BBQ Florida

Questions

The things people actually ask.

Including the ones where the honest answer is not the one that sells. If a question you have is not here, ask it — we would rather answer it before you buy than after.

Will my outdoor kitchen rust in Florida?

It depends almost entirely on the alloy and how close you are to salt water. Within about a mile of the Gulf or the Atlantic, standard 304 stainless pits and streaks — often inside two seasons. 316 marine-grade adds molybdenum and is the alloy specified for boat decks. Further inland, 304 is usually the right call and 316 is money better spent elsewhere. The most common failure we see is not the wrong panel, it is 316 panels hung on 304 hinges and screws.

What happens to an outdoor kitchen in a hurricane?

A properly anchored masonry or steel-framed island generally stays put. The vulnerabilities are the loose components: doors, lids, light fixtures and anything freestanding. Anchoring belongs in the specification from the start, and we flag what should be removed or secured ahead of a storm.

Will my HOA approve it?

Usually, if the submission is prepared the way the board expects. Most rejections we see are for a missing elevation or an unresolved venting detail rather than for the kitchen itself. In communities with an architectural review process, we draw to the community's own design guidelines before we draw to preference.

What does an outdoor kitchen actually cost?

A single island built around a good grill starts around $8,000. Most full builds land between $30,000 and $150,000. Estate projects — long runs, several cooking stations, stone and a covered structure — go well beyond that. The spread is not vagueness: it is the difference between one appliance and an outdoor room. What moves the number most is rarely the grill; it is the cabinetry, the stone, and how far the utilities have to travel.

Do you design it, supply it, or install it?

We design it and we supply it. We do not install it. You get the layout, the material specification for your site, and the cabinetry, appliances and stone delivered — and a licensed contractor sets it and makes the gas, electrical and plumbing connections. Some clients already have a contractor they trust; for everyone else we introduce one who works your area.

Why can't you do the installation yourselves?

Because anything involving gas, electrical or plumbing must be performed by a contractor licensed in the state, and any company that tells you otherwise is telling you something that should worry you. Separating supply from installation is not a workaround — it is how this category is properly done, and it means the person connecting your gas line is licensed to do exactly that.

Why not just call a contractor directly?

You can, and for a simple job you probably should. What a contractor rarely brings is the design and the material call: which cabinetry system suits your climate, what the appliance cutouts have to be, what the whole thing should cost. We do that part, supply the product, and hand a finished specification to whoever installs it — which is also why installers like working from our drawings.

How long does a project take?

Design and material selection usually takes two to four weeks. Lead times on cabinetry and appliances run four to twelve weeks depending on what is specified and what is in stock. Site work is measured in days once materials arrive. The honest answer is that appliance lead times, not our schedule, are usually what sets the date.

Why not just buy the same grill from a big box store?

For a freestanding grill on a patio, you often should — and we will tell you so. The moment the appliance gets built into cabinetry, the decisions that matter are cutout dimensions, clearance to combustibles, ventilation, and whether the alloy suits your site. Those are the decisions that get expensive to correct after stone is cut.

Do you have a showroom I can visit?

No. We do not operate a public showroom, and we would rather say that plainly than list an address that turns out to be a mailbox. Every project starts with your site — photographs, dimensions and, where it matters, a visit — because that is where the decisions actually get made.

What is the warranty?

Appliances carry the manufacturer's warranty, which varies by brand and by component — burners, grates and igniters are frequently covered on different terms than the body. We put the specific terms for what you are buying in writing in your quotation rather than making a blanket claim here.

Still deciding? The consultation questions take about a minute and come back with a material specification for your site. Start there, or write to hello@bbqflorida.com.