvred roof: the most popular option, keeping off rain while letting smoke escape.
- Gazebo: a cheaper, freestanding choice. Make sure it's rated for use with cooking appliances.
- Garden room or open-sided shelter: the premium end, often with lighting, heating and power built in.
5. Materials that survive British weather
Worktops
- Granite: tough, heat-resistant, weatherproof. Seal it periodically.
- Porcelain / sintered stone: excellent outdoors. Frost-, UV- and stain-resistant.
- Concrete: great for DIY and very customisable. Needs sealing.
- Avoid indoor laminate and untreated timber worktops near heat.
Structure and cabinets
- Block or brick with a render or stone finish: the classic DIY BBQ island.
- Steel frame with cement board: lighter and quicker to build.
- Modular outdoor kitchen units: ready-made stainless or powder-coated modules. Fastest, and no building skills needed.
- Stainless steel grade: 304 is standard outdoors. 316 ("marine grade") resists corrosion better, worth it near the coast.
6. Gas, electrics and water
- Gas: bottled propane is simplest. A fixed gas supply from the house must be installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Electrics: for lighting, fridges or sockets, use outdoor-rated (weatherproof IP-rated) fittings with RCD protection, installed by a qualified electrician. Outdoor circuits are notifiable work under Building Regulations in England and Wales.
- Water: a sink is handy but adds cost and complexity (supply and drainage). Plan to drain outdoor pipes before winter to avoid frost damage. Many people skip the sink and use the kitchen indoors.
- Lighting: task lighting over the grill is essential for autumn evenings, and low-level lighting makes the space feel finished.
7. What will it cost?
Very rough UK ballparks (it varies hugely with size, materials and region):
| Approach | Typical cost range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| DIY BBQ station | £500–£2,000 | Freestanding BBQ or oven plus a built or bought prep table |
| DIY block-built island | £1,500–£5,000 | Materials plus appliances. Your labour is free |
| Modular kit | £2,000–£10,000+ | Depends on the number of modules and appliances |
| Bespoke, professionally fitted | £10,000–£30,000+ | Including shelter, services and finishes |
Allow a 10–15% contingency, and remember the less glamorous costs: groundwork, covers, lighting and an electrician.
Do you need planning permission?
In most cases, an outdoor kitchen in a back garden in England falls under permitted development and doesn't need planning permission, especially if it's an open structure without a roof. Things to check:
- Roofed structures like pergolas with solid roofs and garden rooms are treated like outbuildings, with limits on height (particularly within 2m of a boundary) and on how much of the garden they cover.
- Listed buildings, conservation areas and flats have stricter rules.
- Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations.
The Planning Portal has an interactive guide for England and Wales. If in doubt, ask your local council before you build. It's free peace of mind.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best appliance to build an outdoor kitchen around?
Whatever you'll cook most. For most UK households that's a good gas or charcoal BBQ, with a pizza oven as the second addition. Kamado grills are popular as a single do-it-all cooker because they grill, smoke and even bake.
Can I build an outdoor kitchen myself?
Yes. A block-built BBQ island or modular kitchen is well within reach of a competent DIYer. Leave fixed gas connections and outdoor electrics to qualified professionals.
How do I protect an outdoor kitchen in winter?
Fit covers to appliances, drain any water pipes, empty and clean BBQs and ovens, seal stone worktops, and store portable items and cushions indoors.
Home cook, keen DIYer and long-time website builder, writing practical outdoor cooking guides for UK gardens. More about me.