A Broken Arrow outdoor kitchen and covered patio project can be approached as a single complete build (full scope construction in one project) or as a phased build (core elements in phase one, with planned additions in subsequent phases). The phased approach allows homeowners who want a complete outdoor kitchen environment but have a limited initial budget to begin with the highest-priority elements and add the remaining scope over time — but only if the first phase is correctly planned and stubbed-out for the additions that will come later. A poorly planned phase one requires expensive masonry demolition and reconstruction in phase two; a well-planned phase one makes phase two additions nearly as straightforward as if they were included in the original project. VistaScapes & Design designs phase-ready outdoor kitchen foundations on every Broken Arrow project where the homeowner anticipates future additions, regardless of the current project’s scope.
What to Include in Phase One
A well-planned phase one Broken Arrow outdoor kitchen should include all the infrastructure that is expensive or disruptive to add later: the concrete slab (the masonry kitchen base and covered patio must sit on a properly engineered concrete slab — if the slab is too small for the full project footprint planned, expanding it in phase two requires breaking up the existing slab edge or pouring a new adjacent slab section with a control joint between them); the gas supply line (running the gas line from the home to the outdoor kitchen location and sizing it for the full appliance load of the completed project, not just phase one’s appliances — a gas line that is sized for a single grill in phase one and then found to be undersized for phase two’s additional appliances requires the entire underground run to be upsized); the electrical conduit (running the conduit for the full electrical system — covered patio lighting, ceiling fan boxes, outdoor kitchen circuits — during phase one when excavation and framing are in progress avoids the costly excavation and structural disruption required to add conduit in phase two); and rough-in stub-outs for phase two appliances (a capped gas connection, an electrical junction box, and a masonry cavity or open CMU section sized for the refrigerator or additional appliance that will be added in phase two — these are inexpensive to include in phase one construction and eliminate the need to demolish finished masonry in phase two). The masonry base design for a phased project should plan the full-scope base dimensions and mark the phase one / phase two boundary clearly — in phase one, the base is constructed to its full intended footprint (even if some sections are temporarily non-functional cavities with plywood fronts), or the base is designed with a defined break point where the phase two section will attach without disrupting the phase one construction.
Budget Allocation Across Phases
A typical phased Broken Arrow outdoor kitchen budget allocation for a full project target of $55,000 to $65,000: phase one ($30,000 to $40,000) includes the concrete slab, full gas and electrical infrastructure, the masonry base constructed to the complete footprint (with stub-outs), the countertop for the cooking zone, the grill and one or two key appliances (side burner, refrigerator), and the covered patio roof structure; phase two ($15,000 to $25,000) adds the bar section countertop extension, the remaining appliances (ice maker, additional refrigerator, kegerator, outdoor sink), finish work on the bar zone, and any landscape additions adjacent to the patio. This allocation keeps the phase one project usable as a complete cooking and entertaining environment while leaving the aspirational elements for phase two when budget allows. The cost premium of building in two phases versus one is typically 10 to 20% due to mobilization costs, the need for two permit applications for structural additions, and the disruption of returning to an existing project site — homeowners who can budget the complete project in one phase should do so for maximum cost efficiency. VistaScapes & Design provides phase planning with explicit stub-out specifications on every Broken Arrow project where future additions are anticipated, regardless of whether phase two is 1 year or 5 years away.
Call VistaScapes & Design at (918) 779-1317 for a free outdoor kitchen consultation in Broken Arrow. We’ll design a phased project plan that gets you started with the right foundation for the complete outdoor kitchen you’re building toward.
