If you’re getting your garden in shape for summer and want to add value to your home, think twice before splashing out on landscaping or adding a no longer fashionable pizza oven.
Instead, experts say installing an outdoor kitchen should be the first thing on your to-do list. Housebuilder St Modwen Homes says they are the ‘must-have’ trend for 2025 as buyers want to extend their living areas – and can boost a property’s value by thousands of pounds.
Growing demand for outdoor kitchens means homes that have them are being snapped up – even in a sluggish property market. And they can add far more to the value of your property than they cost to install.
Tim Simmons, of residential community provider Regency Living, says: ‘Any addition that helps us to better enjoy our outdoor spaces will appeal to potential buyers, and outdoor kitchens are one feature that have become increasingly popular.
‘They can be a worthwhile investment as they are estimated to add 5.6 per cent to the value of a home, which equates to just over £15,000 on the current average UK house price.’
Outdoor kitchens are estimated to add 5.6 per cent to the value of a home, which equates to just over £15,000 on the current average UK house price
This means adding one to a £400,000 home could boost the value by some £22,400.
Only a garden room or office will add more value, Mr Simmons says, and a kitchen will do more for your property’s price tag than the traditional ways of upgrading an outdoor area such as landscaping, or adding a patio or shed.
Outdoor kitchens appeal to buyers over a single barbecue or a pizza oven because they can be used all year round if you add a cover such as a veranda or pergola.
Marc Lane, of garden design company Landscapia, says: ‘People want cooking space undercover as they want to enjoy that garden all year round and not just use it as soon as it’s sunny.
‘That’s why there’s a movement away from singular barbecues to kitchens – there’s an option for cover, heating and lighting.’
Prices can vary but a pergola with a sliding roof can be bought for just under £200 from B&Q while a 2.4m x 3m graphite grey pergola with closable slats is £899 from garden furniture company White Store. Side panels to protect your kitchen from the elements all year round can be picked up for £229 each.
One homeowner in Kent who bought an outdoor kitchen, with a shelter and heater, from AOS Kitchens found it became the focal point of his Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Jody Crichton, of AOS Outdoor Kitchens, says: ‘If you were looking to buy a house and on the garden patio is an outdoor kitchen, it sells a lifestyle and buyers can picture themselves living there.
‘It massively helps selling the process and it will pay for itself. You can just imagine yourselves, friends and family all sitting outside together cooking, eating and socialising.’
You can choose a modular outdoor kitchen – which can be slotted into your garden – or go bespoke, which will be constructed on site.
Marc Lane, of garden design company Landscapia, says: ‘People want cooking space undercover as they want to enjoy that garden all year round and not just use it as soon as it’s sunny’
A typical cost for a modular kitchen, with a grill, cupboards, drawers and a fridge will cost about £3,000 to £5,000
If you have a modern house or glass box extensions, a modular choice is generally better, while a bespoke outdoor kitchen, often made with brick, works well with a cottage or traditional house, Mr Crichton explains.
‘They’re typically a similar price,’ he adds. ‘Modular units are more expensive to buy but they take a day to install, whereas bespoke ones use material like bricks, which are very cheap, but the labour is very expensive.’
A bespoke outdoor kitchen may take six days to install. Plus, if you already have paving down it may be easier to go for a modular style. The grill is the main feature of the outdoor kitchen and there are many different types: depending on fuel preference (gas, charcoal, or pellet) and style (traditional open-wire grill or teppanyaki – a flat metal cooking surface). The cost of installing one of these trendy kitchens can be as little as a couple of thousand pounds – and soar to as much as £100,000.
A typical cost for a modular kitchen, with a grill, cupboards, drawers and a fridge will cost about £3,000 to £5,000, according to Christopher Dobbing, of Woodlark Garden Luxury.
Also consider adding a sink for washing hands, not washing up, says Alison Butler, of high-end outdoor kitchen provider Kitchen in the Garden. People typically prefer to do the washing up in their indoor kitchen, but value having some running water outside for convenience. A 2.4m x 2.4m stainless steel L-shaped unit with a four-burner gas grill, cupboards, sink and double drinks fridge costs £4,569.99.
You can, however, do it more cheaply. A four-burner gas barbecue modular kitchen with double cupboard, sink and fridge is £2,092 from Garden Trends.
If you want more kitchen space to add even more value to your garden, you can opt for a 3m x 3m L-shape, which will generally set you back £12,000. A bigger U-shape kitchen typically costs about £18,000 if you’re looking to attract upmarket buyers who want large entertaining space.
Add some cosy garden furniture to complete the look. An eight-seat dining set from Dunelm is £499, while a five-seat sofa is £449. Plus you can take this with you after you have sold your home.
As for colour, consider opting for cream or beige to have maximum appeal to buyers, says Ms Butler. Wood finishes are also popular.
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