Outdoor kitchens in Sarasota

Yes. Creative Edge Outdoor Living has built several outdoor kitchens under lanai roofs, some with a vent hood over the grill. The grill's own manual sets how close it can sit to a wall or ceiling, so tell us which grill you have in mind when you call.

Yes, when the metal and the finishes are chosen for it, and ours are. Most of the appliances we install are 304 stainless steel, and we also use powder-coated stainless. Every sealer and appliance we use is made for salt air, and the island is anchored with footings and lag bolts. FEMA's guidance for coastal building says "In coastal applications, stainless steel should be Type 304 or Type 316" (FEMA Technical Bulletin 8), and that salt spray "declines rapidly in the first 300 to 3,000 feet landward of the shoreline" but that "studies have shown accelerated corrosion rates as far inland as 5 to 10 miles". On a waterfront or island lot, tell us when you call, and ask about the grade of any grill, door or drawer you are choosing.

Either works in an outdoor kitchen, and the choice usually comes down to what your house already has. Natural gas needs a line from the utility. Propane runs from a tank that is refilled or swapped. Tell us which one you have and where the meter or tank sits.

Before a hurricane, clear everything loose from around your outdoor kitchen. Federal hurricane guidance says to secure grills and outdoor furniture or move them inside (Ready.gov). A built-in island cannot be moved, so the list is what sits around it: stools, cushions and cart grills. Planning a kitchen? Tell us where it goes and we will talk through what stays out in a storm.

Yes, if the kitchen has gas, electrical or plumbing work, and most do. The City of Sarasota requires a permit to "erect, install, enlarge, alter, repair, remove, convert or replace any required impact-resistant coverings, electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system" (permit guideline 105.1). Manatee County's list of work that needs a permit includes "Natural Gas Line install", "Propane Tank install", "Any alteration of electrical" and "Concrete slab with footers" (Manatee County Building Division). Florida's new exemption for work valued at less than $7,500 does not change this: the statute excludes "Any electrical, plumbing, structural, mechanical, or gas work" and "Work on a property that is partially or entirely located in a flood hazard area" (s. 553.79(1)(g), F.S.). Which office issues the permit depends on your address: the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County, Manatee County, the City of Bradenton or one of the island cities. Our guide, Do you need a permit for an outdoor kitchen in Sarasota or Manatee County?, lists each office with its phone number. Confirm with the office for your address before you build.

Usually, yes, if your home is in a deed-restricted community: the association reviews exterior work before you apply for a permit. In Lakewood Ranch, for example, the Country Club/Edgewater Village Association homeowners manual says a "Modification Request Form is required for all exterior construction" (Country Club/Edgewater Village Association manual, 2022), and the Summerfield and Riverwalk manual says "Upon receipt of written approval, a homeowner may proceed with filing for building permits, if applicable" (Summerfield/Riverwalk manual). Some communities also set where a kitchen can go: the design standards for Esplanade at Lakewood Ranch say "Outdoor kitchens must be contained inside the lanai" (Esplanade Community Design Standards, 2023). The manuals we read may not be the latest editions, so ask your association for its current standards before you settle on a design, and send them to us with your estimate request.

The price of an outdoor kitchen depends most on its size, its finish and its appliances. A straight grill island is a smaller job than a U-shaped kitchen with a hood. Call 941-879-4777 or send the form with photos.

Yes. We offer pre-fab models made of composite or polymer. Most of what we build is custom: designed with you, built to your space and your liking, with no set sizes to work around. Tell us which you have in mind and we will price it.

Most of our outdoor kitchens land between $8,000 and $45,000 or more. What moves the price is the appliances, the countertops and the finish. Appliances alone cover a wide range: the entry-level line we use most is True-Flame, we also install Blaze, American Made, Lynx and Napoleon, and we have put in Kalamazoo, a very high-end brand. Concrete countertops run about $100 to $150 a square foot, and stone on the face of the island $12 to $110 or more a square foot. There is no job too small, and estimates are free: call 941-879-4777 or send the form with photos of the space. Our guide, What an outdoor kitchen costs in Sarasota, has more.

Our jobs run from two days to four weeks or more, depending on the job. Your start date is locked in when the deposit is received. From then on we work on the kitchen every day until it is done, apart from the days spent waiting on the countertops or stone, or on your color and finish choices.

Licensed trades do. We do not do gas, electrical or plumbing work ourselves, and we do not pull permits; we work hand in hand with the trades who do, to get the job completed. We do prepare the paperwork for your HOA. Our permit guide says which office issues the permit for your address.

Powder-coated, noncombustible framing. We also build islands in block, stone or concrete. The structure is anchored with footings and lag bolts, and every sealer we use is made for salt air.

The appliances are your choice, and we work with any brand you want. The entry-level line we use most is True-Flame. We also install Blaze, American Made, Lynx and Napoleon, and we have put in Kalamazoo, a very high-end brand. Most of the appliances we use are 304 stainless steel or powder-coated stainless, made for salt air, and most carry their own warranty.

Usually not, if someone else built it. We would rather say so up front: when we did not build the island, we cannot see what steps the first builder took or what we would be getting into, so we keep to our own work. If you want a new kitchen in place of the old one, send photos of what is there and we will talk it through.

Yes. We prepare the paperwork for your HOA. Send us your association's current standards with your estimate request, so what we draw follows them from the start.

Insurance: Insured.

We take jobs in Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Anna Maria Island, Parrish and Venice. Tell us where your home is when you call 941-879-4777 or send the form.

Estimates are free.

We warranty our work, and most appliances carry their own warranties.