Fire Pit or Money Pit? 9 Ways to Avoid Overspending

Indoor evenings on the couch are so last year. Literally. Relaxing around a fire and under the stars is about to betheplace for a perfect night. But a built-in fire pit can cost upward of 5,000 for an above-ground, propane-burning brick fire pit without installation. Thats a pricey upgrade.

Dont worry. With these money-saving tips, you canbuild a fire pit for less than a grand and still have a fabulous one:

#1 Choose Wood Instead of Gas

Gas fire pits are more expensive because youll have to hire a plumber to run the gas line and an electrician to power the pit.

A wood fire pit has none of that cost, which will run at least several hundred dollars. Besides, who doesnt love the smokey ambiance of a wood fire?

#2 If You Want Gas, Put It Close to Your House

OK, noteveryoneloves an ashy, smoky fire pit. If you do want the simplicity of gas, you can get it most cheaply by keeping that gas line as short as possible.

The farther from your house that plumber has to run the gas line, the longer hell be there. And the longer hes there, the more it will cost. And remember the electrician youre going to pay to run wires to power the automatic starter? Same thing.

#3 Skip the Built-In Seating

Those stone benches in a semicircle around a flaming fire pit look like money. Thats because theyre made of it.

Built-in benches that will seat six people with a comfortable amount of personal space can cost as much or more as the fire pit itself.

A resin Adirondack chair can cost 150 or less. Plus, chairs areeasier on your butt as well as your wallet.

Built-in benches look cool, but no one wants to sit on them, says Aaron Rogers of Southern Poolscapes. Theyre really uncomfortable.

#4 Dont Do Custom Anything

You can have a fire pit designed just for you. One-of-a-kind. But unless youre a trust-funder or just like spending money like one, stick with a contractors standard build. Most offer prefab, modular units that cost at least half as much as a custom build.

Ive put in custom fire pits that cost as much as 7,000 just for the pit, Rogers says. That means the patio cost even more. Yowsa!

#5 Go With a Paver Patio

Flagstone gives you the natural beauty of real stone, but it costs 15 to 30 per square foot for patio flooring and 25 per square foot for flagstone pavers.

Unless youre making a one-person pit (no judgment, introverts), thats gonna add up. A paver patio looks manufactured, but it costs 6 to 10 per square foot. Concrete pavers are a good way to cut costs and still have a good-looking patio, says Ted Essig of Sky Valley Landscape.

#6 Select an (Almost) Smokeless Fire Pit

Smokeless fire pits, or smokeless stoves, arent entirely smokeless. But even though theyre wood burning, they generate less ash than wood fire pits The list of pros is extensive: durable, easy to maintain, efficient, usually made of stainless steel, and sometimes portable.

Keep in mind that some arent safe to use on decks, so for those, youll need a heat shield or fire pit mat.

The price ranges from about 90 to about 600 if you want a high-end Solo Stove.

#7 Choose a Decomposed Granite Patio (Its the Cheapest!)

It looks like sand. It isnt fancy. But its cheap as heck.

A pro can lay this stuff for as little as 2 a square foot.

Very important: Heavy rainfall can wash away a decomposed granite patio. If you live in Phoenix, decomposed granite is a great option. If you live in New Orleans, keep shopping.

#8 DIY a Fire-Pit Kit

If youre handy, DIY it. You can get a kit for a wood-burning fire pit for 130 and up. (You can buy kits for gas fire pits, too, but they cost a lot more and youre still going to need to run a gas line.)

The easiest fire-pit kits are made of modular stone that you can stack, no mortar necessary. Theyre like Legos for grown-ups. Each brick has a raised edge that makes it sit securely on the one below it. The only tool youll need is a wrench.

But be prepared: These kits can weigh as much as half a ton. Buy one you can have delivered.

#9 DIY the Patio, Too

If youre building the pit, why not build the patio, too? Its just a floor, so no design skills required.

In order of difficulty: A decomposed granite patio is easiest to DIY. Pavers are next, followed by flagstone.

Fifty to 60 percent of a patio cost is the labor, Rogers says. You can do this, thrifty homeowner. Go to YouTube, search How to build a patio, and get going.

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