Having an outdoor pizza oven can be a great addition for any homeowner who loves to cook and entertain. But does adding an outdoor pizza oven actually increase the value of your home? There are several factors to consider when determining whether an outdoor pizza oven is a smart investment that could pay off in added home value versus a luxury that may not recoup its own cost.
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What is an Outdoor Pizza Oven?
An outdoor pizza oven, also sometimes called a brick oven or wood-fired oven, is an oven designed for baking pizzas outdoors. Here are some key features of outdoor pizza ovens:
- Made from materials like brick, stone, or metal that retain heat well.
- Fueled by wood, gas, or electricity.
- Reaches high temperatures of around 700-900°F.
- Cooks pizza in 1-3 minutes.
- Includes a baking surface that mimics a stone pizza oven.
- May be a permanent fixture or a portable model.
Outdoor pizza ovens are very popular for making authentic wood-fired style pizza at home. The intense heat helps create a crispy, charred crust with toppings that are melty and lightly charred on top. While regular ovens don’t get hot enough to properly cook Neapolitan-style pizza, outdoor pizza ovens can recreate the conditions of a professional pizza oven to help any home cook make restaurant-quality pizzas.
Benefits of Having an Outdoor Pizza Oven
Here are some of the benefits that an outdoor pizza oven offers for homeowners:
- Entertaining – An outdoor pizza oven is a showstopper feature when entertaining guests. Making fresh pizzas is an interactive experience that your guests will love.
- Cooking Ability – In addition to pizza, an outdoor oven’s high heat can be used to cook steaks, seafood, vegetables, and more to perfection.
- Ambiance – The wood-fired cooking process creates a lovely atmosphere and appetizing smell in your backyard.
- Quality – You can make restaurant-worthy pizza and other foods at home.
- Outdoor Living – Extends your home’s living space outdoors and gives you an attractive spot for hanging out in your yard.
- Passion – Lets you fully pursue your passion for making great pizza at home.
For pizza lovers who entertain a lot, an outdoor pizza oven can get tons of use and enhance time spent together with family and friends outdoors. The wow-factor and uniqueness of an outdoor pizza oven compared to a typical backyard grill make it more than just another cooking appliance.
Considerations for Adding Value
While outdoor pizza ovens offer many benefits, there are some factors to weigh when deciding if adding one will increase or decrease your home’s value:
Installation Costs
Outdoor pizza ovens can range widely in price from $300-$10,000+, with most quality ovens costing $1,500-$5,000. Permanent brick ovens often cost more for professional installation. The oven itself is only part of the expense – you also need accessories like a pizza peel, fireproof gloves and tools, as well as the ongoing cost for fuel. These expenses add up, so make sure you can afford the total costs.
Permits
Building permits are often required, especially for permanent structures. Permits can be an added cost of $200 or more.
Placement
The oven needs a suitable spot away from your home and overhangs, with adequate ventilation. Running gas and electricity lines over to the oven area can drive up installation costs. Poor placement or installation could be unsafe.
Multi-Season Use
How many months of the year can the pizza oven realistically get used in your climate? In cold winter areas, the oven may get little use for months.
Your Skill Level
There is a learning curve to using a pizza oven properly. Making the most of it requires skill and practice in areas like managing the fire, preparing pizzas for the high heat, and more. If no one in your family is up for this learning process, the oven won’t improve quality of life as much.
Future Owners
Will future owners appreciate and properly use the pizza oven? Niche features like a pizza oven sometimes aren’t valued or maintained by new owners, providing less value.
Considering these factors will give you a good sense of the return on investment you can expect from adding an outdoor pizza oven.
Pizza Oven Cost vs. Added Home Value
Based on the considerations above, does adding a pizza oven increase your home’s resale value? Here is a look at how much value an outdoor pizza oven could reasonably add.
Pizza Oven Cost
- Basic portable pizza oven – $300-$700
- High-end portable pizza oven – $700-$1,500
- Built-in wood-fired pizza oven – $2,000-$5,000
- Brick pizza oven with professional installation – $5,000-$10,000+
Added Resale Value
- Basic portable pizza oven – $500-$1,000
- High-end portable pizza oven – $1,000-$2,000
- Built-in wood-fired pizza oven – $3,000-$7,000
- Brick pizza oven with professional installation – $7,000-$15,000
As you can see, the added value typically ranges from about 50-100% of the pizza oven’s original cost. The increased home value comes from the buyer assigning value to the fun, lifestyle enhancement, and entertaining benefits of the oven.
More expensive, customized permanent ovens yield a higher dollar value. Portable ovens still add value from the convenience and joy of pizza night, just on a smaller dollar scale. The oven’s condition, placement, and the home’s location in a climate that allows year-round outdoor cooking also impact added value.
Maximizing Pizza Oven Value
If adding a pizza oven sounds like a good investment, here are tips for maximizing the value increase to your home:
- Choose the right size oven for your needs. A larger oven may not lead to proportionally higher value.
- Pick a quality pizza oven from a reputable brand.
- Get proper site preparation and installation.
- Obtain necessary permits.
- Carefully consider placement and visibility.
- Use high-quality finishing materials that complement your home.
- Have a qualified professional install gas and electric lines.
- Highlight the oven as a key feature when showing your home.
- Stage the area around the oven as an inviting entertaining space.
With smart planning and design choices, your new outdoor pizza oven can be a centerpiece that boosts your home’s resale appeal and value for under $10,000 in most cases.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Pizza Oven
While outdoor pizza ovens can add value to your home, they aren’t a smart choice for everyone. Before taking the plunge, honestly assess:
- How much you love making homemade pizza from scratch.
- How often you entertain and cook for groups.
- Your budget for purchasing the oven and supplies.
- Whether you have a suitable outdoor space.
- Your willingness to learn new outdoor cooking skills.
- If your climate allows you to use it most of the year.
- Whether future owners will appreciate the feature.
Carefully weighing considerations like these will tell you whether an outdoor pizza oven is a worthwhile investment that makes sense for your home and lifestyle.
Outdoor Kitchens Also Boost Value
For the highest resale value, consider integrating your pizza oven into a complete outdoor kitchen. Well-designed outdoor cooking and entertaining areas have become popular wish list features for homebuyers.
Here are examples of amenities to include in an outdoor kitchen alongside your pizza oven:
- High-quality grill
- Refrigerator or beverage cooler
- Side burners or stove
- Sink and prep space
- Weather-resistant cabinetry
- Pizza prep station
- Bar area
- Dining space
- Entertainment features like a TV or speakers
- Fireplace or fire pit area
- Comfortable, durable furniture
- Attractive lighting
By turning your outdoor pizza oven into the centerpiece of a complete outdoor kitchen and entertainment area, you can increase the value significantly more compared to adding just a standalone oven. Well-designed outdoor rooms that give buyers extra living and hosting capacity are a smart investment in added resale value.
Conclusion
Adding an outdoor pizza oven can increase your home’s value, with the added value typically ranging 50-100% of the original oven cost. Exactly how much value it adds depends on factors like:
- Type of oven
- Installation quality
- Year-round usage in your climate
- Placement
- Condition
Since an outdoor pizza oven is still considered a luxury feature, the increased value may be less than its original cost. But for homes with features buyers want, like high-end finishes and spaces to entertain, a pizza oven can be an exciting feature that helps your home stand out.
Given proper expectations of added value, a pizza oven can be a worthwhile investment in many situations. For maximum resale value, incorporate the pizza oven into a complete outdoor kitchen space. With strategic planning, you can have the joy of cooking incredible pizza at home and increase your home’s appeal when you decide to sell.