Does An Outdoor Kitchen Add Value To A Home?

Outdoor kitchens are becoming increasingly popular, and if you're considering an outdoor kitchen project at your new or existing property, you've probably wondered whether or not it will add value to your home.

It's a fair question because after all - some home improvement projects add clear value to a home whereas others don't.

We've created this guide to help you sort out whether or not an outdoor kitchen can add value to your home, or better yet, make you a positive return on investment.

While a positive ROI might not be the only deciding factor in whether or not to move forward with a project, it's helpful to understand the value you're adding to your home.

The Short Answer

In short, yes, an outdoor kitchen will almost always add value to your home.  This is because outdoor kitchens are seen as aesthetically pleasing and functional entertaining spaces that are desired by much of the home buyer pool.

With that being said, the more important question is - will my outdoor kitchen add more value to my home than the cost of the project?

Say an outdoor kitchen project costs you $15,000 but only raises the value of your home by $10,000.  Technically, the outdoor kitchen added value to your home.  But the costs were greater than the value add.

Scenarios When Outdoor Kitchens Can Have A Positive Return On Investment

 Typically, there are a few factors present when an outdoor kitchen has a positive ROI.  Here are some of those factors:

• The quality/grade of the kitchen matches the rest of the property.  If you put a $50,000 luxury outdoor kitchen in a two bed one bath bungalow, odds are you aren't going to see a positive ROI because the outdoor kitchen cost will be disproportionate to the cost of the home.  The opposite holds true as well - if you put a cheaply made brand into a mansion's outdoor kitchen, you are lowering the chance to see a positive return.
• The outdoor kitchen is thoughtfully integrated into the property's outdoor living area.  People will pay a premium for properties that have lots of outdoor living square footage that can be used to entertain.
• The properties surrounding yours don't have outdoor kitchens.  The simple rules of supply and demand tell us that if you are one of the few properties in the area with a beautiful outdoor kitchen, you'll be able to receive a higher premium when you go to sell.

What Should An Outdoor Kitchen Include?

While an outdoor kitchen is available in a great range of dimensions, shapes, and designs, there's something unchangeable about it: an outdoor kitchen is all about cooking and enjoying yourself.

At a minimum, an outdoor kitchen should include a centerpiece cooking appliance - most often a grill, outdoor griddle, pizza oven, or some combination thereof.

From there, the most common pieces would be access doors and storage drawers.  As long as you have a centerpiece cooker and some storage, you can have a highly functional outdoor kitchen.

Of course, there are other product options to really customize your outdoor kitchen that you can include such as:

• Trash drawers
• Paper towel holders
• Outdoor refrigerators
• Outdoor ice makers
• Side burners
• Prep centers
• Bar centers & sinks

That's just to name a few.  As long as your design is functional and intuitive, you should get plenty of value out of the investment you put in.

The Bottom Line

Building an open air outdoor kitchen and bringing the party outside is more than just a trend, and regardless of geography, budget, culinary taste, or occasion for gathering, it is a great idea to invest money in.

In the post COVID era, people have sought to spend more time outdoors.  Outdoor kitchens are in demand and we don't see that going away any time soon.

Questions about your project?  Reach out to our team any time, we will be happy to help you.