How to Plan Outdoor Kitchen Utility Connections

When planning an outdoor kitchen, one of the most important things to keep in mind is planning the utility connections. Access to gas, water and electricity are all vital to operating a kitchen, and it is important to thoroughly think through where this access will figure into the design. Read on to learn how to plan outdoor kitchen utility connections.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Assess your house and yard, and locate your current utility connections. Knowledge of where connections already exist and where you need them will be helpful in planning where to place new ones.

2. Check with your local zoning commission to see if you need special permission or a permit to add additional utility connections. If you do, there may be time consuming red tape that you must get through before you can continue to proceed with your plan.

3. Plan where you will be putting your appliances and sink (if the first thing you are doing is planning the connections). If the appliances are already in place, think about where the connections could go to best benefit each appliance.

4. Check with a professional once you have your plan of where you think your connections should go. Even if you think you have it well thought out, verifying that everything is OK with someone who has a professional opinion is always a good idea.

5. Obtain any special permits you need to proceed with plans.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on your specific outdoor kitchen design, it may be best to plan your utility connections before you plan anything else. Consulting an expert is the best way to know what you should do first.
• Do not install the connections yourself if you don't have required permission, or if you don't know what you are doing. This is very important, as utility connections can be extremely dangerous.