Houston Fire Pit and Outdoor Fireplace Design and Build
A fireplace is the thing a seating area gets arranged around, and the firebox, throat, and flue have to be built to proportion or it smokes back at you. Gas, wood, or both, it is masonry work with a chimney rather than a decorative surround.
Why Texan Landscape Group for Outdoor Fireplaces & Fire Features
- 01
The number on this page is the number we work to.
Texan Landscape Group publishes an investment range of $8,000 to $35,000, with a built-in fire pit or fire table typically $4,000 to $9,000 for this service before you call, rather than qualifying you on the phone first. Almost no Houston landscape contractor does.
- 02
The firebox, throat, damper, and flue are built to proportion so the fireplace drafts.
A fireplace smoking back into the patio is the single most common defect in outdoor masonry fireplaces.
- 03
20+ years, 1,200+ completed Houston projects, and 396+ reviews across platforms.
Chris Gosselin, our founder, holds a Construction Management degree from the University of Arkansas, and he and his brother Tony were both born and raised in Spring Branch.
- 04
One call afterwards.
No claims portal, no ticket number, and no subcontractor who has moved on.
What Building an Outdoor Fireplace or Fire Pit Involves
Every project has the same core scope, adapted to the specific property and program.
- 01
Siting & Seating
Position set for draw, prevailing wind, and the seating it exists to serve, at a safe distance from the structure.
- 02
Footing & Structure
Reinforced footing and a block or steel carcass sized for the mass of masonry going on top of it.
- 03
Firebox & Flue
Firebox, throat, damper, and flue built to proportion so it drafts instead of smoking into the patio.
- 04
Fuel & Ignition
Gas line, log set, burner, and ignition installed, or a wood-burning box detailed with somewhere to keep the wood.
- 05
Facing & Hearth
Stone, brick, tile, or stucco facing with a cut hearth, mantel, and cap detailed to match the house.
- 06
Fire Pits & Bowls
Freestanding or built-in pits, bowls, and fire tables plumbed and finished where a full fireplace is more than the yard needs.
Our Outdoor Fireplace and Fire Feature Work Process in Houston
- 01
Site Walk and Siting
We walk the terrace, check prevailing wind and the seating the fireplace exists to serve, and set the position for draw and for safe distance from the structure. Siting for the view alone is how a fireplace ends up smoking at the people using it.
- 02
Footing and Structure
A reinforced footing and a block or steel carcass are built to carry the mass of masonry going on top. Outdoor fireplaces are heavy, and on Houston clay the footing is a structural decision.
- 03
Firebox and Flue
Firebox, throat, damper, and flue are built to proportion so it drafts. The proportional relationship between opening and flue is fixed by standard, not by eye.
- 04
Fuel, Ignition and Facing
Gas line, log set, burner, and ignition are installed, or a wood-burning box is detailed with somewhere to keep the wood. Stone, brick, tile, or stucco facing goes on with a cut hearth, mantel, and cap detailed to match the house.
- 05
Commissioning and Handover
We light it, confirm the draw, and hand over the ignition controls and the maintenance schedule. Freestanding or built-in pits, bowls, and fire tables are plumbed and finished the same way.
Everything you see.
Everything you don’t.
What separates outdoor fireplace and fire feature work that lasts from work that fails in two summers is the part you never look at again once it is finished. On this job that is siting & seating and footing & structure — decided before anything visible goes in, and impossible to correct afterwards without taking up what sits on top. Prevailing Gulf breezes decide where smoke goes on a Houston terrace, which is why siting for draw comes before siting for the view. What you do see gets held to the same standard: the joint lines, the edges, and how the finished work meets the house.
How Much Does an Outdoor Fireplace Cost in Houston?
The range below is what work of this kind typically runs in Houston, so you can place yourself in it before you call. It is a starting point, not a quote — every project is scoped to the specific property, program, and material selections.
We confirm a clear investment range in the initial consultation and issue a detailed proposal after the design phase.
- A fire pit or bowl, against a full fireplace with a flue
- Height and mass of masonry, and the footing it has to sit on
- Facing material — stone, brick, tile, or stucco
- Fuel — a gas line and ignition, wood-burning, or both
- Hearth, mantel, cap, and any seating built around it
$8,000 – $35,000
Most projects of this type
- At the lower end
- A gas fire pit or built-in fire table on a reinforced pad, faced to match the paving around it.
- At the upper end
- A full masonry fireplace with a proportioned firebox and flue, stone facing, a cut hearth and mantel, and wood storage built in.
A range, not a quote. Your figure depends on square footage, materials, how much grading and drainage the site needs, and equipment access.
Outdoor Fireplaces we have built.
Frames from completed projects across Houston. Every photograph is our own work — follow any of them through to the project it came from.
Outdoor Fireplace and Fire Feature Work Across Houston and the Surrounding Area
Texan Landscape Group builds outdoor fireplaces and fire features across the Houston Heights, Garden Oaks, Oak Forest, Rice Military, Montrose, the Museum District, Braeswood Place, Bellaire, West University Place, Memorial and Spring Branch, and throughout Harris County. Prevailing Gulf breezes decide where smoke goes on a Houston terrace, which is why siting for draw comes before siting for the view. That is a design decision on every project, not a note added at the end of one.
Firebox proportion, throat, and flue sizing follow NFPA 211 chimney and fireplace standards, which is what separates a fireplace that drafts from one that smokes into the seating. Design and construction sit inside one in-house team, which is why the drawing and the finished work match. You can learn more about our crew, or see all of our Houston landscape services for the full scope we design and build.
What Houston Homeowners Say About Our Outdoor Fireplace and Fire Feature Work
“Texan Landscape Group did a great job on my recent landscaping project. The owner came out personally to provide the quote and take measurements. He was very professional, knowledgeable, and easy to communicate with thro…”
Hieu Vo7 months ago “Couldn’t be more proud of the work Texan Landscape group for a fine work they did with my field and the turf installation around the fiend. I recommend them to anyone interested in having their landscape done with turf.…”
thiago Reis7 months ago “I had an amazing experience with this company. They turfed and landscaped my entire backyard at my brand new home and built a modern pergola that matches the house perfectly — it looks incredible. They finished everythi…”
Chase Stock7 months ago
Outdoor Fireplace and Fire Feature Work FAQs
What is included in the price of an outdoor fireplace?
Most outdoor fireplaces run $8,000 to $35,000. A built-in fire pit or fire table typically sits at $4,000 to $9,000. Height, facing material, whether it is gas or wood, and the footing the mass requires are what move the figure.
Gas or wood-burning?
Gas lights instantly, produces no smoke, and needs no storage, which is why most Houston clients choose it. Wood gives heat and the sound and smell people actually want from a fire, and it needs a woodpile and a chimney that drafts properly. Some builds do both.
Why do outdoor fireplaces smoke back at you?
Almost always proportion. If the firebox opening is too large relative to the flue, or the throat and damper are wrong, the fire cannot draw and the smoke takes the shortest route out, which is into your face. Siting against prevailing wind makes it worse. Both are design decisions, not bad luck.
Do I need a permit for an outdoor fireplace?
Often yes, particularly for the gas line and where the structure sits close to the house or a property line. We check for your address and handle the submittal and inspection.
Fire pit or full fireplace?
A fire pit is cheaper, seats a group in the round, and suits a lawn or a terrace with open sightlines. A fireplace gives a vertical focal point, blocks wind, and gives the seating area a wall to arrange against. Yard size and how the space is used decide it.
Work that goes with this.
Most projects combine several of these, and doing them together costs less than doing them one at a time.
- 18 / Kitchens
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Houston Paver Contractor Building Patios on a Proper Base
Paver, travertine, flagstone, and poured concrete terraces built on a base that holds its line through Houston clay and rain.
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Houston Patio Cover Installation, Engineered and Permitted
Solid-roof covers built onto the house — the structure that makes a Houston patio usable in July rain and August sun rather than only in spring.
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Houston Pergola Design and Build, Cedar and Custom
Pergolas, patio covers, and louvered structures engineered for Houston wind loads and built to match the house.
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