Hardscapes
Hardscape Design & Construction
Hardscape is what turns a yard into rooms. An outdoor kitchen with a real counter, a fire pit with seating built around it, a fountain that masks road noise — these are the things that get a back yard used every evening instead of twice a summer.
We design and build all of it in-house, on the same footings and drainage detailing as our paver work, so the kitchen and the patio it sits on are one job with one crew and one warranty.
What we build
- Outdoor kitchens with built-in grills, counters and storage
- Bar seating, prep sinks and refrigeration cutouts
- Wood and gas fire pits, freestanding or built into a seat wall
- Outdoor fireplaces with real chimneys and stone or stucco cladding
- Fountains and water features sized to the space
- Seat walls, pillars, columns and gate piers
- Pergolas and shade structures on masonry bases
- Gas, water and electrical runs coordinated with your trades
Typical investment
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Quoted after a site visit. Appliance selection and utility runs move the number more than the masonry does.
Warranty
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Workmanship coverage in writing, plus manufacturer warranties on grills, burners and appliances.
How it works
From sketch to first cook
- 1Week 1
Site visit & how you'll use it
Where the wind comes from, where the sun sits at six, where people already stand — that decides the layout more than the plan does.
- 2Week 1–3
Design & fixed quote
Plan and elevation drawings with real materials and appliance models, then one written price for the whole build.
- 32–4 weeks lead
Utilities & permitting
Gas, water and electrical runs coordinated, HOA submittals prepared, and any county permits pulled.
- 4Days 1–4
Footings & structure
Footings poured, block or steel-frame structure built, and appliance openings framed to the exact spec sheets.
- 5Days 4–9
Cladding, counters & finish
Stone, brick or stucco cladding, then counters templated and set. Appliances dropped in and connected.
- 6Final day
Commissioning & walkthrough
Burners tested, drainage checked, and a walkthrough covering operation, care and shutdown for storm season.
Materials & brands
Cladding is Belgard, Tremron or Pavestone veneer, natural stone, or stucco to match the house. Structures are block or non-combustible steel frame — never wood inside a heat enclosure. Counters are granite or dense concrete.
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Built for here
What hardscape has to survive here
Salt on stainless
Standard stainless pits and stains within a season this close to the Gulf. On beachfront jobs we spec marine-grade stainless for doors and drawers and mount appliances so they can be pulled and rinsed.
Storm season
Anything not bolted down is a projectile. We anchor structures to footings, and we walk you through what comes inside and what gets strapped when a storm is named.
HOA and design review
Chimneys, pergolas and anything with a roofline get scrutinised by the review boards in the 30A communities and at Sandestin. We prepare elevations to their submission standards before we order material.
Outdoor kitchen & fire feature questions
How long does an outdoor kitchen take to build?
Most take one to two weeks on site once materials and appliances have arrived. Lead time on counters and appliances is usually longer than the build itself.
Gas or wood for a fire pit?
Gas if you want it lit in thirty seconds and off just as fast, which suits rental homes. Wood if the fire is the point. We build both, and gas needs a line run that is far cheaper to install during the build.
Can you build an outdoor kitchen on an existing patio?
Sometimes. It depends on whether the slab or paver base can carry the point loads. We check that on the site visit — building a masonry kitchen on an inadequate base is how you get a cracked counter in year two.
Do I need a permit for an outdoor fireplace?
Usually yes, because of the chimney and the gas line, and HOA review on top of that in most 30A communities. We handle both. {{TODO-OWNER: confirm current county requirements}}
What about water features and mosquitoes?
Moving water does not breed mosquitoes — standing water does. Every feature we build recirculates continuously and drains fully for the off season.
Can the kitchen and the patio be one project?
Yes, and it should be. Doing the patio first and the kitchen later means cutting into finished pavers to run gas and electrical, and paying to mobilise twice.
Thinking about an outdoor kitchen or fire pit?
Send photos of the space and how you picture using it — we'll sketch a layout and put a number on the whole build.