How should a contractor price an outdoor kitchen for a client?

Three line items, kept separate: the product (grill, island, components), the install (pad, gas, electrical, labor), and the professional markup. For the product, use authorized-dealer MAP pricing. Mark it up 15 to 25 percent over your trade cost. Install bills at your usual rate. Keep product and install on separate lines so the client sees exactly what they are buying and what they are paying you to build.

What's the trade discount at Upscale Home HQ?

15 percent off MAP on every brand we carry, with no minimum order and Net-30 terms after your first paid build. Trade pricing stays MAP-compliant so you can quote your client at full MAP and keep the discount as your margin, or pass part of it on. We never undercut your quote to the end client.

What should I confirm before placing the order?

Four things, every time: cutout dimensions (not just overall), gas type (NG or LP), delivery access (truck turnaround, path width, stairs), and the client's install timeline. Send us a photo of the install site and we will spot anything that is going to cause a problem on delivery day.

Who handles the warranty claim when something breaks?

We do. Dealer-to-manufacturer. You give the client your business card, not a warranty-registration link. When a client calls about a failed burner in year three, they call us. We open the claim. We ship the replacement. You stay out of it unless the install is in question.

What are the install specs I need to confirm with the GC?

For every island: a level load-rated pad sized to the footprint plus 6 inches on every side, a dedicated gas line sized for total BTU load run by a licensed gas tech, a GFCI-protected 110v outlet within 6 feet, and clear delivery access at least 36 inches wide. For built-ins over 60-inch grills, the gas line is typically 3/4 or 1 inch, not standard half-inch home gas. Full checklist at /pages/outdoor-kitchen-site-prep.

Specifying Outdoor Kitchens for Clients — A Dealer's Guide for Designers, Contractors & GCs

Q: Can I spec the kitchen without quoting to the client yet?

Yes. Send us the patio dimensions, the budget range, and the brand or features your client has asked about. We send back 2 to 3 configurations with trade pricing, lead times, and site-prep requirements, usually within one business day. No commitment to buy — use it as the pricing sheet for your client proposal.

For the Trade · 2026

Specifying outdoor kitchens for clients.

A working guide for landscape designers, GCs, and outdoor-living specifiers. Written by an authorized Cal Flame, Summerset, and American Made Grills dealer. How to scope the build, price the quote, and avoid the warranty-and-delivery traps that eat margin.

If you build outdoor spaces for a living, your client comes to you for the design and expects you to source the hardware. This is how to do that without turning yourself into a part-time dealer in your spare time.

Outdoor kitchens are different from the rest of a landscape build. The product has lead times, the manufacturer has install requirements that void the warranty if ignored, and the client is going to call you — not the manufacturer — when a burner fails in year three. The trade cost of specifying this wrong is high. The trade cost of specifying it right is a repeat client every spring.

The spec process

Six steps, in order.

01 · Discovery call with the client

Scope what they're buying.

Patio dimensions, budget range, how they entertain, gas type at the house. "Outdoor kitchen" means different things to different clients — a 60-inch compact island is a different quote than an L-shaped flagship with pizza oven. Pin this down before specifying.

02 · Send us the brief

We spec in 1 business day.

Dimensions, budget, brand preferences, gas type, delivery access. We send back 2 to 3 configurations with trade pricing, lead times, and site-prep requirements. Use it as the pricing sheet for your client proposal.

03 · Build your proposal

Three line items, always separate.

Product: MAP pricing, your trade discount is your margin.
Install: Your rate, your labor, your materials (concrete pad, gas-line run, electrical, permits).
Design fee: Your usual.

Keep them separate so the client sees exactly what they're paying for. Clients rarely pushback on an install line itemized to permits and gas-tech labor.

04 · Confirm the four specs before you order

Cutout, gas, access, timeline.

Cutout dimensions — not just overall. The island's throat is tighter than its skin.
Gas type — NG or LP. Different valves, different parts, zero returns on wrong-type units.
Delivery access — truck turnaround, path width (36" minimum), stairs. Note it on the order.
Timeline — built-to-order is 3 to 10 weeks depending on tier. Factor this into your project schedule now, not after the deposit.

05 · Place the order

Deposit flows through you.

You pay us, we ship direct to the install site. Net-30 after first paid build. Freight is tracked and the carrier contacts you before delivery to schedule.

06 · Delivery and install

Your crew is on site; we handle freight claims.

If the pallet arrives damaged, note it on the BOL and email us photos the same day. Clean signature closes the carrier's liability, so your crew needs to inspect before signing. We open the manufacturer claim for anything concealed.

Pricing structure

What we offer the trade.

15% trade discount off MAP on every brand we carry (Cal Flame, Summerset, American Made Grills, Elementi Fire, Harmonia Living, Primo). No minimum.
Net-30 payment terms after your first paid build. First order is paid up-front; from there it's invoiced.
MAP compliance — we never undercut your quote to your end client. Your discount is your margin to keep.
Direct dealer-to-manufacturer warranty routing — we open claims for you. Your client calls us, not you.
Free freight shipping to the contiguous 48 states on every order. White-glove inside placement is a $449 upgrade at checkout.
Spec service with pricing in 1 business day, no commitment.

The brands worth specifying

What we recommend by project type.

Compact entry builds ($5K–$7K product)

Specify: Cal Flame Maui Q, Cal Flame Pacifica.

Why: Built to order in Pomona CA, 10-year structure warranty, under 70-inch footprint. Ships ready to drop in place — your crew sets the pad and connects gas; the island is complete.

Premium host-tier builds ($9K–$13K product)

Specify: Cal Flame Carmel Q L-shape, Cal Flame Laguna Q, Summerset Alturi series on a stone build.

Why: 4- to 5-burner premium grills with infrared rotisserie, fridge included, bar overhang. Cal Flame if you want the island complete; Summerset if your client wants a stone-island build and you need the premium grill head.

Flagship 20-year builds ($18K–$25K product)

Specify: American Made Grills Encore 54", AMG Ovation 54", or Cal Flame three-piece Platinum.

Why: AMG is 304 stainless, Bohemia NY manufactured, AMD Direct Gold Standard Lifetime Warranty. For clients signing off on a 20-year backyard anchor, the lifetime warranty on burners and construction is the sell.

Fire features and furniture to complete the build

Specify: Elementi Fire cast-concrete tables for the fire feature, Harmonia Living for outdoor furniture, Cal Flame Patio or Escape Series fireplaces when the design calls for a stucco fireplace.

These usually come up at the end of the design review. We can bundle them on the same order with free freight — one shipment, one warranty call per brand.

Common traps

Four mistakes that cost designers margin.

Specifying the wrong gas type. NG and LP use different valves. Returns on wrong-type units are typically not allowed. Confirm with the client AND the gas tech before ordering.
Underestimating freight timing. Built-to-order islands are 3 to 10 weeks. Lock the manufacturer's build time into your project schedule as soon as the deposit is paid.
Skipping the cutout confirmation. The spec sheet shows cutout dimensions AND overall dimensions. Masons sometimes build to the overall; the grill then doesn't fit. Always build to cutout + 1/8" tolerance.
Letting the client self-install the gas. Every brand we carry voids the warranty if the gas hookup is done unlicensed. Keep the licensed gas tech on your subcontractor list — the client's warranty is also your reputation.

Open the trade account.

Send us your business name, state license, and the type of projects you specify. We approve same business day and send over the trade pricing sheet. Spec your first project the same week.

Open Trade Account Spec a Project