Outdoor kitchen masonry in Lodi CA - a block base built around your grill
Cooking on a rolling grill with nowhere to set a plate? We build a block and stone island sized to your grill and appliances.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free in-person estimates.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What does it take to build an outdoor kitchen in Lodi?
The short answer: Outdoor kitchen masonry in Lodi means building a permanent base for your grill, side burners and countertop out of concrete block, then facing it with stone or brick set in mortar so it looks finished and stands up to the weather.
Most people who call us are tired of a grill cart on the patio and a card table for a counter, or they've got an island that's started shedding its stone. The price moves mostly with the size and shape of the island, how many appliances and openings it holds, which finish and countertop you choose and how much gas, water and electrical has to run to it. The schedule mostly turns on things outside the masonry, like the countertop shop's lead time and when the gas, plumbing and electrical trades can fit in. The estimate I leave you after looking at your yard puts a figure on your own layout.
How do you know it's time for a built-in outdoor kitchen?
A grill cart on its last legs
If the wheels are rusted, the side shelf sags and the lid won't sit right, you're about to buy a grill anyway. That's the best moment to plan a built-in, because buying a cart grill now and a built-in grill next year means paying for two.
Plates balanced on patio chairs
When there's no counter beside the grill, every cookout turns into laps between the back door and the patio. It usually means your space wants a real work surface, and another summer of laps is all that waiting gets you.
Stone falling off an island
Loose or missing stone on an existing island usually means the stone never bonded well to the base or water has worked in behind it. Every wet winter and hot summer loosens a bit more, so putting a few pieces back now beats redoing a whole face later.
How we build outdoor kitchen masonry, start to finish
It starts before any block shows up. I ask you to pick your grill and appliances first, because the whole base gets built around their sizes, and a cutout that's an inch off is a cutout somebody's chiseling later. Then we lay out the block to those measurements, build the concrete block structure that carries the appliances and countertop, and stop on purpose, so gas, water and electrical can go in while everything is still open and easy to reach. Once the lines are in, we clean the block face, prep it so the stone grips, set the stone or brick in mortar and leave it ready for the countertop.
A kitchen out back usually needs a good way to get there and somewhere to sit. If the path from your back door is lawn or worn-out pavers, our walkway construction gives you solid footing for carrying platters. A low wall beside the island makes a handy bench or a wind block, and brick wall installation covers that part.
Stone veneer over block
One pricing guide calls this the most popular finish, and it's easy to see why. It suits you if you want the look of rock in a range of colors and shapes, laid over a block base that goes up quicker than solid stone.
Brick face over block
Brick suits houses that already have brick on the walls or chimney, so the kitchen looks like it was always there. Brick and mortar is the work we're best known for, so matching a color and joint that blends in is right in our wheelhouse.
What happens after you call about an outdoor kitchen in Lodi?
Here's how a job goes from your first call to a finished island, and what you'll have in hand once I've seen your yard and talked through your plans.
- Step 01
Call us or send the form
Call (209) 269-8703 or use the form, and we'll get back to you to set a time. If you've already got a grill picked out, have the model name handy.
- Step 02
I walk your yard with you
I come out, look at where the island would go and where gas, water and power would come from, and tell you what I see in plain words. You get an estimate for your layout, and if a smaller island or a simpler finish suits you better, I'll say so.
- Step 03
We build, clean up, walk it
If you go ahead, we sort out any permit the job needs, do the work and clean up after ourselves. Then we walk the finished kitchen together so you can point at anything you want looked at.
Outdoor kitchen masonry permits and conditions in Lodi
Whether your outdoor kitchen needs a building permit is the city's call, not mine, so I check before we set a schedule. Building permits in Lodi go through the City of Lodi Community Development Department, and you can apply online through eTRAKIT. The city's Building Division helps property owners with the building, plumbing and electrical codes through its plan check and inspection staff, which matters most for the gas line, sink and outlets in an outdoor kitchen. If your job needs a permit, we apply for it and line up the inspections with the city.
Lodi summers run long and hot, so we talk through where the island sits against the shade and the afternoon sun before we lay out a single block. We're based in Lodi and work in the cities around it, from Sacramento County down toward Manteca and Tracy, and we plan kitchens the same way on jobs in Stockton and Elk Grove.
Get an outdoor kitchen estimate for your yard
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come out, look at the spot with you and leave a free estimate, with no obligation to book.
Why Lodi homeowners call J&M Lodi Concrete and Masonry
I'm on your job myself
I come out myself to look at your yard, and I work alongside our crew when we build it. I learned the trade from older masons who cared about the small details most people never see, so the person who measured your grill opening is there when the block goes up.
Fully licensed and insured, every job
We're fully licensed and insured. A built-in kitchen puts heavy block, a crew and new utility lines in your yard, so it's fair to ask that of any mason you call.
Lines inspected before stone covers them
When the city wants to see the gas, water or electrical work in your island, we schedule that inspection before the stone goes on. Finding a problem behind finished stone means pulling the stone back off, and nobody enjoys that conversation.
On an outdoor kitchen, the work that matters most is the planning nobody sees, and every job we do comes with satisfaction guaranteed. Tell us about your outdoor kitchen and we'll set a time to come look.
Outdoor kitchen questions Lodi homeowners ask
How much does an outdoor kitchen block base cost?
Concrete block framing for an outdoor kitchen usually costs about $3,000 to $8,000 per job across the US, counting materials and labor. That covers the block structure, so the stone or brick face, countertop, appliances and utility work come on top of it. The estimate I leave after seeing your yard gives you the figure for your own layout.
How long does it take to build an outdoor kitchen in Lodi?
One pricing guide puts the masonry for a standard L-shaped outdoor kitchen at 7 to 12 working days, plus 2 to 3 weeks for the countertop to be fabricated. The whole project usually runs longer than that, because the gas, plumbing and electrical trades have to fit in between the block and the stone.
Can stone veneer go straight onto a concrete block base?
Yes, manufactured stone veneer can go straight onto concrete or block when the surface is clean and rough enough for the mortar to bond. Where it won't bond, metal lath and a scratch coat, a rough first layer of mortar for the stone to grip, go on first, which adds prep to the job. Cleaning the block is usually done by power washing or blasting.
Does a contractor need a license to build an outdoor kitchen in California?
Yes, for nearly any outdoor kitchen, because California only exempts work under $1,000 that needs no permit and is done by someone with no employees on the project. The state licensing board has a masonry class that covers concrete block, natural and manufactured stone and fire brick, which is the work in a block and stone island.
What is the best countertop for a masonry outdoor kitchen?
Granite or marble works well, because they won't burn next to a hot grill. One grill maker's install guide for Australia and New Zealand prefers a stone or brick structure with noncombustible countertops like those, and recommends a professional do the build. Check your own grill's guide too, since it sets the rules for its model.
How do I vent a propane grill in an outdoor kitchen island?
Go by your grill maker's install guide, which shows where the vents belong in the island. One maker's guide places them low for propane, because propane is heavier than air and settles instead of rising. We leave the vent openings where your grill's guide shows them when we lay out the block.
Related masonry work for your backyard
Walkway construction
A solid path from the back door to the grill keeps you from crossing wet lawn with a loaded tray, and it ties the kitchen into the yard.
Brick wall installation
A low brick wall can close in the cooking area, block the wind, give guests a place to sit and match the brick already on your house.
Start planning your outdoor kitchen today
We're open 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 9 PM on weekends, so call (209) 269-8703 whenever you're standing in the yard picturing it.