Atlanta Outdoor Kitchens is an independent matching service for homeowners buying an outdoor kitchen in Atlanta and the wider metro Atlanta. We built it because outdoor kitchen pricing in this trade is genuinely opaque: the same counter run can be quoted at two very different prices, and the difference is usually what has been left out — the utility runs, the footings, the permit, the trenching — rather than what is included.
What we do
We publish the local conditions and the published trade figures that affect outdoor kitchens in and around Atlanta, we run free tools and calculators on the site, and we route quote requests to licensed local professionals who do the work. Requests go to up to three providers, usually within one business day. There is no fee for homeowners and no obligation to hire anyone.
We are not a contractor
To be explicit: we are not a contractor. We do not design, build or install outdoor kitchens. We do not pour slabs or footings, we do not run gas, water or electrical lines, we do not sell appliances, stone or cabinetry, we do not hold the contract for any job, and we do not warrant the work of any professional we introduce. Every claim about what will be done on your property, and every warranty behind it, belongs to the licensed professional you hire. We are the introduction, not the builder.
Who we serve
Our coverage follows Atlanta and the surrounding Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties. The seven towns split as Fulton (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta), DeKalb (Decatur, Brookhaven) and Cobb (Marietta, Smyrna); the City of Atlanta itself falls in two of them, DeKalb and Fulton (Fulton County / City of Atlanta GIS, Official Atlanta City Limits open data: https://gisdata.fultoncountyga.gov/datasets/coaplangis::official-atlanta-city-limits-open-data). area across metro Atlanta. Nearly everything that governs an outdoor kitchen here is decided locally: permits are issued by Permits in this market are issued city by city, not county by county. In the City of Atlanta the residential and trade permits for an outdoor kitchen - structural/building, plus mechanical (which is the gas line), plumbing and electrical - come from the Office of Buildings inside the Department of City Planning at 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta GA 30303, filed through its online permitting system (https://atlantaga.gov/government/departments/city-planning/office-of-buildings/online-permitting-services; that page returns HTTP 403 to a datacenter IP but loads normally in a browser). Every other town in this market runs its own building department: Alpharetta Inspection & Code Enforcement, 2 Park Plaza (https://www.alpharetta.ga.us/departments/community-development/inspections-code-enforcement); Sandy Springs Community Development (https://sandyspringsga.gov/); Marietta (https://mariettaga.gov/); Decatur Design, Environment and Construction (https://www.decaturga.com/dec/page/how-obtain-permit, 404-377-6198); Brookhaven Community Development (https://www.brookhavenga.gov/263/Building-Permits, permit counter 404-637-0500); and Smyrna's own Building Division, not Cobb County (https://www.smyrnaga.gov/departments/departments/community-development-economic-development/building-division). County building departments do not issue these permits for in-city addresses., HOA approval is a separate process through Georgia's subdivision HOA statute is the Georgia Property Owners' Association Act (O.C.G.A. sections 44-3-220 to 44-3-235), and it is opt-in: a development is only governed by it if the recorded declaration states an affirmative election to be governed (section 44-3-222). Where it applies, the Act gives the association the power to grant or withhold approval of any action that would change the exterior appearance of a lot or any structure on it, and to create an architectural control committee for that purpose - the exact hook a metro-Atlanta HOA uses for a pergola, a built-in counter, a fireplace or a hardscape change (O.C.G.A. section 44-3-231: https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-44/chapter-3/article-6/section-44-3-231/). Practical consequence for a homeowner here: pull the recorded declaration and covenants from the county Superior Court Clerk before design, look for a post-1994 submission to the Act and for the ARC's published standards, and get written architectural approval before signing a build contract, because setbacks, fence heights, impervious-coverage limits and even counter or cabinet finishes are commonly restricted in metro-Atlanta subdivisions., and gas is supplied through In metro Atlanta the natural-gas distribution utility is Atlanta Gas Light (AGL), not Atmos Energy: AGL owns, operates and maintains the mains and the service line up to and including the meter, while the piping from the meter to the appliances is the customer's - and AGL's own guidance names grills and pool heaters explicitly as part of that customer-side outdoor piping (Atlanta Gas Light, Pipeline Safety: https://www.atlantagaslight.com/safety/safety-precautions/pipeline-safety.html). AGL has been a pipes-only company since 1998: it no longer sells gas, so the homeowner buys the commodity from one of the Commission-certified natural-gas marketers while the Georgia Public Service Commission still regulates AGL's distribution rates (Georgia PSC, Natural Gas: https://psc.ga.gov/utilities/natural-gas). Running a line to a built-in grill is fuel-gas work, so it needs a permit from the local building department plus inspection, and Georgia's State Minimum Standard Codes now run on the 2024 International Fuel Gas Code with the Georgia Amendments effective 1 January 2026 (Georgia DCA, Current State Minimum Codes for Construction: https://dca.georgia.gov/community-assistance/government-authority-reporting/construction-codes/current-state-minimum-codes). Gas piping in Georgia is licensed trade work under O.C.G.A. Title 43, Chapter 14 (covered by the state construction-industry licensing board's plumbing/utility-contractor scope, verified through the Secretary of State's licence lookup) - so use a licensed plumbing contractor rather than a handyman, and expect a pressure test and inspection before the piping is covered.. Gas line work, new electrical circuits and any covered structure usually need a permit, and the gas and electrical work has to be done by licensed trades. That layering is one reason the introduction matters — a professional who works in your jurisdiction knows which authority is issuing the permit and what the inspection sequence looks like.
We serve homeowners and property managers building a first outdoor kitchen, replacing one that has failed, or adding a cover, a bar or a fireplace to a space that already works. Same free process either way.
How to check a professional before you hire
- Confirm the contractor has built outdoor kitchens, not just indoor remodels
- Verify the company carries current general liability and workers comp insurance
- Request references from outdoor projects completed in the last two years
- Confirm the structure warranty covers at least one year
- Ask who pulls the gas, electrical, and plumbing permits and who does the utility connections
- Ask for a written utility plan covering gas line sizing, electrical circuit capacity, and water shutoff locations before signing
- Verify gas lines are pressure-tested before the grill is connected
- Check that electrical circuits are grounded and GFCI-protected
- Ask for the counter run itemised by material and rate per linear foot, not just a total
- Ask how the build handles wind, rain, and freeze-thaw in your climate
- Read the payment schedule: a deposit at contract is normal, payment in full before the counter and appliances are set is not
Why the numbers on this site are sourced
Cost bands, per-linear-foot rates, installed add-on ranges and lifespans here are the published trade figures, quoted as published rather than rounded or averaged. Where the site names a material choice, it names the published comparison behind it, and where a figure does not exist publicly we say so and tell you what to ask instead. The local detail — permitting authority, gas supply, the soil under the footings and what the climate does to a counter run — belongs to the jurisdiction you are building in, which is why it is stated per market rather than borrowed from another one.
Nobody should be choosing a five-figure build on the strength of a phone call.
Frequently asked questions
Are you an outdoor kitchen contractor?
No. We are an independent matching service and we are not a contractor. The professional who takes the job holds the contract, the licence and the warranty for the work.
How do you make money?
The service is free to homeowners. Requests are routed to local professionals who participate in the network; nothing is charged to you for the introduction, and no provider is ranked by payment.
Which areas do you cover?
Atlanta and the surrounding Fulton, DeKalb and Cobb counties. The seven towns split as Fulton (Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Alpharetta), DeKalb (Decatur, Brookhaven) and Cobb (Marietta, Smyrna); the City of Atlanta itself falls in two of them, DeKalb and Fulton (Fulton County / City of Atlanta GIS, Official Atlanta City Limits open data: https://gisdata.fultoncountyga.gov/datasets/coaplangis::official-atlanta-city-limits-open-data). area across metro Atlanta. If you are outside a town limit, say which crossroads you are nearest and we will route from there.
