[David C]

Wayner
the pizza looks great. I have a Weber Genesis grill but have never tried a pizza, we usually do ours in the oven. A couple of questions ...do use a stone for the pizza or is it cast iron? Also, do you just crank all the burners on high and get it really hot? What temp?

thanks in advance

David

[JonnyFive]

Thanks everyone for the replies.  I have contacted a local distributor who can get me the Vestal OF-56 replacement insert, I am still waiting to hear about cost.

My plan is to move in approximately 2 years, so if I spend a lot of money on this I won't recoup the investment when I sell the house (although may keep it as a rental).

Options:

1) Do nothing.  Cost is $0 but will look bad for the sale/renting to have a non-functional home feature.
2) Replace the insert.  Cost...waiting to hear back.  Would be easy to do.
3) Remove the BBQ portion and surround entirely and just brick in a flat surface.  Would add a little space to the backyard.  Could set a gas grill on here or a little movable fire pit.

Any thoughts on these possibilities in terms of cost/benefit?

Thanks,

Jon

[Bob in St. Louis]

You probably wouldn't re-coop the cost if you pay retail to have it rebuilt. A DIY venture would be best if you're wanting to keep it, and in the very least not lose money.

If it were me, I wouldn't get crazy on it if I were moving in two years (two cooking seasons).
I might even level it and put a cheap birdbath on the pad, and cook with a Weber until I move to the new house.
Then I'd build something epic that would be the envy of my friends, family and neighbors.. 

[Wayner]

Wayner
the pizza looks great. I have a Weber Genesis grill but have never tried a pizza, we usually do ours in the oven. A couple of questions ...do use a stone for the pizza or is it cast iron? Also, do you just crank all the burners on high and get it really hot? What temp?

thanks in advance

David

We have a soap stone under the pizza, and yes, all the controls are on high. Temp hovers around 450-475 and the pizza takes between 12 to 15 minuets. The dough is also from scratch.

[Doublej]

I'd flatten it. That makes the space more useful and probably more valuable in a sale. If you rent out the house, it eliminates liability.

[JonnyFive]

I'd flatten it. That makes the space more useful and probably more valuable in a sale. If you rent out the house, it eliminates liability.

These are good points! Thanks.

[SoCalWJS]

If you are not going to stay there yourself, I'd keep it pretty cheap. DIY or minimal $$$.

I may have missed it - how are your Masonry skills? You mention removing the recently bricked in center portion. If you do that and then complete a brick wall along the front so that there is a pit. Make it so that you could lay a grate over the top of the pit and it could work as a grill or a fire pit. Cheap and fairly straight forward.

Invest in a good smoker and then take it with you when you move.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Is there a budget?

[bladesmith]

It kind of looks like there was a ( complete) paver brick pad made below it, on which it stands. (?).

If thats the case and it is a complete paver pad. Might be better to knock down the whole grill and just keep the paver brick pad underneath and use a standard stainless gas grill on top.

Usually masons will do a project with the same kind of bricks, when doing it at one time/period. It almost looks like a pad was there and then a pit was added later with a different style of bricks.

Wish I was closer to your location, I could help you out, better.

Good luck