If you have been considering adding an outdoor kitchen to your home for quite some time but are worried about the investment that is required, it is a good idea to consider how much value it can add to your home. You might be wondering if an outdoor kitchen can add value to a home. That is a good question to have answered before you start to make such a major investment.
Outdoor kitchens do add value to your home because more and more people want one. This area of the home continues to grow in popularity across the country, so you can expect a potential return on your investment of between 100 and 200 percent as compared to homes that don’t have an outdoor kitchen.
Not only can an outdoor kitchen get you a higher market price when you go to sell your home, but it can also provide you with many years of enjoyment while you are living in it. There are quite a few benefits to talk about here, so continue reading to learn more about why having an outdoor kitchen can potentially add value to your home.
How Much Value Can an Outdoor Kitchen Add to My Home?
There are a number of factors that determine how much value can be added to your home when you add an outdoor kitchen. Much of it depends on the market, location, and the quality of the kitchen that you end up adding. On the whole, you can expect to receive up to a 200% ROI.
Since an outdoor kitchen brings value and enjoyment to the homeowner, you might be considering adding one to your backyard even absent being able to receive any financial gain. However, the general rule is that you will at least get the amount of money you paid for the kitchen back out of it when you go to sell your house years down the road.
In many cases, you will find that an outdoor kitchen will actually increase the value of your home by more than you paid for the kitchen in the first place. This has to do with the desirability of outdoor kitchens in your area and how many already exist.
Many prospective homeowners would rather not build an outdoor kitchen on their own. Instead, they desire to buy a home that already has everything that they need to hold great outdoor gatherings installed and ready to use from day one. If very few homes in your area have an outdoor kitchen, you will find that the added value to your home can be even greater.
4 Reasons an Outdoor Kitchen Adds Value to Your Home
Even if an outdoor kitchen ends up costing you a bit more than you will get back when you go to sell the home, there is still great value to be had. It is important to consider your quality of life and the amount of enjoyment that you will get out of the area as you think about adding this component to your home. Here are four ways that an Outdoor kitchen can add value to your home.
Outdoor Kitchens are Practical
No matter where in the country you live, an outdoor kitchen can be a practical addition to your house. In a day and age when finding quality time together with family and friends can be difficult, meeting outdoors is a great way to enjoy one another’s company. There is little better way to do that than by having an outdoor kitchen built and ready to use.
There is something special about cooking outdoors that appeals to many different types of people. If you build your outdoor kitchen properly, it can last for many decades with adequate maintenance and upkeep. Just think about how many barbecues and family reunions you can enjoy in this space.
Having an outdoor kitchen provides you with a practical space to cook and not make a terrible mess inside your house. It also provides most homes with more room to accommodate everyone. You might not even want people to be inside your home. You can keep everyone outside, enjoy your backyard, and be able to cook for everyone with minimal fuss.
There are many different practical uses for an outdoor kitchen. Here are just a few of them:
- Company or team parties – If you are looking for a great way to interact with your colleagues away from the office, inviting them over to your outdoor kitchen area is an excellent idea. This is much more personal than going to a restaurant, and it is a lot less expensive as well. This is a great and practical use for your kitchen.
- Kid’s birthday parties – It seems like most birthday parties for children these days are held at local venues instead of a house. The reason behind this is that most people probably do not have an outdoor kitchen. This provides a great venue right on your own property to hold your kid’s birthday party. It is safe and affordable, and results in the most memorable experience that you can cherish for the rest of your life.
- Romantic dinners – You do not always have to invite dozens of people over to your house to get great use out of your outdoor kitchen. Sometimes, the best use of this area of your home is to slow down and just create a romantic dinner for two. This gets you out of the house, and you can enjoy a home-cooked meal with the person that you enjoy being with most in this life.
- Milestone recognitions – There are many milestones in life that deserve to be recognized. A few of them that come to mind are retirement, a job promotion, and high school or college graduation. Whatever the occasion might be, your outdoor kitchen provides a great venue to hold the celebration. It is perfect for a larger group setting, and you can control the environment to make it a most special occasion for everyone involved.
These are just a few of the many practical uses of any outdoor kitchen. Each one of them applies to most types of families at some level. This also illustrates once again how the addition of an outdoor kitchen can add tremendous value to your home.
Outdoor Kitchens Increase the Appeal of the House
If you are looking for another way that outdoor kitchens increase the value of your home, the appeal is a concept that comes to mind.
- An outdoor kitchen looks great.
- It creates an ambiance that many backyards lack.
If you are looking for something to do with a certain area of your yard, an outdoor kitchen is something worth considering.
You do not need a big space to create an outdoor kitchen. You can create this at a condo or a single-family residence. You can put an outdoor kitchen over concrete or grass. The possibilities are endless. Some people will put their outdoor kitchen near a pool, while others will make it the focal point of a fire pit. This is where your personality can come through in the design process.
While an outdoor kitchen may take some work to get done properly, the benefits are certainly there once it is finished. It could very well be the one area of your house that sways a potential buyer your way over homes in the neighborhood. The appeal of an outdoor kitchen simply cannot be denied. It adds a look and function to the house that many other homes do not have.
Greater Appeal Can Result in a Higher Perception of Value
When thinking about how outdoor kitchens carry a certain amount of appeal, you can equate it to how you might think about the function of a pool. A prospective buyer might not be wanting a pool until they see a beautiful one at a house they are looking at. If it really catches their eye, they may be easily won over, and that will make the purchasing decision easier for them.
Similarly, an outdoor kitchen will also attract attention. Your neighbors, friends, and even family members will begin to take notice. When you decide it is time to sell your home, you can count on these individuals to tell others about your home and the outdoor kitchen that you have created. Word of mouth effectively increases the value of your home as well.
Consider the other homes in your neighborhood right now. How many of them already have outdoor kitchens? If the answer is not that many, then this bodes even better for the potential increase in the value of your own home. It will put you at a competitive advantage when you go to sell your home years down the road.
Outdoor Kitchens Add Value at Certain Times of the Year
If the time does come for you to sell your house, having an outdoor kitchen can make the decision for you when it comes to the best time of the year to do so. Unless you live in a year-round temperate climate, you will not want to sell in the winter months, as an outdoor kitchen will not look that appealing during those months of the year.
However, your outdoor kitchen will look really appealing to prospective homebuyers who are looking in the spring and summer months. When they see your home, they will begin to envision all of the great barbecues and parties that they can host in that part of the home. This will create more value in your home as a result.
An Outdoor Kitchen Makes the Home Feel Bigger
Another reason that outdoor kitchens add value to your home is that they will make your property feel bigger. This is particularly helpful if you live in a home that is a bit low on interior square footage or if you have a big family. The extra space outside and having somewhere to relax while the meal is being cooked is definitely an added bonus.
You will really notice this value-added feature associated with including an outdoor kitchen in your home during the summer. This is when you will find yourself spending more time outside cooking and enjoying the weather. The comfortable chairs and other furniture that you select will go a long way toward helping everyone enjoy the additional space.
How Much Will You Spend on an Outdoor Kitchen?
You can expect to spend anywhere from $2,000 to $30,000 on an outdoor kitchen. It comes down to the space you have available and the type of equipment that you decide to purchase. Much of it will have to do with the quality of the materials that you use in your outdoor kitchen as well.
If you are operating on a strict budget, you can still do quite a bit with $2,000. For that, you can end up with a nice countertop surrounded by a grill and patio. From there, you can really start to dream big. Some kitchens add a complete range oven, pizza oven, stainless steel high-end grills, and so much more. Get creative and make this your space.
What Should You Include in an Outdoor Kitchen?
Because you will be cooking outside, you want to at least include a grill and an outdoor range hood in your kitchen. It is also helpful to create a patio area where everyone can sit and relax. Beyond that, an outdoor bar will be a great addition to any outdoor kitchen, as will a few water features.
If you really want to make sure that your outdoor kitchen adds value to your home, you should also have one eye on what people generally want out of such an area. While it is fine to add your own personal touches to your kitchen, you do not want to create something that is so permanent it could be difficult to remove. That could end up limiting the number of prospective buyers that you have in the future.
Wrap-Up
Now that you know more about the potential financial benefits of adding an outdoor kitchen to your home, it is time to consider other advantages as well. There is a lot of enjoyment to be had from such a space, so perhaps now is the time to start planning your own outdoor kitchen and get it ready for next season.
