Setting up a proper BBQ area: what to think about before building

Every Cotswold garden I've worked in that has a functioning BBQ area has a few things in common. None of them is the BBQ itself. The BBQ is the easy bit. Everything around it is the difference between "we use it three times a week" and "we haven't lit it since 2022."

Five things to get right before you start buying bricks.

1. Location, based on where the people sit

The biggest mistake people make is putting the BBQ near the house for convenience. You want the BBQ near the people who are eating. Which, if you've thought about where they'll sit, is probably not next to the kitchen door.

Stand in the garden. Picture six people sitting round a table on a summer evening. Where's the table? Where are the chairs? The BBQ wants to be within two or three metres of that, so the cook is part of the group, not banished to the far wall.

Also consider:

• Wind direction. Prevailing wind is south-westerly in the Cotswolds. You don't want the smoke blowing over the table.
• Neighbours. A BBQ in the corner closest to the neighbour's window is a recipe for falling out.
• Sun position. A sheltered corner that catches late sun is perfect. A sunless corner is a cold-looking spot in July.

2. A proper non-combustible surface

Don't put a BBQ on grass. The grass dies, the ground gets uneven, the BBQ falls over. Decking is also a bad idea unless there's a full non-combustible mat underneath. Embers drop. Hot fat splashes. Decking gets a scorch mark the first time someone sears a steak.

Options:

• Cotswold stone flags laid on a proper sub-base. Looks right, lasts forever, cost depends on size but around £60 to £100 per square metre installed.
• Brick pavers. Harder-wearing than some stone, cheaper to source, good for a contrast feature.
• A concrete pad finished with a sand-grouted tile or slab surface. Cheapest, entirely practical, doesn't have to look drab if you pick the right finish.

Minimum area: 2m by 2m. 3m by 2m is better. You want space for the BBQ itself, a side table, room to stand, and a margin of safety.

3. Shelter, but not too much

British summers being British summers, a rain-free option matters. But a fully enclosed BBQ shelter becomes a carbon monoxide risk if someone lights the BBQ with the roof too low and the sides too closed.

The sensible compromise is a partial roof. A pergola with a rain-shedding section over the cooking area, open sides, ventilation above the BBQ. Gives you a rain-out option without turning the space into a potential hazard.

Listed or conservation area: check what's allowed. A permanent roofed structure in the Cirencester conservation area often needs planning permission. A freestanding demountable pergola often doesn't, but verify with the council before buying.

4. Lighting that works

Half of a BBQ's life is after sunset. Lighting plan:

• Task lighting over the BBQ itself (spot or LED strip inside the pergola cover)
• Ambient over the eating area (string lights, lanterns, warm tone)
• Path lighting between the house and the BBQ (low-level bollards or step lights)

Low-voltage outdoor lighting kits are cheap (£100 for a decent set). A single weatherproof outdoor socket by the BBQ gives you power for the lights and anything else. I'd always recommend a proper weatherproof socket installed by a qualified electrician rather than running an extension from the kitchen.

5. Storage nobody thinks about

A BBQ area without storage is a BBQ area where the charcoal bags live by the back door and the lighter fluid lives in the kitchen. Build in a small timber store as part of the design:

• A lockable cupboard for gas bottles and lighter fluid
• A shelf for the cooking utensils (at waist height, not ankle height)
• A dry space for the charcoal bag (charcoal soaks up damp overnight)
• A hook or two for the tongs and brush

What it costs, roughly

A bare-bones BBQ corner (slabs only, no shelter, no power): £600 to £900 labour plus materials.

A proper permanent setup with flagstones, timber pergola, lighting rough-in, and built-in storage: £2,500 to £4,500 for the construction bits, plus electrician for the proper outdoor socket.

A full built-in BBQ with masonry surround and worktop: add £1,500 to £3,000 depending on spec.

An honest summary

If you haven't had a proper BBQ setup, start with a phase-one: good surface, basic pergola, a portable BBQ, one outdoor socket. Live with it for a summer. Find out what you actually need. Then invest in phase two with real information.

The garden BBQ areas that get used three times a week weren't designed in one go on a whiteboard. They grew.