Build a BBQ
Want to build a bbq? Find out where to buy outdoor barbeques in Paphos Cyprus along with prices and tips on how to put your concrete BBQ together.
Build a BBQ!
After nearly 6 years in our new home in Cyprus, we decided we finally needed to install an outdoor barbeque. After lots of windy BBQ nights, which made it hard to actually light the darn thing let alone stop the sparks flying everywhere, we figured we needed an enclosed "shelter" for the rotisserie-type BBQ on legs that we've been using for years.
So off we went to Paphos to visit some builders' merchants. While we initially planned to build a BBQ from scratch, after pricing all the various elements, we decided that a pre-fabricated concrete barbeque would be our best option.
These come in various shapes and sizes, with or without cut-out sides for a rotisserie and after measuring our existing BBQ, we opted for a 140cm wide solid-sided model with a tall chimney that we could slot it into (minus the legs). Then it was a question of finding one at the right price.
Outdoor Barbecues
You really do have to shop around for outdoor barbecues here in Cyprus as the prices quoted varied enormously.
A local builder's yard in Arodes wanted a staggering €700 for a part-brick concrete BBQ and in Paphos, the prices ranged from €450 to over €600 for a simple plain solid-sided model - no bricks or fancy stonework.
Then you have to consider a few essentials:
How much is delivery? If you live in a rural area like us over 30 minutes from Paphos, then this varied from €30 to €80.
If you plan to pick up the BBQ yourself in a 4x4, bear in mind that these things are really heavy, in our case 500kg! Will your suspension cope with the weight and how do you plan to lift it off the vehicle - the builder's yard will use a crane or forklift to put it into your truck!
Do you want to pay for the BBQ to be "built" for you? If you don't have willing helpers, they are frankly a nightmare to put together.
Check the finish of the concrete. Some are sold with rough edges and lots of holes in the concrete, while others have rounded edges and a completely smooth finish. That makes it easier to paint afterwards.
Tip: Don't underestimate how difficult it is to put a concrete "jigsaw" together. It takes at least 2 hours with 4 people to build a BBQ like ours in the picture above.
Cooking Outdoors in Cyprus
Filling holes in the Outdoor BBQ
After purchasing our outdoor BBQ from Glika Oikothomidis in Chlorakas Tel: +357 26271970 which cost us €500 plus VAT and €30 (fuel cost only) for delivery, our next challenge was how to build a BBQ where even the smallest section seemed to weigh a ton!
Thankfully, we have some great friends, so we roped in Mark plus a worker he was using for the day and John to help put the thing together. It took about 2 hours to figure out which jigsaw pieces went where (they don't come with a diagram!), make the cement-like special glue to stick it together and heave the various oh-so-heavy sections into place.
In the meantime, Jane, myself and Jill, who writes a great blog about daily Cyprus life, supplied the boys with plenty of cold drinks to keep the energy levels up in the mid 30s sun.
All that is then needed is to fill in the holes where the pieces slot together and finally paint it. And then get cooking outdoors on our brand new outdoor barbeque. We certainly owe our friends a meal for all their hard work ;)
Tip: It is probably cheaper to build an outdoor BBQ yourself, but I'm so pleased we opted for a concrete one which looks very stylish now it has been tarted up with paint and wooden doors for our charcoal and "BBQ bits" storage.
Stylish new BBQ!
Related Pages:
Where to Buy Unusual Spices for your BBQ Cooking
Favourite Things to Do
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