Fire pit cost
A fire pit costs $300 to $5,000, typically $1,200. The gas line separates the two price brackets, and it is the thing most people have not budgeted for.
National average
$1,200
per each
A fire pit costs $300 to $5,000, typically around $1,200. A portable steel bowl is $100 to $500. A built-in masonry wood-burning pit is $800 to $3,000. A gas fire pit with a line run to it is $2,000 to $7,000.
The gas line is what separates the two price brackets, and it is the thing most people have not budgeted for.
What it costs
| Type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Portable steel or copper bowl | $100 to $500 |
| Prefabricated kit, wood burning | $400 to $1,200 |
| Built masonry, wood burning | $800 to $3,000 |
| Built masonry, gas | $2,000 to $6,000 |
| Prefabricated gas fire table | $600 to $3,000 |
| Fire pit with seating wall | $3,000 to $10,000 |
| Extra | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Gas line run to the pit | $400 to $1,500 |
| Propane tank enclosure | $200 to $800 |
| Gas burner kit and pan | $200 to $900 |
| Electronic ignition | $300 to $1,200 |
| Base pad and gravel | $200 to $800 |
| Paver patio around it, per square foot | $12 to $30 |
| Fire glass or lava rock | $100 to $500 |
| Spark screen and cover | $50 to $250 |
| Permit, where required | $50 to $300 |
Wood or gas
Wood is cheaper to build, produces real heat and the smell people want, and needs fuel stored, ash cleaned out and smoke tolerated. Many municipalities restrict open burning, and some ban it outright on air quality days.
Gas lights instantly, produces no smoke or ash, switches off at the end of the evening rather than being extinguished, and produces noticeably less heat. Natural gas means a permanent line; propane means a tank to hide and refill.
The honest split: if you want to sit around a fire on a cool evening and go inside easily, gas. If you want the fire itself, wood.
The clearances that matter
These are safety requirements, not preferences, and they are what an insurer will ask about after a fire.
| Minimum | |
|---|---|
| From the house or any structure | 10 to 25 ft, check local code |
| From a fence or a shed | 10 ft |
| From overhanging branches | 15 to 20 ft vertically |
| From a wooden deck surface | Not on one, unless the unit is rated for it |
| Above a gas line or septic field | Never |
| Seating from the pit edge | 3 to 4 ft |
| Pit diameter for seating around | 36 to 44 in inside |
A wood-burning pit on a wooden deck is the arrangement that causes fires. Some gas units are rated and tested for deck use; almost nothing wood-burning is.
Check local rules before building. Many places set a minimum distance from structures, restrict what can be burned, and require a permit for a permanent installation.
Building it so it lasts
Fire brick or a steel insert for the inner face. Ordinary concrete block, pavers and retaining wall block are not rated for direct flame contact and they spall and crack. This is the most common construction fault.
Drainage. A pit that fills with water and freezes breaks itself apart. A gravel base and a drain hole, or a gap in the base course, solves it.
A non-combustible base. Gravel, pavers or concrete under and around it.
Wet stone will explode. Never build a fire pit from river rock or any stone that has been sitting in water. Trapped moisture turns to steam and the stone fragments violently. Use fire brick or dry, dense stone.
Frequently asked questions
Can I put a fire pit on my deck?
Wood burning, no. Gas units specifically rated and listed for deck use, sometimes, with a protective mat and the manufacturer's clearances. Check the composite decking manufacturer's own guidance too, since heat marks composite permanently.
Do I need a permit?
For a portable unit, generally not. For a permanent masonry pit, often, and for any gas line, essentially always. Air quality regulations in some regions restrict wood burning regardless.
Does it add value?
An outdoor living space with a fire feature is attractive in listings and it does not appraise as an addition. Treat it as something you build to use, not to recover.
What about smoke blowing at the seating?
A design that works with the prevailing wind helps, and so does dry seasoned hardwood rather than softwood or damp wood. Smokeless fire pits, which use a double wall to reburn the smoke, genuinely work and cost $300 to $700.
Gas line or propane tank?
Natural gas if the house has it, because there is nothing to refill and it costs less to run. Propane if not, and budget for a discreet enclosure and the walk to the supplier.
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