Outdoor Kitchen

[Nate SC]

I really enjoyed the pics posted of "The Shop" and I got to thinking(very dangerous point here)and a "Shop" is what I need but I want an outdoor kitchen area. I would have a semi circle of lava rock wall and then have a full-on kitchen. I'm thinking just like a car-port type roof. like Do you folks think I would need a permit for an "outdoor kitchen"? I also understand that it's all about creative wording when you name a project, any ideas ??
Thanks,
Nate

[toucano]

Nate - I'm the 'shop guy'.

You are very smart to know that it is very risky to make assumptions about building here based on your experience elsewhere.

My 'shop' was permitted at the same time that I got my permit for the house. It is just a guess, but I don't think that I would have gotten the shop permit before applying for the house permit. They were both in the same set of plans but have different permits. I have also made so many changes to the shop that a new permit application was requited.

One of the best reasons to be here is to spend time outside and an outdoor kitchen area would be used a lot. As far as needing a permit for that? Just about everything you build here needs one.

Mosquitos can be a big problem here. I'm one of those that they just love. Thank God there is no Dengue Fever here. When I am building, I just ignore them as best I can. But when it comes to living in a space and trying to relax and enjoy it, misquitos can be very annoying. If I was going to build something like you describe, I would devise a way to enclose it with nice screens that either were sliding or removable. But doing that may also raise the issue of whether the space becomes actual habitable living area as opposed to a shop. I think here enclosing something like a lanai makes it count as enclosed living space.

Good luck and glad you liked the pictures. I wanted to show people a slice of what the whole process has been like for me. Everyone will have a different experience, but some things will be common to all.

[Kapohocat]

Nate - if you email me I can give you some ideas of directions to go with outdoor kitchen permitting. I occassionally catch HGTV's outdoor kitchen segments - there are so very cool things you can do....

-Cat



Catherine Dumond
Blue Water Project Management
http://kmastudios.125mb.com/bluewaterpm/...rhome.html
808 217-7578
"We help make building your dream home a reality"

[Les C]

Outdoor kitchens have been an interesting idea to me ever since I stayed in an apartment across the road from a home with one in Puerto Vallarta. It seems like a very natural thing for a tropical climate. But after leaving our doors here open for a little while, the number of flies that congregate in the kitchen is incredible! I don't think an outdoor kitchen would work for us. If you screen it in, would it still be "outdoors"?

"toucano", while there may not be any current Dengue Fever outbreaks in Hawaii, there was one in 2001-2002 on Maui. It's alway always a possibility, with travelers coming in from areas that do have it. (I'll leave it to HADave to post an appropriate URL, or you can google "dengue fever hawaii".)

Les

Edited by - Les C on 08/27/2006 12:34:00

[mella l]

Good question Nate, I especially like the creative thinking and wording!! LOL

I too have been considering a corner of our lanai to have an out door kitchen. Perhpas not as ornate as you have in mind, but at least a very nice BBQ in the SW corner of the lanai, so I don't have to heat up the kitchen much.

Have you seen any plans you like?

Mahalo, Mella

mella l

[toucano]

OT: Les - RE Dengue in Hawaii. I did read a few articles about it here and know it has popped up in the past. It is not a joking matter and should be taken VERY seriously. I've lived in areas of the world that has it. Not pretty. One of the striped mosquitos that bites me looks very much like it is one that can carry Dengue.

[Hazen]

I have always planned on building an outdoor kitchen. Mosquitos are definately a deal breaker, so location is important. You also want to address flame and grease/smoke issues. Good ventilation helps with that, and a good breeze also keeps the skeeters off. I've cooked in many an outdoor kitchen in Baja and SoCal, but bugs aren't so bad there. I've done a decent amount of outdoor cooking in Puna, but most of it has been in places where there were no walls, permits, or such. Punatic style.

I was lucky enought to contract and almost succumb (permenantly) to Dengue Fever in Guatemala. We should all hope it doesn't get imported, especially with the lifestyle many exercise in parts, we'd never eradicate it.

hazen

[toucano]

Hazen: Hope it doesn't come? No. PRAY it doesn't come. And you are living testiment to that!

[leilaniguy]

I gotta add a caution about Lanai/ outdoor kitchens, or at least BBQ's attached to the house. I thought the open 8'x12' lanai between my place and my nieces' cottage next to mine would be perfect for cooking. Tried it once. Turned out to be the perfect chimney belching into both places, drove guests and us out of the houses, The burnt smell lasted in furniture for weeks. I BBQ in the driveway now.

[mella l]

Thanks for the heads up Leilani guy!! So can you give general directional information N S E W ideas here or should we all just go with the driveway? LOL

mella l