Grill sitting on a cart in the corner? We build a block and stone island around it, vented and ready for countertops.
Outdoor kitchen masonry in Aliso Viejo is the slab, the concrete block core and the stone facing that make up your island, with the top left ready for countertops and time set aside to line up the utility work, so your grill, sink and storage end up in one solid, finished piece.
Most people who call us have a patio, a grill they've picked out and a rough idea of where the sink and fridge should go. The price moves with the size and shape of the island, the stone you choose and how many appliances need openings. The schedule depends on the countertop shop and the other trades as much as on our masonry, and your estimate is written for your layout.
If you also want a path out to the kitchen or a low wall to close in the patio, our walkway construction and brick wall installation work fits into the same plan. Before we start, we check with the city's building office about your job, and when a permit is needed we handle the application and the inspections. California's licensing board puts laying concrete block and setting natural or manufactured stone under its masonry contractor license, and we're licensed and insured.
Tell us what you have in mind for the kitchen, and we'll get back to you to set a time to see your yard. A photo of the space and a rough sketch of the layout help us get started.
I look at the space, answer your questions and talk through where the grill, sink and any fire feature should sit. You get an estimate for your layout, so you know what the job involves before you spend anything.
Once you're ready, we sort out what the city needs, and if your association has to approve the work, we help you put the request together. The city schedules inspections by permit type, so if your job ends up with more than one permit, each one gets inspected on its own.
Aliso Viejo allows construction from 7am to 8pm Monday through Friday and 8am to 8pm on Saturday, with no construction on Sundays or federal holidays, so we work inside those hours. When the masonry is done, we clean up and walk the finished island with you.
I like to know your grill and any fire feature early, because the block core has to be built with the vents and openings they need, and that's far easier than cutting into finished stonework later. Once the core is up, the stone goes on cleanly over the block and the top is left ready for your countertops.
One stone maker's guide calls for capping the top edges with stone or metal flashing, cleaning the finished stone without acid, using only a breathable sealer if one is specified and protecting new stonework for at least 48 hours. A masonry trade group's guide shields fresh stone from fast drying for 72 hours when it's over 100°F, or over 90° with wind above 8 mph. So expect the new island to sit covered and untouched for a little while after we finish.
What an outdoor kitchen job covers:
If the block core is sound and the trouble is loose or cracked stone, we can usually take off the bad pieces, find out why they let go and reset the facing to sit right next to what's left. If the core itself has cracked, the slab has moved or the island has no room for the vents a new grill needs, patching the stone only hides the problem. In that case I'd rather rebuild the core properly than sell you a repair that won't hold up.
Size and shape come first, because an L-shaped island takes more block, stone and labor than a straight run. The stone you choose and how much cutting it needs matter too, and so does every opening, since each appliance, door and vent has to be framed into the core. Whether there's already a slab you can build on, how much the area needs clearing and how the utility work has to be lined up also move the number.
I started this business in 2023, and I still come out to every job, write the estimate myself and work on it alongside our masons and helpers. The person who explained your island is the one setting the stone, so if something changes once we're into it, you hear it from me.
I'd rather spend extra time going over your layout than have you pay for features you won't use, and if part of the job needs an engineer, a plumber or an electrician, I'll tell you that plainly. We look after your yard while we work and clean up when we're done. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Have your grill model and any fire pit plans handy when you call, so we can plan the vents and openings from the first visit.
Tell us about your layout, your grill and any fire feature you're thinking about. We reply within one business day, and I come out and leave you an estimate with no pressure to book.
I price each outdoor kitchen after seeing the yard, because the island's size, the stone and the openings for your appliances change the number more than anything else. When I come out, I'll measure your layout and leave you an estimate, so you can see the cost before you commit.
One contractor pricing guide puts the masonry for a standard L-shaped outdoor kitchen at 7 to 12 working days. The same guide adds a 2 to 3 week lead time for countertop fabrication, plus scheduling the other trades, so plan on the whole project running longer than the masonry.
Yes, one stone maker's guide allows its veneer to go straight onto concrete block that's clean, sound, unpainted and unsealed. Poured concrete first needs metal lath and a scratch coat, a base layer of mortar, so a block core takes the stone with one less step.
Pick the grill before the island is built, because one grill maker's guide requires at least two vents in the island, whether it's built from combustible or non-combustible material. When we know the model up front, those vents go into the block core from the start instead of being cut in later.
According to the Orange County Fire Authority's outdoor fireplace form, the fire authority reviews only where an outdoor fire device sits, and the city's Building Department reviews and inspects its materials and structural design. If you want a fire feature with your kitchen, tell me early so its spot and its construction get planned with the island.
Not everywhere, because wood and other solid fuel burning isn't allowed in wildfire risk areas, mapped fire hazard severity zones or within 15 feet of a structure, unless it's inside a fireplace or the fire authority approves it. Where your yard sits on those maps and how close the fire would be to the house both matter, so it's worth settling before the design is final.
We're based in Aliso Viejo and build outdoor kitchens in the cities around it, including Laguna Niguel and Mission Viejo. Pick your city below, or call if yours isn't listed.
