A fireplace that smokes into the seating area is a geometry failure, not bad luck. Flue area needs to be roughly a tenth of the fireplace opening, the smoke chamber has to be shaped and parged rather than left as rough block, and the throat needs a proper damper or lintel line. Kits routinely get all three wrong.
Fire pits are simpler but still need a firebrick liner and an air gap. Standard concrete wall block spalls when it's heated repeatedly — you'll see the faces popping off within two or three seasons on pits built without one.
Gas work is run and inspected by a licensed plumber. Key valves go far enough from the pit that you can reach them with a fire lit, which sounds obvious and is missing from a surprising number of installations.
What's included
- Wood-burning and gas fire pits with firebrick liners
- Full outdoor fireplaces with parged smoke chambers and sized flues
- Gas rings, burners, key valves and electronic ignition
- Seat walls set at a working distance from the heat
- Chimney caps, spark arrestors and stone or brick veneer
- Hearths and wood storage built into the surround
What it costs
| Build | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Wood-burning fire pit, built in place | $3,500 – $7,000 |
| Gas fire pit with burner and key valve | $6,500 – $12,000 |
| Outdoor fireplace, 6 ft | $22,000 – $45,000 |
| Fireplace with wood boxes and hearth seating | $45,000 – $80,000 |
| Chimney veneer, per sq ft | $58 – $92 |
Ranges are installed prices for work in our service area. Every estimate we issue is a fixed price for a defined scope, not a unit rate applied to a guess at quantities.
Related work
Next step
We'll mark it out on your lawn
No charge, no obligation, and you'll have a fixed price within four days of the visit.
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