A fire pit creates a natural focal point and gathering place for backyard evenings. From rustic to contemporary, traditional to modern, fire features are an attractive addition to your home’s landscaping. They are a highly sought-after design feature that may attract prospective homeowners.
When selecting or designing a fire pit, the price is determined by the construction material and fuel type. The average cost ranges from $300 to $1,400, with most homeowners paying around $850 for a 36” above-ground propane-burning brick fire pit. However, prices dip as low as $200 to install a 36” above-ground charcoal fire pit. On the other end, it can be as high as $5,000 to install a 48” in-ground natural gas fire pit.
They constantly rank among the top requested design features on American Society of Landscape Architecture surveys. Among outdoor decor renovations, purchases of “fire features” (fire pits, fireplaces) rose five percentage points in 2020, according to the 2021 Houzz & Home Study.
Affordability may be part of the fire pit’s appeal. The average cost of building a fire pit is around $700-$850, within a range between $300 and $1,400. Of course, there are multiple factors influencing costs such as materials used, the size of the fire pit, and any add-ons.
Getting ready to build a fire pit can be a fun experience. You will need to decide where you want to place your fire pit, how big it will be and what materials you will use. It is recommended that you have an area that is at least 10 feet away from any structures or trees. This will prevent any damage from occurring if sparks fly off during use.
After deciding where you want to place your fire pit, you will want to start digging out the area for it. You will want the hole about 4 feet wide and 6 inches deep so that it is deep enough for your desired depth of fire. Once this is complete, place some sand into the hole so that when it rains water won’t seep into your finished product.
You can then begin placing stones around the perimeter of where your fire pit will go so that they form a barrier between your stone surface and grassy areas nearby (or dirt if no grass exists). Once this has been done then begin carefully placing each rock into place until they are level with each other all around the perimeter of where your fire pit will go (you may need help depending on how many rocks there are).
Building a fire pit can be one of the most affordable and enjoyable DIY projects you do in your backyard. Besides, it’s a great way to get the family together around an open flame — which is what summer is all about.
In this blog post, we’ll go over everything you need to know about building your own fire pit. We’ll talk about how much it costs and what materials you will need. Then we will take a look at some popular designs that are perfect for any backyard space. From there, we will show you how to build one step-by-step so that you can start enjoying your new outdoor feature right away.
Fire Pit Costs
Fire pit costs can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars, depending on the size of your project and the materials you use. For example, a small fire pit that only has a diameter of 20 inches (50 centimeters) and is built using brick will cost around $100 or so to make. On the other hand, if you want to build a large fire pit with a diameter measuring almost 30 feet (9 meters), then expect your project to cost thousands of dollars in total.
Factors That Impact Fire Pit Cost
It’s no secret that the cost to build a fire pit varies. There are many factors that impact the final price tag, including:
- Materials: The type of materials you choose for your fire pit will have an impact on its overall cost. For example, concrete blocks and bricks are generally less expensive than stone or brick pavers.
- Size: The size of your fire pit will also affect its price tag. Generally speaking, larger pits tend to be more expensive because they require more material than smaller ones do (and therefore higher labor costs).
- Design: The shape and design of your fire pit are important factors when it comes to determining how much it will cost you. Some designs require more work overall than others due to their intricate nature; this means that they’ll end up costing you more in terms of labor expenses as well as materials (since they often require additional supplies).
How To Minimize Your Fire Pit Costs
Now that you have a better idea of what to expect in terms of cost, let’s look at how to minimize your costs when building a fire pit.
- Choose a fire pit that is not too large: In general, bigger isn’t always better. A large fire pit can command an impressive amount of attention and provide warmth for more than one person at once, but it will also be more expensive than its smaller counterparts. If space is limited and budget isn’t an object, then by all means go ahead and buy the biggest fire pit on the market; however, if space or money is tight then consider purchasing something smaller (and cheaper).
- Choose a fire pit that is not too small: Just as it doesn’t make sense for every family room or patio to have its own large-scale fireplace made from brick veneer stone—a smaller version can work just fine when placed in close proximity with other elements such as chairs or tables. In fact, many homeowners prefer smaller versions because they don’t take up much space while still providing enough heat output for people who gather around them during those cold winter nights.
Fire Pit Materials
While it’s impossible to put an exact price on a fire pit, the cost of materials can vary greatly. Some are more expensive than others, some are more durable, and some are more environmentally friendly. As you search for your own materials you’ll want to consider these factors when making your purchasing decisions.
- Cost: The most obvious thing that will affect the total cost of your fire pit is the price of what you’re using. If you’re building from scratch with concrete blocks and bricks, this could be very costly depending on how many blocks and bricks it takes for you to build a rectangular shape large enough for sitting around a fire pit without being too close together or flat on top. Wood pallets make good inexpensive seats if placed vertically in front of each other for seating around the edge of your fire pit area instead of surrounding it completely with chairs (which might not fit) if building from scratch isn’t feasible due to budget constraints or lack thereof.
- Durability: Another factor affecting cost is durability; some materials last longer than others while holding up well under heavy use over time so they won’t need replacing anytime soon after installation which saves money over time versus buying replacements every few years after frequent use since they may get broken or chipped off early especially if made out wood instead plastic composition material like aluminum bushel basket style containers filled with sand iced tea bottles wrapped tightly together inside each other forming one larger container used both functional purpose as well as decorative aesthetic purpose when combined with material such as glass beads found at local craft store near me today? You might even want check out Walmart too just incase–it could have something there which would work better than any other store nearby me today.”
Fire Pit Measures And Size
The first thing to consider when you are designing your fire pit is the size. The fire pit size depends on the size of your family and how many people will be seated around the fire pit at one time.
You have to take into consideration how much space do you have for a large fire pit, as well as what type of round or square shape would best fit in with your lifestyle and budget. A rectangular shaped stone lookalike concrete block could be used for those who want something easy to assemble and less expensive than stone blocks would cost them if they were purchased from a home improvement store because they come in pre-cut sizes that don’t need cutting before installation; however, these concrete blocks are not always available in every color scheme or style desired by some homeowners so sometimes it might be better just buying some wood logs instead if this is important enough to them.
Fire Pit Design
Design Considerations for Fire Pits
Fire pits come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials, so you may need to do some research before choosing the one that’s right for your yard. For example:
- Size – What size does your backyard require? A fire pit should be large enough to comfortably hold your guests while still allowing room for chairs and tables. On the other hand, if you have limited space or an especially small yard then it might make more sense to invest in an outdoor fireplace instead of a traditional fire pit.
- Shape – As with size considerations above, there are several different shapes available on the market today including round designs or square shapes with sharp corners (soaking up water from rain) versus softer edges which reduces potential damage caused by weather conditions like wind gusts or snowfall accumulation during winter months ahead when everyone else wants nothing more than iced coffee drinks every morning.
Site Preparation
Prepare the site for your fire pit. This includes removing any debris or rocks, leveling the site and adding a layer of gravel at the bottom of the pit. Use a shovel and rake to level out your site, pounding in stakes every few feet as you go along if necessary. Once you’re done leveling it, get out your tractor with a smoothing attachment (aka a “Groover”) and smooth out that area by running over it repeatedly until all bumps are gone.
Use this opportunity to also spray paint an outline around where you will be building your fire pit; this will help keep us from tripping over each other while working on our build.
Labor Charges For Building A Fire Pit
Labor costs are the biggest expense when it comes to building a fire pit. The cost of labor will vary depending on the size of your project and whether you hire a professional or do it yourself. For example, if you’re building an outdoor fire pit that’s 8 feet in diameter and 6 inches deep, then expect to pay around $40 per hour for labor.
If you want to save money on your build, then consider doing some of the work yourself. For example, if you want a custom shape for your fire pit but don’t have any welding experience or equipment at home, then consider hiring someone with those skillset instead.
Additional Costs To Build A Fire Pit
- There are additional costs to consider when building your own fire pit.
- A cover for the pit is a good idea if you’re using it frequently, as it will protect your investment from being damaged by rain and snow. The Fire Pit Enclosure sold on Amazon costs $65.
- If you want to keep your budget low, try keeping your fire pit simple—but don’t forget to think about safety.
Costs to Build A Fire Pit
Of course, there is more to building a fire pit than just the materials and labor. If you don’t have an existing concrete pad to build your fire pit on, you’ll have to have one installed. This can cost anywhere from $3 per square foot up to $20 per square foot depending on how much area you want covered and what type of material you choose for your pad.
You may also need some sort of retaining wall around your new fire pit if it’s going in an area where water runoff could cause erosion problems or damage to property like houses or lawns. Installing retaining walls usually runs anywhere from $1-$8 per linear foot due to the complexity of building them and how difficult it is for contractors to accurately estimate costs ahead of time (i.e., digging through rocks).
The cost to build a fire pit can vary depending on the size of the project and the materials you use.
The cost to build a fire pit can vary depending on the size of the project, as well as the materials you use. Also, if your fire pit is located in an area with strict codes and regulations (like near a neighborhood), it may require more time and money than one that is not. Finally, the complexity of your project will affect how much it costs to build a fire pit.
In conclusion,
We hope this article has helped you learn more about the cost to build a fire pit and the factors that can affect it. If you enjoyed reading through our guide, then we encourage you to share it with your friends or family members so they can learn about other ways to save money on building projects as well.
