Built-in grill island
The usual build is a block island with the grill set in and counter on both sides, so you have somewhere to put a platter down instead of balancing it on the lid.
Outdoor kitchen masonry in Little Rock AR - a block base built around your grill
Tired of hauling food out to a rolling grill? We build a block and stone kitchen that fits your appliances and stays put outside.
- Fully licensed and insured.
- Free estimates at your property.
- Expect a reply within 1 business day.
What goes into a masonry outdoor kitchen
Outdoor kitchen masonry in Little Rock is the permanent base for your grill and counters. It's a concrete block structure set on a reinforced concrete slab and faced with stone veneer, brick or another finish, so it can stay outside year-round.
Most people who call us about this have a patio and a grill on wheels, and they want something that stays put and has counter space. The price mostly follows the size of the island, how many appliances it holds, the finish you pick and how much ground work the slab needs. The schedule turns on how soon your appliances are chosen and when your plumber and electrician can come.
I come out, look at the spot and write up what we'd build and why, so you have your own numbers in front of you before you decide anything.
I'm on the job myself
I come out to look at your yard, then work on the build alongside our crew, so the person who planned your openings is there when they're laid. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Questions answered as often as needed
I'd rather explain something twice than have you sign off on a plan you don't understand, so ask about any opening, height or finish until it makes sense.
Masonry that suits your house
Since 2021 we've been best known for repair on older brick homes, where the work is matching what's already there, so we think about how a new kitchen sits beside your brick.
How we build an outdoor kitchen, step by step
The work starts before any block shows up. We ask you to pick your grill and appliances first because the block layout is built around their sizes, and a grill that's an inch off means tearing out block and starting over. One industry guide gives the same advice, and I've seen enough rework to agree with it. Once we know what's going in, our crew pours a reinforced concrete slab and lays the concrete block base on it, with every opening sized to your units.
With the block up, we step aside so your plumber and electrician can rough in, which means running the gas, water and power lines into place while everything is still open. Book them for the middle of the build, because the stone waits on them. When they're done, we fasten metal lath, a wire mesh, over the block, trowel on a rough first coat of mortar called the scratch coat and set the stone. That same guide calls stone veneer the most popular finish, though we can face the base in brick to go with your house. If the kitchen ties into a garden wall or needs a path from the back door, we can handle the brick wall installation and walkway construction in the same project.
The ground matters here. Arkansas has expansive clays that shrink as they dry and swell when they get wet, and houses built without accounting for that can break apart. A slab poured on that clay can crack and tip your counters the same way. Many of those problems can be handled with steps taken before construction, so we talk through your soil with you before the slab goes in. We're based in Little Rock and work in the cities around it across central Arkansas.
What a masonry outdoor kitchen can include
Sink and prep counter
A sink turns the island into a real prep station so you're not walking raw meat back through the house, and the base just needs room underneath for the water and drain lines.
Under-counter fridge or storage
An opening for a small fridge, drawers or doors keeps drinks and tools out by the grill. Like the grill, each one is sized from the unit you've actually bought.
Raised bar on the far side
Stepping the back of the island up to bar height lets people sit and talk with whoever's cooking, and the block simply climbs a few more courses to get there.
Get a written plan for your outdoor kitchen
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. I'll come look at your yard, then write up what we'd build and why. The estimate is free and there's no pressure to book.
Your grill and appliance picks
Bring the makes and models you've chosen, or the ones you're leaning toward, because I lay out the block openings from their cutout sizes and can't size them from a guess.
Where it sits in your yard
Show me where you picture the kitchen and where your back door, gas meter and power are, since those decide how far your plumber and electrician have to run their lines.
The finish you have in mind
Stone, brick or something to match the house each changes what goes over the block, so a photo of a finish you like helps me write up the right plan.
Outdoor masonry finishes and layouts to compare
These photos show stone, brick and block finishes, counter layouts and patio setups you can point to when we talk through your plan.
Questions about building an outdoor kitchen here
These are the questions Little Rock homeowners ask once they start planning a grill island, from permits to gas lines and price.
Does an outdoor kitchen need a permit in Little Rock?
It can, and the city's Building Codes Division is the office that issues construction permits and reviews and inspects building, plumbing, mechanical and electrical work. Before we start, we check with the office that covers your address, and if a permit is needed we apply for it. You can also ask the city directly at (501) 371-4832 or Permits@littlerock.gov.
How much does an outdoor kitchen cost in Little Rock?
There's no honest single number, because the cost follows what you build. A straight grill run with one opening costs less than an L-shaped island with a sink, fridge and raised bar. Stone veneer adds lath, a scratch coat and hand-set stone over the block. Your estimate spells out each piece so you can add or trim before deciding.
Does a built-in grill need insulation in a masonry island?
One outdoor kitchen guide says it does, calling for non-combustible insulation, a layer that won't burn, between the grill's firebox and the masonry around it. Ask any builder whether that layer is in the plan for your grill, us included, and get a straight answer before the block goes up.
How does a masonry outdoor kitchen keep water from pooling?
The same guide says the slab should slope away from the house and any enclosed sections of the base need drain holes, so rain doesn't sit inside the block. Ask your builder how their plan handles both, since standing water in a closed cabinet is hard to fix once the stone is on.
Who can run a gas line to an outdoor kitchen in Arkansas?
Someone the state has licensed for it, because Arkansas's State Committee of Plumbing Examiners decides who qualifies for plumbing and gas licenses. We're masons, fully licensed and insured for our part of the work, and we leave the gas, water and power to your plumber and electrician.
Other masonry that goes with an outdoor kitchen
Call us with your appliance list
We answer the phone into the evening and on weekends, so call (501) 274-1083 or email contact@littlerockmasonryandconcrete.com when it suits you.