Category Archives: Drafting Software

Best Custom Home Design Builders

New homes are often hybrids of two or more architectural styles. With one-of-a-kind custom, it’s natural to expect a variety of stylistic influences. But sometimes design is informed by other forces, such as the location. Therefore the best custom home design builders consider all aspects of your custom home location.

Shingle style, for example, was developed in New England and started out as a popular form of architecture in seaside towns. Homes located on Martha’s Vineyard, have naturally weathered shingles, a gambrel roof, and a front porch with classical columns that make it immediately recognizable as a Shingle-style house. These location specific authentic styles are considered with the best custom home design builders as an expression of their work.

While striving for architectural authenticity, the best custom home design builders remained conscious of the needs of their clients and the overall livability of the custom home. Therefore Martha’s Vineyard style custom homes are built on a beach that is popular for its active waves, scenic dunes, and lack of development. Ocean views are difficult to capture because of the rolling nature of the dunes and a 30-foot height limit imposed by the homeowners association (HOA), so homes have to “upside down” floor plans so that they maximize views from the primary living spaces. They’re similar in scale, but each is different in character.

Best Custom Home Design Builders

Best Custom Home Design Builders

Best Custom Home Design Builders Use CAD Pro

Custom home builder design software from CAD Pro has helped thousands of contractors and custom home builders streamline their workflow while producing professional designs for clients and colleagues.

Cad Pro’s custom home builder design software is an affordable and easy alternative to other CAD software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating custom home plansbuilding plansoffice plansconstruction details, and much more.

Share your custom home plans and designs with clients or team members using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

Click Here to Get Started

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Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis

Cities all across the nation are experiencing a housing crisis. In response, many of them, from Nashville to Dallas, Detroit, and Seattle, have launched programs to build tiny houses for folks priced out of their homes. Therefore tiny homes reversing new housing crisis reports CityLab contributor Haniya Rae.

Baltimore, Md.-based non-profit Civic Works is piloting a program in the city to build units for low-wage workers without waiting for government support. The program also would work with youth seeking job training, a knowledge of sustainable building practices and design, and their GED. The organization believes that tiny houses plans are the best solution to help these individuals quickly.

Any firm or person in the Baltimore area can design their own tiny house and work with the Civic Works team to ensure it stays affordable and meets code. Civic Works also utilizes the federal YouthBuild program and receives funding to provide teaching, a classroom, and hands-on training for 17- to 24-year-old workers who want to earn their GED by learning the construction trade. Even if they don’t ultimately decide to work in construction, they receive important job skills such as teamwork and time management and contribute to tiny homes reversing new housing crisis.

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis Financing

To help would-be buyers afford these homes, Greg Cantori, CEO of Maryland Nonprofts, says that most banks that issue RV loans will use a Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) loan for tiny homes, an easier financing option for many who might not qualify for more traditional bank loans.

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis

Designers for Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis

Davin Hong, the designer of the tiny house model for Civic Works and architect at the living design lab in Baltimore, eventually plans to keep the houses between $50,000 and $60,000, a price within reach of many lower-income households. By using materials like pine tongue-and-groove panels inside, spray foam as insulation, and cedar siding on the exterior, he says the houses would be self-sufficient during extreme weather. During the winter, for instance, a small propane tank could heat the space.

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis Floor Plans

Tiny Homes Reversing New Housing Crisis with Affordable Floor Plans

Easy tiny house floor plans are quick and easy to create with CAD Pro’s home design tools and features. With CAD Pro you can actually start designing tiny house floor plans the first day. CAD Pro is very user friendly, while offering a wide range of powerful drafting and design features.

Tiny homes have been growing in popularity over the last decade, tiny houses are popping up around the country as more people decide to downsize their lives.

Tiny homes often measure less than 400 square feet. The tiny house movement isn’t necessarily about sacrifice but about efficiency. With thoughtful, innovative easy tiny house floor plans, homeowners have discovered a tiny house actually leads to a simpler yet fuller life.

Share your tiny house designs with family, clients or contractors using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint® with a single click.

Click Here to Get Started

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Best Outdoor Fireplace Design Ideas

Want to know how to build an outdoor fireplace? If you want to cozy up with the whole family outdoors, then this is your next home improvement project. We have outlined some of the best outdoor fireplace design ideas when building your outdoor fireplace. You can use these outdoor fireplace design ideas if you choose to build the outdoor fireplace yourself or if you hire a professional outdoor fireplace builder.

How to Build an Outdoor Fireplace

Most people have always dreamed of having an outdoor fireplace in their home. Just imagine telling stories and hanging out with the family around it. If you want to build an outdoor fireplace, then these outdoor fireplace design ideas are for you. Find out how to make a DIY outdoor fireplace for your next home improvement project.

Best outdoor fireplace design ideas using CAD Pro.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features that anyone can use while designing their outdoor fireplace design ideas. There is no limit to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor fireplace design plans with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

best outdoor fireplace design ideas

Best Outdoor Fireplace Design Ideas with CAD Pro

Outdoor Fireplace Materials:

  • bricks
  • fire bricks
  • muriatic acid(washer)
  • wood (for support and molding)
  • mortar mix
  • fire clay or refractory mortar
  • water
  • hollow blocks
  • 13×13″ ceramic flue pipe
  • angle bar
  • bendable board
  • steel bar
  • sand stone
  • fireplace grate
  • black pipe

Tools Needed When Building Your Outdoor Fireplace:

  • trowel
  • brick jointer
  • torpedo level
  • level
  • rubber mallet
  • acid wash brush
  • brick spacing rule
  • tape measure
  • drill
  • bar clamp
  • sledgehammer
  • wheelbarrow
  • industrial hoe
  • string
  • clamp
  • chalk
  • crow bar
  • grinder
  • sponge
  • bucket
  • whisk broom
  • hose

Important steps for your best outdoor fireplace design ideas.

Step 1. Outdoor Fireplace Foundation
Don’t forget to check your area frost line to ensure that your foundation will be good during winter.

Step 2. Wall
Place the brick based on your desired design. Starting from the base, continue installing the brick and mortar mix.

Step 3. Firebox
Use firebrick inside your fireplace.
Install the firebrick. Use water and sponge to clean up the bricks.

Step 4. Outdoor Fireplace Chimney
The chimney base is composed with 2 hollow blocks finished with mortar mix.
Cover the remaining hole with firebrick.
Once that’s done, cover it with an angel bar.
Finish installing the bricks.
Customize your chimney by cutting from both sides as desired.
Use a grinder to do so.
To hold the bricks, cover it with metal.

TIP: Keep the first base dried up before installing the rest of the brick to prevent it from sliding.

Step 5. Arch
Use a bendable board to shape up the arch of the fireplace.
Make sure it’s dry for about a week to make sure it’s fully installed.

Step 6. Washing
Combine half a gallon of muriatic acid to 2 gallons of water, use this to clean up the bricks.
Use a whisk broom to clean up the fireplace.
Let it dry for a few minutes.
Hose it with water and if seems to need more cleaning, apply the muriatic acid solution again.
The mortar turns yellowish once cleaned up so just brush it off to whiten.

Step 7. Fire Starter
Drill about 6 or 7 holes to your black pipe.
Attach the gas tank to the fire grill.
Test fire.

Step 8. Finishing touches
For the flooring, use the same bricks and install as you would install tiles.
Attach a stone board on top of the arch.
Insert the fireplace grate inside, and you’re done!

Outdoor fireplaces are great with your own outdoor kitchen.

FREE Easy Affordable Outdoor Kitchen Plans
CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

Easy Sketch Tracing Outdoor Fireplace Features
Sketch your outdoor kitchen ideas on a piece of paper, and then scan it. Now open your scanned sketch in CAD Pro and it becomes a traceable template that you can easily modify for your specific outdoor kitchen plans.

Easy affordable outdoor kitchen plans with precise dimensions.

When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your outdoor kitchen blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

Click Here to Get Started

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Best Pergola Design Ideas

Pergolas provide some much-needed shade from the summer sun while adding personality to your outdoor living area. Below is a list of the best pergola design ideas and questions you should review before starting your pergola plans.

FREE Easy Affordable Pergola Design Plans

CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed pergola plans and shade arbor plans free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself pergola plans! Creating the best pergola design ideas and plans with CAD Pro will save time and money.

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

Best Pergola Design Ideas

Best Pergola Design Ideas w/ Outdoor Fireplaces

What is a pergola?
A pergola is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained. The origin of the word is the Late Latin pergula, referring to a projecting eave.

What is pergola designs?
If you are looking for inspiration in garden designs, you have come to the right place. … Freestanding or attached to your home, a pergola is usually designed to be a shaded walkway or relaxation area. A gazebo, on the other hand, is a free standing structure with a peaked roof, an open framework and a proper roof.

What is the use of a pergola?
A pergola is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway, or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained. The origin of the word is the Late Latin pergula, referring to a projecting eave.

How much does it cost to build a pergola?
For a basic 10-by-10 pergola using cost-effective cedar, expect to pay $3,000 for materials and $500 for labor, which isn’t that much more than a DIY job. High-end pergola installations using more expensive materials such as Ipe or Teak can run the price up to $5,000 for materials and $750 to $1,000 in labor.

How high is a pergola?
As a practical matter, the bottom of the girders should be no less than 80 inches high (the same as an interior doorway); if customers want a ceiling fan, the pergola must be tall enough to allow at least 88 inches under the blades.

What is a pergola deck?
Building A Pergola On A Deck. … A pergola is a structure built to provide overhead shade. It is usually supported on four sides by vertical posts that hold in place a lattice of wooden members. Some pergolas are attached to the house at one side with a ledger board.

What is the difference between an arbor and a pergola?
An arbor usually incorporates a trellis into its structure, creating a tunnel-like passageway of climbing plants. Although the terms often are used interchangeably, trellises, arbors, and pergolas are distinctly different structures. A trellis is typically a latticework built to support climbing plants or vines.

How deep should a post hole be for a pergola?
For an 8-foot tall structure like this one, plan on about two-feet in depth. The depth of your hole should be about 1/4 of the height of your post. For a 6×6 post, the diameter of the holes should be about 12 inches square. As a general rule the width of your post hole should never be less than 10 inches.

Best Pergola Design Ideas with Precision Plans

When creating the best pergola design ideas and blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your pergola blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

Click Here to Get Started

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Best Outdoor Kitchen Countertops Options

Stone, concrete or tile? Here are some tips on how to find the best outdoor kitchen countertops options for your outdoor kitchen. In an outdoor setting inferior craftsmanship will deteriorate quickly. When choosing outdoor kitchen countertops your priority should always be durability first, and looks second. Otherwise, you’ll find your investment going up in smoke.

Planning enough counter space is your priority here. A total of 36′ of 24″-deep counter is the bare minimum. Select a material that will suit the style of your house and your cooking style. Your best choices are natural stone, concrete or tile. If your heart is set on a manufactured countertop like quartz or recycled glass, talk to the manufacturer first. Most use pigments that are not designed to stand up to outdoor use, so if the counter is exposed to UV rays the color may change over time.

Best Outdoor Kitchen Countertops Options

Best Outdoor Kitchen Countertops Options

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features anyone can use while designing their outdoor kitchen. There are no limits to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor kitchen plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

Here’s a list of the best outdoor kitchen countertops options

Stone Countertops
There are many types of stone, and you can use any of them on your outdoor countertop, but should you? Porous stones like marble, limestone and bluestone may look great at first, but they stain easily, so you may be left with counters marred by grease or wine.

Granite’s a popular, durable option. It stands up well to the elements, doesn’t absorb stains or odors as easily as other stones, and shouldn’t fade in the sun. Look for a style that doesn’t have a lot of veining. Make not; the epoxies and fillers used in heavily veined granite can have a negative reaction to the UV rays.

With granite, choose a mid-range color. Darker stones will absorb heat and you can burn your hands or even melt things if placed on the hot granite countertop.

Another durable stone option is soapstone. Available in a range of gray to black shades, your color choices are limited but soapstone has lots of pros in its favor, like heat-, stain- and bacteria-resistance. Also, unlike granite, soapstone is non porous so regular sealing isn’t necessary. It can also stand up to acidic foods, like citrus, vinegar and tomatoes, which is a big bonus in any kitchen prep area.

Price: Granite: $50-$100 per square foot / Soapstone: $70 to $120 per square foot

Concrete Countertops
When choosing the best outdoor kitchen countertops options, concrete is at the top of the trend heap right now thanks to its clean, contemporary look, but choosing concrete’s not a no-brainer. Why? It’s prone to cracking if not installed correctly. When we do installing custom concrete counters you should reinforce them with tensile steel. This will help in preventing cracks but is no guarantee.

Finding an experienced installer is everything. If you do, you’ll have virtually infinite range of custom color options, and can even integrate features like a draining board beside the sink. Concrete must be sealed on installation and resealed regularly.

Price: about $100 per square foot

Tile Countertops
Tile offers the widest range of style options and is the most popular on the list of best outdoor kitchens countertops options. You can go with an ornately patterned style, or a stone look, or just about anything in-between. It’s frequently affordable, and it’s the easiest do-it-yourself surfacing material of the bunch. But if you live in a cold climate, the freeze-thaw cycle puts the grout and tiles at great risk of cracking.

Also, grout stains, even when it’s been sealed. If you decide to go the tile route, choose freeze-proof tiles, use dark grout, and hire an installer who knows the business very well. He or she will use products appropriate for your climate, and can instruct you on proper care.

Price: $10-$30 per square foot

Before you create an exquisite, full-service outdoor kitchen, think carefully about your current backyard cooking setup. Evaluate what you’d like to improve and what works well with your lifestyle and backyard space. It’s important to ask yourself “What you want in an Outdoor Kitchen”.

FREE Easy Affordable Outdoor Kitchen Design Plans

CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

Designing the best outdoor kitchen countertops options

When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your outdoor kitchen blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

Click Here to Get Started

CAD Pro’s award winning software has helped thousands of homeowners, remodeling professionals, builders and contractors plan and design all types of remodeling projects. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors.

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Outdoor Kitchen Budget Planning Guide

One of the most important decisions when planning your outdoor kitchen is a good outdoor kitchen budget planning guide. Find a balance between what you want and what you can afford.

You can spend anything you want on an outdoor kitchen, from $500 for a freestanding grill and a rolling side cart to $25,000 for a fully outfitted cooking and entertaining zone with built-in appliances, stone counter tops and plenty of room for guests.

FREE Budget Friendly Outdoor Kitchen Design Plans

CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features anyone can use while designing their outdoor kitchen. There are no limits to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor kitchen plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

Outdoor Kitchen Budget Planning Guide

Outdoor Kitchen w/ Pergola

Tips for Your Outdoor Kitchen Budget Planning Guide

Where do you live?
In a cold climate, you may only use the outdoor kitchen for two or three months of the year. If you live in Southern California, the outdoor kitchen may be a year-round extension of your home. How much you should invest in the project should be proportionate to how much you’ll use the space. This part of the outdoor kitchen planning budget will change in accordance to your location.

Can you tell the difference between your wants and your needs?
A good outdoor kitchen budget planning guide will help you keep your wants and needs in check. Sure, a super-sized grill with infrared searing zones, dual fuel, a rotisserie and a side burner looks awesome in the showroom, but if all you ever grill are burgers and hot dogs for your family of four, you’ll be spending a bundle on features you don’t need.

What are the neighbors doing?
If you want to get a reasonably good return on your investment at resale, don’t improve far beyond the level of the neighborhood. In other words, your backyard shouldn’t be the only or the most expensive outdoor kitchen on the block.

Did you factor in the tax increase?
One very important consideration is property taxes within your outdoor kitchen budget planning guide. If you have to file building permits, your property will be reassessed for the value of the project, and your property taxes may increase accordingly.

Outdoor Kitchen Budget Planning Guide Costs to Consider

Learn to make a budget so your outdoor kitchen won’t be a wallet buster. You can spend just about anything on an outdoor kitchen, from a few hundred dollars to many thousand. But should you? Before you visit a single showroom, where it’s easy to be seduced by the gleam of stainless steel, or talk to even one contractor, you need to have your budget in place.

The first step to a smart outdoor kitchen budget planning guide is to decide how much you have to spend. Evaluate your resources and how much you can and should spend. Consider using cash. With savings accounts earning so little these days it’s not a bad time to invest those funds in your home, but don’t expect to get that money back at resale. Outdoor kitchens aren’t at the top of buyer priorities in these economic times, so consider it an investment in your own enjoyment.

Other options are home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, or a cash-out refinance, in which you refinance your mortgage, increasing it by the amount of the project.

Price out all the elements of the kitchen, remembering to include small details like hardware and light fixtures, which can add up in a hurry. Have this list in hand when you talk to potential contractors. It will give your contractor a sense of what you want to include in the kitchen, show that you’ve done your homework, and let the contractor adjust his bid to include actual products.

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Best Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide

Use these outdoor kitchen ideas to take your backyard to the next level. Our best outdoor kitchen planning guide goes from classic built-in grills to fantasy islands jam-packed with must-have amenities, the sky is the limit for planning your outdoor kitchen.

Before you create an exquisite, full-service outdoor kitchen, think carefully about your current backyard cooking setup. Evaluate what you’d like to improve and what works well with your lifestyle and backyard space. It’s important to ask yourself “What you want in an Outdoor Kitchen”.

FREE Plans for Best Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide

CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans.

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features anyone can use while designing their outdoor kitchen. There are no limits to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor kitchen plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

Best Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide

Best Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide for Lake Front Property

Best Outdoor Kitchen Planning Guide Steps

Getting Started
Extend your living and entertaining space with an outdoor kitchen. Think about your needs and the site when planning the project.

  • Pick the Location
  • Evaluate Your Outdoor Cooking Space & Setup
  • Layout Your Outdoor Kitchen Plans

Outdoor Kitchen Design
Layout, functional amenities and smart storage solutions will transform your outdoor kitchen into an efficient, attractive workspace.

  • Optimize Kitchen Layout Space
  • Design a Layout Plan for Electricity, Plumbing and Gas
  • Design Your Outdoor Kitchen Island Plans

Materials and Outdoor Kitchen Appliances
Now that you have a clear vision for your outdoor kitchen, shop for materials that will make the outdoor kitchen a space safe and enjoyable to work in.

  • Optimize Outdoor Kitchen Cabinet Space
  • Choose Type of Material for Outdoor Kitchen Countertops
  • Choose Type of Grill (ex. Gas, Charcoal, Electric etc.)
  • Choose A Durable and Attractive Outdoor Kitchen Flooring Material
  • Decide Which Outdoor Kitchen Appliance You Want

Managing the Project

  • It’s Important to Set a Budget
  • Research Contractors and Professionals Before Hiring
  • Gather At Least Two Bids for Each Stage of the Building Process
  • Leave Some Extra Money for Extras You May Discover While Building Your Outdoor Kitchen

Ultimate outdoor kitchen cooking environment with precise dimensions.

When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your outdoor kitchen blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

Click Here to Get Started

Continue Reading →

Amazing Outdoor Kitchen Appliances

From the ultimate grill options to pizza ovens, find inspiration to outfit your outdoor kitchen with these must-have amazing outdoor kitchen appliances. These outdoor kitchen appliances will certainly enhance any type of outdoor kitchen plans.

Amazing Outdoor Kitchen Appliances

Full set of amazing outdoor kitchen appliance.

A List of Amazing Outdoor Kitchen Appliances

Pizza Ovens
For those who enjoy the smoky flavors of a delicious homemade pizza, a wood-fired pizza oven is the way to go. This amenity is usually a custom-built feature but do-it-yourself kits are available.

Side Burners
Perhaps the most useful of outdoor appliances is a separate side burner. This amenity allows you to heat sauces or boil water while you’re grilling.

Dishwashers
If you want an easy outdoor cleanup option, think about investing in a dishwasher. Keep in mind that you will need to plan for plumbing instillation.

Hybrid Fire Grilling Drawers
Grilling drawers are one of the top ten amazing outdoor kitchen appliances. Switching cooking methods from gas to charcoal is a breeze with this grill option. Kalamazoo designs high-performance cooking drawers that diffuse heat for gas grilling and incorporate a bed of charcoal or wood in stainless steel drawers for the ultimate grilling experience.

Sinks
An outdoor sink is a big convenience for washing dishes or just rinsing hands while you cook. It is easier to run a water line from the house when the sink station is positioned close by.

Mini Refrigerators
A refrigerator is handy for cold drinks as well as for keeping condiments close to their point of use. Ice-makers and wine refrigerators are popular choices to consider.

Charcoal Grills
Charcoal grills burn hotter than gas grills, and you can burn wood in a charcoal grill to impart a natural, smoky flavor into your foods. The Masterbuilt grill is designed for function and mobility, with fold-down sides for food preparation. When picking your amazing outdoor kitchen appliances, remember that the type of grill you choose will be the most important part of your outdoor kitchen.

Gas Grills
These grills are convenient; they ignite at the push of a button and allow you to control the heat with the turn of a knob. Shop for a grill made of high-quality materials.

Utility Drawers
Stainless steel appliances stand up to any outdoor elements. KitchenAid designs drawers for utility, trash and extra storage for convenient grilling.

Kegerators
A refreshing ice-cold beer on tap is a luxury at your fingertips. Outfit your outdoor kitchen with this amenity and you’ll never go thirsty.

FREE Easy Affordable Outdoor Kitchen Plans

CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features that you can use while designing your outdoor kitchen. There is no limit to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor kitchen plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

Click Here to Get Started

Ultimate outdoor kitchen cooking environment with precise dimensions.
When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your outdoor kitchen blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of outdoor kitchens. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors.

Continue Reading →

Best Outdoor Kitchen Ideas and Inspirations

Prefabricated kitchen kits are an easy, budget-friendly way to add a kitchen to your backyard or patio. Some of the best outdoor kitchen ideas and inspirations utilize modular kitchen components which are available in a variety of styles with popular accessories like compact refrigerators, stainless steel cabinets and custom counter-tops.

Choosing prefab rather than having an outdoor kitchen custom-designed cuts down on time and cost because the design work is already done for you. Choose from stacked stone, granite, tile or stucco to create the outdoor kitchen that looks best with your existing space.

Just because these kitchen kits are prefabricated doesn’t mean you can’t have a custom look. Many companies that offer prefab kits that can be arranged or finished to fit your desired style. Outdoor kit manufacturer WerEver offers a variety of custom styles and materials to suit your specific needs. They also manufacture unfinished kits that you can finish however you like. With a little DIY know-how, you can paint, stucco or stack stone to give your outdoor kitchen the look you want. Products like these make for the best outdoor living space ideas and inspirations.

Best Outdoor Kitchen Ideas and Inspirations

Modular Outdoor Kitchen Designs

Best Outdoor Kitchen Ideas and Inspirations with a Budget

Building an outdoor living space using traditional construction may take weeks, not to mention the cost of labor. However, constructing an outdoor kitchen using a prefab kit can take as little as four hours. This could reduce your budget by as much as 40 percent, and your kitchen will be ready to use the very same day. CAD Pro lets you save time and money when designing and building your outdoor plans with modular components or custom designs.

Outdoor kitchen kits are designed to be a do-it-yourself project, so a level surface is the main requirement for installation. Many modular outdoor kitchens are easily installed on concrete, brick or pavers with little to no additional labor costs. Depending on your budget and the space where it will go, your best outdoor kitchen ideas and inspirations may require plumbing, gas or electricity. You may want to speak with a contractor about the cost and logistics of installing these before you order a prefab kit.

When planning your outdoor space, you will want to review outdoor appliances. There are many outdoor kitchen appliances and manufacturing companies to choose from. Here are a few we recommend; Masterbuilt, Vicking, AJ Madison, BBQGuys and Kalamazoo.

When you’re designing your outdoor kitchen, start at the top. What are the most important functions you want your outdoor living space to serve? If you have a smaller space, stick with the basics like a grill and some counter and cabinet space. Modular outdoor kitchens can be designed to fit narrow, rounded, or otherwise hard-to-fit areas. For smaller spaces like a patio or deck, choose an outdoor kitchen island with a propane grill and compact refrigerator.

If you have a larger area to work with, you can include extra counter space and a bar area with seating for family and friends, or go high-end with accessories like a pizza oven and a wine cooler.

FREE Easy Affordable Outdoor Kitchen Design Plans
CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor living space.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features that you can use while designing your outdoor living space. There is no limit to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

Click Here to Get Started

Ultimate outdoor environment with precise dimensions.
When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of outdoor plans and designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors and the NRCA roofing contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors as well as the National Association of Landscape professionals.

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Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen Cooking Environment

Build and create the ultimate outdoor kitchen cooking environment by including all the comforts of the indoor kitchen in your backyard.

While an outdoor gas grill is a must-have, other outdoor kitchen appliances worth researching include warming drawers, side burners and searing stations, or refrigerators, ice makers and ice chests.

A key (but often overlooked) part to these outdoor luxuries: the plumbing and electrical work required—so plan accordingly, both for your dream design and budget. The electrical and plumbing should be considered before you start construction. CAD Pro lets you save time and money when designing and building your outdoor kitchen plans.

Another overlooked fact for the ultimate outdoor kitchen cooking environment: consider your home’s resale value. If you’re going to the expense of including high-end grills, surfaces and appliances outside, don’t neglect complementary features such as sinks or dishwashers, task lighting (if only for safety) and dimmers, ceiling fans and awnings to keep the sun and heat at bay. And don’t forget to include comfortable seating.

While outdoor kitchen appliances help extend the use of your kitchen, think of other elements that will extend through the seasons—like a space heater for cooler winter nights or a bar for entertaining friends and family.

Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen Cooking Environment

Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen Cooking Environment w/ Lighting

Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen Cooking Environment Designs

Outdoor kitchens are growing in popularity across the country while adding value to your home. Anyone can build these easy affordable outdoor kitchen designs. CAD Pro lets you save time and money when designing and building your ultimate outdoor kitchen cooking environment.

FREE Easy Affordable Outdoor Kitchen Design Plans
CAD Pro includes professional pre-designed outdoor kitchens free of charge. It’s as easy as one-two-three when working with CAD Pro’s free do it yourself outdoor kitchen plans!

Simply open any of the free pre-designed outdoor kitchen plans, then customize them to fit your specific needs. Quickly print your plans or email them to your favorite contractor. This is one of the easiest ways to start building your outdoor kitchen.

CAD Pro provides easy-to-use design tools and features that you can use while designing your outdoor kitchen. There is no limit to the variety of styles and sizes you can design with CAD Pro.

Share your outdoor kitchen plans and designs with clients, contractors or friends and family using Dropbox®, Google Drive™, OneDrive®, and SharePoint®. Export files to Microsoft Word®, Excel®, and PowerPoint®.

There are many outdoor kitchen appliances and manufacturing companies to choose from. Here are a few we recommend; Masterbuilt, Vicking, AJ Madison, BBQGuys and Kalamazoo.

Outdoor Kitchen Designs with Precise Dimensions

When creating outdoor kitchen blueprints that require precise dimensions, let CAD Pro take the work out of the process. CAD Pro’s “Smart Dimension” tools will automatically create all your outdoor kitchen blueprint dimensions with a few simple clicks.

Quick and easy point and click architectural drafting tools allow you to quickly create any type of floor planshouse plans or garden shed plans. These easy to use design tools are great for any kind of outdoor living space designs.

Click Here to Get Started

Cad Pro is an affordable and easy alternative to other more expensive home design software programs. Cad Pro is great for creating custom home plans, building plans, office plans, construction details, and much more. Anyone can start their new home window design project with CAD Pro.

CAD Pro has helped thousands of homeowners, professional designers, builders and contractors plan and design all types of window designs. CAD Pro is used by NARI professional remodelers and contractors. CAD Pro is also used by NHBA home builders and contractors.

Continue Reading →