How much have you been told about the GAS LINE hook up to your BBQ Island? Most BBQ Island dealers and manufacturers do not have a qualified (or licensed) plumber that is going to provide you the service of the actual gas line connection. There are some things to consider prior to purchasing a BBQ Island, concerning the GAS LINE and CONNECTIONS.

Let's start with one that is important but, may be more surprising and annoying. The Flex Line. This is the line that makes the connection from your grill to the gas stubout. Some companies may provide one, some may not. Some companies may tell you that they do not provide one, some may not say anything about it. Avereage cost at your local home center is about $16.00, more or less depending on the length. Connecting this item to your Gas Grill may be a bit frustrating, being that you have to crawl in through the access door and reach up into the bottom (sometimes toward the back of the grill) and usually requires that the grill be moved forward to access the grill connection. Whe shopping for a Grill/BBQ Island, take the time to have the salesperson show you where the gas connection on the grill is located. Don;t settle for "oh, it's right there". If you are planning on making the connection yourself, have him/her show you so that you can actually see it for yourself. This may help you decide whether or not you actually want to do this yourself. It's really not a big issue unless you were thinking of starting up your grill immediately after delivery. If the company you purchase from provides you with the flex line, is it installed or does it come still in the package?

The Gas Line Stub Out should ideally end up somewhere inside the island. Preferably as close to underneath the grill as possible. The distance of your flex line (grill to main gas line) should not exceed 30 inches. Although the flex line may be 48 inches, you do not want to have the flex line stretched out to it's maximum reach. Some slack will be required for it to be comfortably installed. What I recommend to my customers is that the stub out should be 4 inches above the finished concrete.. It is important that you tell this to your contractor before the concrete is poured. This makes for a much easier installation of the island and a happier delivery crew. If for some reason, the Gas stub out is on one end of the island and the grill is on the other, a gas PIPE extension can be added from the stub out.

Now for the GAS SHUT OFF VALVE! My experience is that when a contractor has installed the Gas Stub Out, that's as far as it goes. They leave the pipe (hopefully to end up 4 inches above the finished concrete) and they cap it. Most contractors will not include the shut off valve unless you tell them that you want one. If the stub out ends up 30 inches from the grill, the Shut Off Valve can be installed right there. If a Gas Pipe extension is required, the Shut Off Valve should be placed at the end of the extension and not at the stub out coming out of the concrete, Why? Because if some day you find it neccesary to shut the gas off, it is far better to be able to open the access door and just reach in to shut it off versus having to climb into the island and work your way back to the shut off valve at the stub out way on the other side of the island.

If it is neccesary to have an extension Pipe running from one part of the island to another, make sure that the path is going to be clear. For example: are you planning on having a refrigerater? How about some storage drawers or food warmers? Knowing about these things prior to purchasing an island is very important. It may determine the configuration of your island. PLEASE NOTE: The addition of Gas Line extensions will have to be done AFTER your island is installed (a bit difficult, actually quite impossible to install an island with extension pipes running about horizontally).

Choosing an island prior to having your concrete and gas lines installed will give you more freedom to choose the design of your island. Choosing an island to fit on an existing concrete slab with existing stub out may require a bit more thought. Either way, it's always best to have a good plan before purchasing. You can buy an island anytime. Rarely can you actually return one.

Have fun shopping!