Outdoor Kitchens in Eden Prairie, MN

Outdoor Kitchens in Eden Prairie start with the shape of the yard. The city sits on the north bank of the Minnesota River, and its land is a mix of rolling hills and bluffs that overlook the valley. Plenty of backyards here fall away from the house toward a walkout door, a pond or a strip of woods. A grill island that would sit flat in a newer prairie subdivision may need a stepped base, a short retaining edge or a split-level layout on these lots. We plan that first, before anyone picks a countertop.

Where the kitchen goes on a slope

On a sloping lot there are usually three workable spots, and each one changes the build:

• On the upper deck or patio, next to the kitchen door. Short trip for food and dishes, but deck framing has to carry the weight of stone, appliances and counters, and the grill needs the clearances its manufacturer lists.
• At the walkout level below. Often the flattest ground on the property and naturally shaded by the deck above. Good for a bar-height counter and a fire feature, though venting a grill under a deck is something we design around carefully, or avoid.
• Out in the yard on its own pad. Best views toward the river valley or a pond, but it means a longer gas or electrical run and a longer walk with a tray.

We sketch the option that fits how you actually cook and entertain, and tell you plainly what each one involves.

Footings that respect Minnesota frost

Eden Prairie is in Hennepin County, which Minnesota Rule 1303.1600 places in frost Zone II, where the minimum footing depth for buildings is 3-1/2 feet. A heavy masonry island set on shallow, unprepared soil can heave and tip as the ground freezes and thaws, and on a slope that movement tends to go downhill. For roofed structures and anything attached to the house we follow the frost-depth requirement and the city's permit process. For freestanding islands we size the base to the weight, the soil and the grade, and we explain why.

What we build here

• Custom outdoor kitchens shaped to a sloped or terraced yard
• Outdoor kitchen countertops in materials that tolerate freezing
• Grill islands and BBQ stations, including compact units for upper decks
• Weather-resistant outdoor kitchen cabinets and storage
• Covered outdoor kitchens and pergolas that tie into a walkout or patio
• Outdoor fireplaces and fire features sited to meet fire-code distances

Next door to parks and trails

Eden Prairie has about 2,250 acres of parks and 1,300 acres of open space, and more than 170 miles of multi-use trails. Some homes back onto the Purgatory Creek corridor, lakes such as Staring Lake and Lake Riley, or wooded open space. That is a great view to cook toward, and it also means thinking about smoke direction, lighting that does not glare across a trail, and keeping wood-burning fires the required distance from trees and brush. Minnesota's State Fire Marshal guidance for recreational fires sets 25 feet from buildings and combustible materials, and cities can adopt stricter rules. Gas fire features avoid wood smoke entirely, and we can talk through both.

Utilities and digging

Running a gas line to a grill or a new circuit to a refrigerator means digging. Before any excavation, Gopher State One Call needs at least 48 hours notice, not counting the day of notice, weekends or holidays, and when you hire a contractor, the contractor is responsible for that call. On sloped yards trenches often have to follow the grade, so we lay out the route with the locate marks in hand.

Getting started

Call (612) 451-0418 or send a few photos of the yard taken from the house and from the far end of the lot. We visit, walk the slope with you, and give you a free, written quote that spells out the base, the utilities, the materials and what is included.

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