Outdoor kitchen masonry in El Dorado Hills CA - a solid base that sheds water
Tired of grilling on a cart, or watching your old stone base crack and stain? We build outdoor kitchens on solid block that holds up.
Send us photos of your outdoor kitchen space
A few pictures of the yard and any base that's already there, sent through the form, let me see whether we're building new or refacing before I come out.
What goes into building an outdoor kitchen in El Dorado Hills?
Outdoor kitchen masonry in El Dorado Hills means building the walls that hold your grill, sink and counter from solid concrete block, then finishing them in stone or another face that suits your house, so the kitchen stays put and looks like it belongs there.
Most people who call us either have a bare patio and a grill on wheels, or an older base whose stone is cracking, staining or letting go. The price mostly turns on how long the counter run is, how many appliance and door openings it has, the stone and countertop you pick and whether we build new or reface what's there, while the schedule turns on any permit, the weather and how long your stone and counter take to come in. I'll lay those choices out side by side in a written estimate, so you can see what each one does before anything gets built.
Why El Dorado Hills homeowners call us to build outdoor kitchens
I write every estimate myself
I look at your yard and write the estimate myself, and our own crew builds it under a lead mason. The plan we talked over is the one that gets built.
We take care of permits
Building permits in El Dorado Hills go through El Dorado County's Building Division, and when your job needs one, we file it and handle the inspections. We're fully licensed and insured.
Trained where inspectors sign off
I learned masonry on a city public works crew, where nothing got signed off until it passed inspection, and we've built that way since 2013. It shows in the footing and block cores you'll never see.
On an outdoor kitchen, the part that decides how it holds up is under the stone, so ask any contractor how they build the base before you ask about the finish. When you're ready, get in touch and I'll come take a look.
How we build outdoor kitchen masonry
We start by setting out the counter run where you'll actually cook and building the base from solid concrete block on a footing, then fill some or all of the block's hollow cores with grout, a soupy concrete, where the walls need the extra strength. The stone face goes on after that, and we treat it as the look of the kitchen, not what holds it up. Stone veneer installation guidance calls for flashing, a thin strip that steers water back out of the wall, at the grill and door openings, at the ends and anywhere the wall changes, along with a cap that hangs out past the face. That's the part I'd ask any contractor about, and it's why we set our counter cap so water runs off the front instead of soaking down into the stone.
A kitchen rarely stands on its own, so we also handle the work around it. Our walkway construction ties the cooking area into the patio and the rest of the yard, and brick wall installation can carry the same look out into a garden wall or a screen along the property line.
A new kitchen from the block up
This suits you if you're starting with a bare patio or a flat spot in the yard, because we can put the footing and the openings for the grill, sink and doors exactly where you want them. Nothing has to be worked around.
New stone on your existing base
This suits you if the base is solid but the face looks tired or doesn't match the house, since keeping good block saves tearing out work that's still doing its job. I'll check the base first and tell you straight if it isn't worth keeping.
How can you tell your outdoor kitchen needs work?
Stone that's coming loose
If stones sound hollow when you tap them or have popped off near the corners, water has usually worked in behind the face. Left alone, a few more let go every winter.
Cracks across the base
A crack that runs straight through stone and mortar alike usually means the block or footing underneath has shifted. Water gets in and widens it, and a patch job can turn into a rebuild.
White streaks below the counter
Chalky white streaks on the stone under the counter usually mean water is soaking in at the top and drying out on the face. The longer it goes, the more it weakens the mortar.
Still grilling on a cart
If you're wheeling the grill out of the garage and stacking plates on a folding table, you've outgrown the setup. Building before you redo the patio saves tearing up new paving later.
What happens after you call about an outdoor kitchen?
I come out to look
You call or send a message, and I come out myself to walk the space with you. You get a written estimate, and any permit gets taken care of before we start.
Our crew builds the kitchen
Our lead mason and crew build it while I stop by to check. Block usually sits on pallets near the work, covered if rain's coming, so save a clear spot close by.
We walk the finished job
When the last stone is set and the site's cleaned up, we walk the finished kitchen together. I'll show you how the top sheds water and what upkeep the counter needs.
Outdoor kitchen questions we hear
Here are straight answers to what people ask us most about outdoor kitchens. If your yard or your old base raises a question that isn't here, call and ask me.
How much does an outdoor kitchen cost in El Dorado Hills?
There's no honest single price for an outdoor kitchen, because the size and the finish swing it more than anything else. Refacing a sound base usually costs less than starting from the ground, manufactured stone usually runs less than natural stone, and every extra opening for an appliance, sink or door adds block work and stone cuts. Your written estimate breaks those choices out so you can see where to save.
What is manufactured stone veneer?
Manufactured stone veneer is a lightweight facing cast from cement-based materials and aggregate to look like natural stone, and it isn't built to carry weight. That's why the block underneath does the holding up and you choose the veneer for the colors and shapes you like.
Can you put stone over my existing outdoor kitchen base?
Yes, if the base is concrete or block that's clean and rough, installation guidance says veneer can go right onto it. Paint, sealer, waterproofing, dirt or form oil keep the mortar from gripping, so a painted or sealed base needs more prep, and a surface that still won't hold the bond gets lath, a mesh backing, and a scratch coat, a rough layer of mortar, before the stone goes on.
What causes stone veneer to come loose on an outdoor kitchen?
Most loose stone comes down to water getting behind the face or a surface the mortar never really gripped. Trade guidance says manufactured stone shouldn't be bonded straight onto clay brick, and any lath behind it has to be corrosion resistant, such as galvanized steel, stainless steel or a rated nonmetallic lath, so it's fair to ask a crew which one they plan to use.
How often does a stone outdoor countertop need sealing?
Stone industry guidance says a good sealer on a granite or marble countertop should last ten to fifteen years while resisting water and oil stains. In many cases sealing those countertops makes sense, so with a good product it's a once-a-decade-or-so chore, not a yearly one.
How do I apply for a building permit in El Dorado Hills?
You apply through the county's Building Division, which takes basic building permit applications from contractors and owner-builders online through its e-TRAKiT system. Not every permit type is online yet, so for the others you'd contact the county, which also offers in-person appointments at its Placerville office. Before work starts, it's worth looking up your address on the State Fire Marshal's fire hazard zone map, because the county is still updating its own pages to match the state's latest zones.
Get a written estimate for your outdoor kitchen
Tell us about the space and attach photos of the yard and any existing base, and we'll reply within one business day. I'll come look for free, then send a written estimate with no obligation.
Examples of outdoor kitchen masonry
Work that pairs with an outdoor kitchen
Walkway construction
A solid path from the back door to the grill keeps guests off soggy lawn and gives you a steady place to carry hot plates after dark.
Learn moreBrick wall installation
A low brick wall frames the cooking area, gives guests a place to sit and makes new masonry look like it was always part of the yard.
Learn more