Orlando Outdoor Kitchens is an independent matching service for homeowners buying an outdoor kitchen in Orlando and the wider Central Florida. We built it because outdoor kitchen pricing in this trade is genuinely opaque: the same counter run can be quoted at two very different prices, and the difference is usually what has been left out — the utility runs, the footings, the permit, the trenching — rather than what is included.
What we do
We publish the local conditions and the published trade figures that affect outdoor kitchens in and around Orlando, we run free tools and calculators on the site, and we route quote requests to licensed local professionals who do the work. Requests go to up to three providers, usually within one business day. There is no fee for homeowners and no obligation to hire anyone.
We are not a contractor
To be explicit: we are not a contractor. We do not design, build or install outdoor kitchens. We do not pour slabs or footings, we do not run gas, water or electrical lines, we do not sell appliances, stone or cabinetry, we do not hold the contract for any job, and we do not warrant the work of any professional we introduce. Every claim about what will be done on your property, and every warranty behind it, belongs to the licensed professional you hire. We are the introduction, not the builder.
Who we serve
Our coverage follows Orlando and the surrounding Orange County (the Orlando metro spans Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties) area across Central Florida. Nearly everything that governs an outdoor kitchen here is decided locally: permits are issued by Inside Orlando city limits the City of Orlando Permitting Services Division (Economic Development Department) issues the residential building/structural, electrical, plumbing and fuel-gas permits an outdoor kitchen needs, and applications run through the online Digital Permits (ProjectDox) portal; it is located at City Hall, 400 South Orange Avenue, 1st Floor, Orlando, FL 32801, phone 407-246-2121 (https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Permits-Inspections). A site plan and, for jobs over $5,000, a recorded Notice of Commencement are required, and homeowner-performed work needs a signed Owner/Builder Declaration submitted in person at the Permitting Services office (https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Permits-Inspections/Get-a-Permit/Permitting-Checklists/Residential-Permitting-Requirements)., HOA approval is a separate process through Most newer Orlando-area subdivisions are deed-restricted, and a built-in outdoor kitchen almost always changes the exterior appearance of the lot, so architectural review is normally required before work starts. Florida law sets the ground rules: under Fla. Stat. §720.3035 an HOA or its architectural review committee may only review and enforce standards for location, size, type or appearance that are 'specifically stated or reasonably inferred' in the recorded declaration of covenants; it must apply those standards reasonably and equitably to every owner; and if it denies an application it must send written notice identifying the specific covenant relied on and the specific aspect of the proposed improvement that does not conform (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0700-0799/0720/Sections/0720.3035.html). A homeowner who builds without approval risks fines of up to $100 per day capped at $1,000 (unless the governing documents allow more) plus a requirement to remove the improvement under §720.305, so get written ARC approval before ordering materials and confirm setbacks against the governing documents and the local land development code (same statute)., and gas is supplied through In Florida, running a natural-gas or LP-gas line to a grill is licensed plumbing-contractor work: Fla. Stat. §489.105(3)(m) places 'the installation of water, natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and related venting' inside the scope of a certified plumbing contractor, and §489.113(3) requires a general contractor to subcontract gas work unless it holds that trade license itself, so a homeowner cannot legally pull and self-perform the run (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0489/0489.html). Liquefied-petroleum (propane) installations are separately regulated under Fla. Stat. Chapter 527, which licenses LP-gas dealers and installers (https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0500-0599/0527/0527.html). The local building department issues the fuel-gas permit and inspects and pressure-tests the line as part of the same residential permit set before a meter or tank feeds the appliance; TECO Peoples Gas is the natural-gas utility serving the Orlando area and handles new-service and meter requests through its customer care line (https://www.peoplesgas.com/contact).. Gas line work, new electrical circuits and any covered structure usually need a permit, and the gas and electrical work has to be done by licensed trades. That layering is one reason the introduction matters — a professional who works in your jurisdiction knows which authority is issuing the permit and what the inspection sequence looks like.
We serve homeowners and property managers building a first outdoor kitchen, replacing one that has failed, or adding a cover, a bar or a fireplace to a space that already works. Same free process either way.
How to check a professional before you hire
- Confirm the contractor has built outdoor kitchens, not just indoor remodels
- Verify the company carries current general liability and workers comp insurance
- Request references from outdoor projects completed in the last two years
- Confirm the structure warranty covers at least one year
- Ask who pulls the gas, electrical, and plumbing permits and who does the utility connections
- Ask for a written utility plan covering gas line sizing, electrical circuit capacity, and water shutoff locations before signing
- Verify gas lines are pressure-tested before the grill is connected
- Check that electrical circuits are grounded and GFCI-protected
- Ask for the counter run itemised by material and rate per linear foot, not just a total
- Ask how the build handles wind, rain, and freeze-thaw in your climate
- Read the payment schedule: a deposit at contract is normal, payment in full before the counter and appliances are set is not
Why the numbers on this site are sourced
Cost bands, per-linear-foot rates, installed add-on ranges and lifespans here are the published trade figures, quoted as published rather than rounded or averaged. Where the site names a material choice, it names the published comparison behind it, and where a figure does not exist publicly we say so and tell you what to ask instead. The local detail — permitting authority, gas supply, the soil under the footings and what the climate does to a counter run — belongs to the jurisdiction you are building in, which is why it is stated per market rather than borrowed from another one.
Nobody should be choosing a five-figure build on the strength of a phone call.
Frequently asked questions
Are you an outdoor kitchen contractor?
No. We are an independent matching service and we are not a contractor. The professional who takes the job holds the contract, the licence and the warranty for the work.
How do you make money?
The service is free to homeowners. Requests are routed to local professionals who participate in the network; nothing is charged to you for the introduction, and no provider is ranked by payment.
Which areas do you cover?
Orlando and the surrounding Orange County (the Orlando metro spans Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties) area across Central Florida. If you are outside a town limit, say which crossroads you are nearest and we will route from there.
