What you NEED to Know BEFORE You Begin

Designing, planning, building, and enjoying a new outdoor living space is as exciting as it is rewarding. But to avoid any pitfalls, setbacks, or costly mistakes, there are a few things you need to know before the first shovel breaks the dirt. I have been designing, installing, and managing hardscape builds for years. The first thing you need to do is be educated about your project. Follow along with this article to have an actionable set of steps to follow when undertaking a backyard project like installing a fireplace kit to almost any other softscape or hardscape project.

Strange codes are rare, but they do exist. But, restrictions can often be satisfied with simple solutions. Here are a few I have encountered over the years. I have had to move a fireplace (planning stage) further from the house to comply with it being at least 24' from the residence. Since the patio wasn't that large, I designed a smaller secondary patio one step down from the main one. I shortened and widened the central patio. The fireplace got its seating area, but I was also able to meet the code restriction and stay on budget while still delivering the fireplace.

I have also had to move it closer to a house to comply with it being no closer than 8' to a property line. Meeting this requirement was a simple fix. Another time, the fireplace was confined to one spot. It had to be a set distance from the owners' house, and it couldn't be too close to the neighbors' house. The fireplace barely fit within those boundaries. But the chimney did not conform by a couple of inches. The fireplace body met the criteria, but the chimney opening was a few inches too close to the neighboring property when meeting all the other criteria. I was able to satisfy the code by modifying the chimney. I made the chimney broader and shallower. Thus, I was able to keep the cross-sectional value of the chimney the same while moving the opening over the few extra inches needed to satisfy all the restrictions. In the end, the owners required a custom chimney cap, but they got their outdoor fireplace.

Chimney height can also be an issue. A customer needed to lower a chimney as no backyard structure could be over a certain height. The HOA didn't want structures to be taller than the fence height. That way, people could block the view of their neighbors' belongings if they wished. Another customer had to buy chimney extensions because the chimney had to be a minimum height above the fence for fire concerns. One couple wasn't allowed to build a fireplace. I told them to ask their code enforcer about classifying their fireplace like a fire pit instead. The inspector was open to the idea (they are people, too). The couple had to build their kit without a hearth to be classified as a covered fire pit. In the end, it all worked out. You never know what valuable, silly, misinformed, reactionary, or just plain weird restrictions you may find. If they exist, ask your local enforcers for creative ways you may comply. I can't think of a time when there was no way forward if we worked with the code official or HOA board. Though rare, It is better to find them out before you buy and build and not after you do!

Like any structure, the most important parts are the parts you don't see. We love to talk about color and finish, but those are not nearly important as things you may never see. The most important of these unseen heroes is your foundation. We all know that a solid foundation is the key to everything- including sports, music, and relationships. This is especially the case for outdoor fireplaces. Yet the foundation is the part most people overlook or gloss over when planning their fireplace build.

Many factors can determine your foundation. One factor could be local codes. These codes may change depending on where you decide to put your fireplace. Pre-existing structures or grade changes may determine them. You may choose based on budget or preference.

Cornerstone fireplace kits are designed to be DIY friendly. To ensure this, the easiest way to keep your build DIY friendly is to build your outdoor fireplace separate from other structures. Keep them away from roofs and pergolas. Incorporating fireplaces into structures adds cost and complexity. Therefore, making your fireplace a freestanding unit offers you the most options. The best foundation is the one with concrete piers extending below the frost line. This build style should be stable in all but the most extreme soil and property conditions. The compacted gravel base is entirely adequate in stable soils. Be sure to choose which is suitable for you. 

For ease, we have a video on installing the compacted gravel floating footer foundation. You can see how you could modify the steps to add a concrete pad to the top of the gravel. You can screed concrete from your form boards the same way you do rock and sand. You need to incorporate the specs outlined in our Foundation Specs and Plans PDF. See Below:

Building a foundation for your outdoor fireplace is not rocket science. It is manual labor. But that doesn't mean you have to break your back. Take your time and work methodically. Do not do more than you are capable of doing. When excavating, timing is critical. You want your soil to be the correct moisture. Too dry and digging can be challenging- like trying to penetrate concrete with a shovel. Too wet, and you can have a heavy, sloppy mess. You can wait until mother nature presents you with the ideal conditions. Luckily, these happen in the best times to build- spring and fall. The temperatures are milder this time of year, and rains can keep the soil at proper moisture. If you need to dig during a hot, dry spell, you can trickle a garden hose around the area for a couple of days before digging. You can even let it dry to the right consistency if you get the soil too wet. Trickle water is the key. You don't want mud, but you don't want powder or concrete.

You will not need to excavate so deep and wide that excavation equipment is necessary. You can rent and use these. Be aware that the amount of damage excavators can do is astonishing. If not used skillfully, they can easily break your house, dig through water mains, or over excavate. To avoid these hazards yet still ease your burden, use a smaller machine. Often, a tiller will quickly break up hard or rocky soils. Not only are these machines cheap to rent and easy to run, but they are also easier to transport. You can get a tiller to backyard spaces an excavator can't go.

Now that you have finished the most important part of your build, you can focus on the fun stuff: Building your outdoor fireplace kit!