The Fire at the Center of the Evening.
We design and build gas fire pits, fire tables and outdoor fireplaces across Boise and the Treasure Valley, placed for the view and out of the wind, with gas lines permitted and foothills lots planned to Firewise guidance.
PhotoCrane Creek TerracesBoise Foothills · Crane Creek
- Typical project
- $50k–$85k for a fire terrace; $55k–$115k with an outdoor fireplace or custom fire feature
- Permits
- In Boise, a gas line needs a mechanical permit. We handle it.
- Foothills lots
- Planned to Idaho Firewise guidance, with the fire rules checked for your address
Every Kind of Fire, Set Where It's Used.
We start with where people will sit and where the evening wind comes from, then choose the fire that suits the room.
The Rules Around a Fire.
These are Boise's, with Idaho Firewise guidance for foothills lots. Gas features also follow their maker's listed clearances. Other cities and fire districts set their own rules, and we confirm them for your lot during design.
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25 ft
Wood Fires
A wood fire needs no permit in Boise if it burns firewood only, stays within 3 feet across and 2 feet high, sits 25 feet from structures and anything that burns (15 feet in an approved container), and is attended until it's out.
Boise Fire Department, Open Burning Regulations -
AQI 60
Air Quality Days
No open or outdoor burning is allowed in Boise once the air quality index reaches 60. At 74, fireplaces and woodstoves are restricted too.
Idaho DEQ, Boise air quality ordinances -
30 ft
Foothills Lots
In the foothills' IR1 wildland-urban interface, any outdoor fire needs the Fire Marshal's written permission, except a screened outdoor fireplace or grill 30 feet from anything combustible, plants included, or a propane portable fireplace 15 feet away.
Boise Fire Department, Open Burning Regulations -
0–5 ft
Around the House
Idaho Firewise advises gravel mulch and only the most fire-resistant plants within 5 feet of the house, and firewood and propane on gravel or concrete pads at least 30 feet away.
Idaho Firewise, Fire Resistant Landscapes
Checked against Boise Fire Department, Idaho DEQ and Idaho Firewise pages. Burn restrictions change day to day with the air, so check the day's air quality before lighting a wood fire.
What a Fire Terrace Invests.
Set up for an outdoor living space with an outdoor fireplace or a custom fire feature. A standard fire pit is already part of every outdoor living space: switch the feature off to see the difference.
Evenings Built Around a Fire.
A fire table, a boulder fire bowl, a fire pit inside a seat wall.
A Paver Terrace, a Built-In Gas Fire Table and Drainage That Finally Works
- Scope
- French drain, grading, large-format paver patio, built-in gas fire table and gas line, sod, border planting
A Terraced Foothills Backyard: Stone Walls, Wide Steps and a Fire Terrace With a View
A Boulder Fire Pit, a Stacked-Stone Waterfall Wall and a Dog Run, Set Against the Eagle Foothills
A Flagstone-Pattern Terrace and Fire Pit, Lit for Long Evenings
From the First Call to the First Fire.
The same six steps as every Fine Grade project, with the gas line permitted and your lot's fire rules checked during design.
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Step 1 · by phone or video
A Design Consultation
Tell a designer what you're imagining. We'll talk through goals, timing and a comfortable range, and say honestly whether we're the right fit.
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Step 2 · at your home
A Site Visit
A designer walks the property with you: the views, the evening wind, where the gas meter sits and, on foothills lots, the wildfire rules for your address. Afterward you receive a design proposal with a fixed fee.
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Step 3
Design
Concept plan, 3D renderings, materials and plants, refined with you over two or three meetings. The investment estimate is updated at every one.
A design fee, set after the site visit -
Step 4
Permits and a Fixed Price
We apply for the gas line's mechanical permit and any HOA review, and send a fixed-price proposal that matches the design line for line, with Idaho's homeowner disclosure.
No cost to review -
Step 5 · on site
The Build
The gas line and its inspection first, then the terrace, the fire feature and its seat walls, then lighting and planting. One project lead, weekly updates.
The proposal price, paid at milestones -
Step 6 · The first year
Walkthrough & Warranty
We light the first fire with you, walk through the controls and the shut-off, and check back after the first winter.
Included, with a written warranty
About Fire Features.
Something else on your mind? Ask a Designer
How much does a fire pit or outdoor fireplace cost in Boise?
We design fire as the center of an outdoor room and price the whole room. A fire terrace with a standard fire pit typically invests $50,000–$85,000; with an outdoor fireplace or a custom fire feature, $55,000–$115,000; and as part of a complete backyard, $80,000–$160,000, design and build included. A fire pit on its own is usually below where our projects begin.
Are fire pits allowed in Boise?
Yes, with limits on wood fires. Inside city limits, a wood fire needs no permit if it burns only firewood, stays within 3 feet across and 2 feet high, sits 25 feet from structures and anything that burns (15 feet in an approved container), and is attended until it's out. No open burning is allowed once the air quality index reaches 60.
Gas or wood: which is better?
Gas, if you want a fire on a weeknight. Gas lights with a key or a switch, gives no smoke or embers, and goes out the moment you turn it off. Wood gives the crackle and the smell, but Boise limits its size, its distance from the house and the days it can burn.
Do gas fire pits need a permit in Boise?
The gas line does. Installing gas piping from the meter to an appliance, indoors or out, takes a mechanical permit, and in Idaho gas piping is licensed HVAC work. We run the line, pull the permit and book the inspection.
Can I have a fire feature on a foothills lot?
Usually, with more care. In Boise's foothills wildfire areas, outdoor fire of any kind needs the Fire Marshal's written permission, apart from a screened outdoor fireplace or grill 30 feet from anything combustible, or a propane portable fireplace 15 feet away. We confirm how your lot and your feature are treated, and plan the planting around it to Firewise guidance. Our foothills guide covers the rest.
How far should a fire pit be from the house?
For a wood fire in Boise, 25 feet; for gas, what the burner's maker specifies. An approved wood-burning container can sit 15 feet away. A gas burner's listing sets its clearances to walls, roofs and plants, and we place it for the wind and the view as well.
What's the difference between a fire pit, a fire table and an outdoor fireplace?
Height, and how people gather round it. A fire pit sits low, for chairs pulled in close. A fire table stands at table height with a wide cap for plates and drinks, like the one at Dry Creek Ranch. An outdoor fireplace is a wall of fire that anchors a seating room and blocks the wind.
Can a fire feature be built into a boulder or a seat wall?
Yes, both. In the Eagle foothills, a natural amber onyx boulder was core-drilled on site for a gas burner. At Crane Creek, a curved stone seat wall wraps a round gas fire pit and breaks the wind.
Keep Planning
Let's Design Your Fire Terrace.
A design consultation, a clear process, and a designer who tells you honestly what's possible within your range.
Rather talk? Call or text (208) 994-9204 Mon–Fri 8am–5pm