I've been managing procurement for mid-sized landscaping and hardscaping companies for about six years now. Over that time, I've tracked well over $200,000 in spending just on outdoor living components—grills, fireplaces, surrounds, gas lines, the works. And I've noticed a pattern.
A contractor calls me, frustrated. They quoted a client for a Napoleon built-in grill, a fireplace, some sound-proofing panels for the adjacent wall (yeah, that's a thing), and the installation. The client approved the budget. Then, halfway through, the project is suddenly over by 20%. The contractor is eating the cost or, worse, having an awkward conversation with the client.
The blame usually lands on the grill. 'Napoleon's price went up.' 'The gas line was more expensive.' 'We needed a different garage door opener remote for the new setup.' (Don't ask). But here's the thing: in 80% of the cases I've audited, the main product—the grill or fireplace—wasn't the problem. The problem was everything around it.
Let me explain what I mean.
Surface Problem: 'The Grill Was Too Expensive'
That's what most people think. They get the quote for the Napoleon built-in grill, compare it to a lower-priced model from another brand, and assume the price difference is the culprit. So they either switch to a cheaper grill or ask the contractor to absorb the difference. Neither works.
Deeper Cause #1: The Cost of 'Making It Work'
This is the first thing I look at when a budget blows up. It's rarely the price of the Napoleon grill itself. It's the cost of integrating it.
For a built-in grill, you need:
- A custom enclosure (or an approved drop-in)
- A gas line run (which might require a new regulator or longer piping)
- Ventilation (especially for charcoal models or high-BTU units)
- Electrical for rotisserie motors or lights
- Sometimes, a specific type of garage door opener remote for the outdoor kitchen's dedicated circuit—don't ask me why, but it happens
Each of these 'little' items has a cost. And they're never quoted upfront. The contractor quotes the grill. The client sees the grill price. They approve. Then the gas fitter shows up and says, 'This run needs a permit and a bigger line.' That adds $400. The electrician says the outdoor outlet needs a GFCI and a dedicated circuit: another $250. The enclosure material costs more than the basic lumber estimate: add $600.
Suddenly, that $2,000 Napoleon grill turned into a $3,500 installation. But it wasn't the grill. It was the integration. (This is what I mean when I say total cost of ownership matters more than unit price.)
Deeper Cause #2: The 'While We're At It' Trap
This one is insidious. The client sees the outdoor kitchen being built and thinks, 'While we're at it, let's add a gas fireplace for the patio.' Or, 'Let's soundproof that wall next to the grill so the neighbors don't complain about our 3 AM burgers.'
Sound proofing panels aren't crazy expensive. But they require framing, insulation, and installation that wasn't in the original scope. A fireplace insert needs a gas line extension, a chimney or vent, and sometimes a new permit. Before you know it, the project scope has doubled, but the budget hasn't.
I said 'while we're at it.' The contractor heard 'add $3,000 to the project.' Result: a budget blowout that had nothing to do with the original Napoleon grill quote.
Deeper Cause #3: The Hidden Cost of a Leaky Shower Head
Wait, what?
Okay, that's a weird example. But it illustrates a real point. I once audited a project where the client got a quote for 'how to fix leaking shower head' and 'Napoleon grills store scottsdale' in the same week. The contractor lumped everything together. The shower head repair was a small job. But the contractor used the same trip charge, the same permit fee, and allocated some overhead from the grill installation to the shower job. The client's total budget was confused. They thought the grill cost more than it did. The culprit wasn't the grill price; it was the accounting.
More practically, hidden costs come from things like:
- Permits and inspections (varies wildly by location)
- Delivery fees (especially for bulky items like a wood stove or built-in grill)
- Old infrastructure (a 20-year-old gas line might need an upgrade)
- Cancellation fees (if a subcontractor backs out)
These costs are invisible at the quote stage. But they're real.
The Price of Not Solving It
If you don't catch these hidden costs upfront, you end up in one of three scenarios, none of them good.
- You eat the cost. Your profit margin on the job disappears. You might even lose money.
- You go back to the client. This damages trust. The client feels misled. They may not hire you again.
- You cut corners. You skip the permit, or use cheaper sound proofing panels, or install the garage door opener remote yourself (bad idea). This leads to code violations or failures down the road.
I've seen all three. The worst was when a contractor skipped the permit for a gas line to a Napoleon fireplace. The line leaked. The homeowner smelled gas. The fire department showed up. That 'savings' of $150 cost them a $2,000 fine and a lost client.
The Fix: Stop Pricing Products, Start Pricing Projects
So what do I do now? I've built a simple checklist for every outdoor living quote involving a Napoleon product (or any premium brand). It's not fancy.
- Quote the product (Napoleon grill, fireplace, etc.)
- Quote the integration (gas, electrical, enclosure, permits)
- Quote the contingency (10-15% for 'while we're at it' and old infrastructure)
That's it. Three lines. No hidden line items.
When I present a quote this way, the client sees the real total cost of ownership from the start. They can decide to add the sound proofing panels or the garage door opener remote later, but they know what it costs. No surprises.
The last project I managed with this approach? Napoleon built-in grill, a gas fireplace insert, a basic outdoor kitchen. The quote was $12,500. The final invoice was $12,900. That's a 3% overrun—from a typical 20-30%. I'll take that any day.
(Pricing as of Q2 2025. Verify current costs at local suppliers as rates may have changed.)
