Adding an exterior installation to your home, such an outdoor kitchen, can boost the property value of your southern California backyard like nothing else. Adding an outdoor kitchen to your backyard is actually less expensive than installing a new room inside your home. Installing a new room inside your home requires you to do as much deconstructing as it does constructing, considering that you have to take down walls to make room for new entertaining spaces, etc.
Not only are outdoor installments less expensive but they’re also far less timely. Because you’re not having to do much deconstructing and you’re just adding to what is likely an already vacant space, then you’ve hypothetically cut your renovation timeline in half. Saving time and money in your attempt to remodel and, therefore, increase the value of your California backyard are invaluable when you’re trying to sell your home.
You don’t want to invest too much money in your house though, lest you lose some of your investment if your asking price can’t be met by prospective homebuyers. Additionally, any time that you don’t have to spend renovating your home can be spent packing, moving and dealing with the slew of responsibilities that comes with being the owner of a new home.
Last but not least, on the list of reasons why you should consider upgrading your backyard with an outdoor kitchen: Outdoor installations are the perfect way to upgrade your home and increase its property value when you live in a place as beautiful as southern California. The weather is perfect for outdoor activities on most days, and what better way to spend an early evening after work than cooking and dining with friends at a luxurious outdoor kitchen?
Why Add an Outdoor Kitchen?
If you want to get specific, upgrading the exterior of your home with something as simple as a deck or a patio increases the average return on investment for home sellers to as much as 73%. However – and prepare yourself because these numbers are pretty crazy – installing an outdoor kitchen to your backyard increases the average return on investment by 100 to 200%.
We like those odds.
Now, that number is highly dependent on the climate in which the outdoor kitchen is built, of course. But, like we said earlier, if you’re living in the paradise otherwise known as southern California, you definitely don’t have to worry about that number slipping much (if any) lower.
As far as we’re concerned, this outdoor kitchen idea is a win-win-win situation. All angles look good for you.
Now that we’ve covered why you should install an outdoor kitchen in your California backyard and outlined how its association with your home increases your home’s value, let’s talk about the five ways you can set up your outdoor kitchen in order to increase the value of your home:
1. Don’t build your outdoor kitchen with cheap materials or appliances
It may be tempting to go for materials that are going to initially go easy on your wallet, but you don’t want to take the time to install a space that’s not going to last. Actually, if you set up your backyard with a faulty outdoor kitchen with appliance that will need to be replaced in a year or two – well, that can actually bring your property value down.
Don’t take shortcuts. Go big or go home. And the whole point of installing a new piece is to get prospective homebuyers to go to your home, so just go big.
2. Be honest with yourself about your budget for your outdoor kitchen
Like we mentioned earlier, you don’t want to spend too much money on any upgrades in your home. If you spend too much money, it’s possible that you’ll lose some of it when you actually sell your home, if prospective homebuyers aren’t able to meet your asking price (due to the market, etc.).
Now, of course, you don’t want to spend too little on materials. You want to spend exactly the right amount, which is why it’s important to be intimately familiar with your budget. Exactly how much money do you have to invest in home upgrades in general? What portion of that would you like to designate to your outdoor kitchen installment?
It may be wise to discuss your finances and realistic options with a financial advisor and/or real estate agent.
3. Consider which appliances you want to include in your outdoor kitchen
Besides budget, you need to consider what you want your appliances to do (functionally, speaking) and how you want your appliances to look. The latter part of that statement means that you’ll have to be thinking about the overall design and feel of your outdoor kitchen before you purchase any of your appliances. You don’t want to get a stainless steel stove if you’re going for a look that’s a little more traditional than modern.
(Note: While it’s important to consider your own patio furniture when purchasing appliances because a cohesive design will be more appealing to prospective home buyers, you also need to consider appliances that are going to be adjustable to the future home owners’ style.)
The basic appliances that are included in more indoor kitchens include the oven, the stove, the microwave, the dishwasher and the refrigerator. Most traditional outdoor dining setups include a basic grill, a chimenea, a patio table and chairs. Maybe these things are stationed on an outdoor deck. Your outdoor kitchen should be the perfect blend of appliances between the average indoor kitchen and outdoor dining space.
Most outdoor kitchens don’t have refrigerators (storing any food outside long-term could draw the attention of unwanted house pests), microwaves or dishwashers, so these aren’t things you’ll have to worry about.
Consider these questions: Do you want an outdoor grill or an outdoor stove? Do you want your kitchen to have both appliances? What would be the benefits of having both?
4. Consider additional upgrades to your yard for your outdoor kitchen
When you do something as major as install an entire “room” in your outdoor space, you have to think about what you already have in your backyard and what will happen to those things when your outdoor kitchen is installed.
Your patio setup is great where it is now, but it’s going to have to make way for the future king of your backyard: Your outdoor kitchen.
Here are some questions to consider:
- Do you already have a deck on which to station your outdoor kitchen? If so, is there enough space to house all the appliances you’re considering? If not, might you consider building a second deck somewhere else in your backyard? Is your backyard big enough for two decks?
- Would you be interested in building a roof over your outdoor kitchen? Would you be concerned that adding a roof might defeat the purpose of installing a kitchen “outdoors”? Is this concern more or less important to you than staying dry if it happens to drizzle during your cookout?
- Would you consider installing a bar and a set of bar stools off of or next to the counter for your outdoor kitchen? Do you think your current patio seating will suffice? Would you consider replacing your current patio setup with a bar at your new outdoor kitchen?
5. Plan the placement of your outdoor kitchen
We know what you’re thinking: “Plan the placement? Our outdoor kitchen is going outside. Planning done.” OK, listen, Smarty Pants, we meant that you have to consider where in your backyard you want to install your outdoor kitchen.
For example, you could place your outdoor kitchen directly in the center of your California backyard, making it the centerpiece, the focal point of your backyard. Placing your outdoor kitchen in the middle of your yard says, “This yard was built for entertainment. It is its destiny.”
Installing your outdoor kitchen there can be a great selling point for younger future residents without kids or pets, but making this move also alienates future residents who do have kids or pets. If the outdoor kitchen is directly in the middle of the backyard, where will the kids play? Where will the dogs play? What’s the point of even having a backyard, as a parent and puppy-parent, if you can’t even use it?
Do some research on the demographics in your area before deciding where you should install your outdoor kitchen. However you decide to design your outdoor kitchen in your California backyard, we know that it will increase your property value when you’re ready to sell your home.
If you’re ready to pull the trigger on the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, reach out to Armand’s Discount. We have a number of outdoor fireplaces, outdoor ovens, outdoor pizza ovens and more for you to choose from. Our team installs the setup for you and there’s a warranty on sales, so if anything breaks or malfunctions, we’ll be there as soon as possible to fix it for you. Call us today to learn more.