Fire Pits, Fireplaces & Outdoor Heating: Extending the Texas Season

A cool, clear evening is one of the best reasons to be outside in North Texas, and the usable-patio season runs longer than most people plan for. With the right fire feature or heater, an Allen patio that empties out in November can stay in rotation through much of the winter and warm back up by February. This guide covers the three ways to add heat outdoors — fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, and patio heaters — with honest 2026 cost ranges, the gas-versus-propane decision, and the safety and code rules to confirm first.

Every price below is a national or regional market range, not a quote from The Remo Guys — your real number depends on materials, how far the gas and power run, and whether it sits under a cover.

Fire pits: the most flexible way to add fire

A fire pit is the lowest-cost, most social way to bring flame into a backyard, and it's where most projects start. The first decision is fuel.

Wood-burning vs. natural gas vs. propane

• Wood-burning is cheapest to build and gives you the crackle and smell of a real fire — at the cost of smoke, sparks, ash cleanup, and the strictest placement rules (more below). Portable or built-in wood pits commonly run about $300–$1,000 (Angi, 2026).
• Propane lights instantly, makes no smoke, and with a self-contained tank goes almost anywhere with no gas line. Propane pits run roughly $300–$950, averaging near $625 (Angi, 2026). The catch is the tank: you refill it and have to hide it.
• Natural gas is the most convenient once it's in — flip a switch, never refill — but it needs a permanent line. Natural-gas pits average around $1,700 and range from $400 to $3,000 for the appliance (Angi, 2026). Running a new line to the spot commonly adds $1,500–$3,000 (Angi, 2026).

Built-in masonry vs. portable

A portable pit — a steel bowl or a propane table off the shelf — runs from about $200 to $1,000 for a nice propane table (Angi, 2026), and is the right call if you're not sure where the feature belongs yet, or you rent. A built-in masonry pit is a permanent structure clad in stone or brick to match the house; custom built-ins with integrated seating can run to $8,000 and up (Angi, 2026) but read as part of the architecture and last for decades.

On size and seating: a typical fire pit is 36 to 44 inches across. A good rule of thumb is to pull seating back 2 to 3 feet from the edge and leave a 6-to-8-foot circle around the pit for chairs and walking room. Fire code also caps a wood-burning "recreational fire" at a 3-foot fuel area, so keep the burn zone of a wood pit within that.

Outdoor fireplaces: a vertical focal point

An outdoor fireplace works differently from a pit: instead of a low ring you gather around, it's a tall masonry structure with a firebox and a chimney — a vertical anchor that makes an outdoor space feel like a room. It draws smoke up and away better than a pit and throws heat toward the seating.

It costs more, because it's real masonry built up high. Prefabricated outdoor fireplaces run about $1,500 to $9,000 installed, while a custom masonry build typically lands between $6,000 and $20,000 depending on size, stone, and detailing (HomeGuide, 2026). A fireplace pairs naturally with a larger backyard build — if you're already weighing an outdoor kitchen, sequencing the two under one plan saves on shared trades and permits.

Patio heaters: warmth without the flame

Heaters extend the season without an open fire at all — useful where an HOA or a tight lot rules out a pit, or where you just want warmth under a roof.

Freestanding heaters

The familiar mushroom-top propane heater is portable, needs no installation, and runs off a small tank. Consumer freestanding units generally cost about $100–$500 (2025 retail data).

Overhead radiant (mounted) heaters

Mounted electric infrared or gas radiant heaters bolt to a wall or ceiling and warm people and objects directly, like sunlight — ideal under a covered patio. Electric infrared units commonly run about $100–$700 depending on output; hardwired natural-gas radiant heaters run higher, roughly $500 to $2,500 before installation (2025 retail listings and buying guides). Electric models want a dedicated circuit; gas models need a line. Either way, mounting heat under a roof brings clearance rules into play — the same covered-patio and permit considerations apply.

Gas line vs. propane: the trade-off that shapes the project

This single decision drives cost, placement, and who has to touch the job.

• Propane wins on flexibility and upfront cost: no trenching, no permanent line, and the feature can move. But a standard 20-lb tank lasts only about 4 hours at a high flame, so heavy users refill often, and propane costs more per unit of heat.
• Natural gas wins on convenience and running cost: it never runs out and is cheaper to burn, usually paying back the higher install cost within a few years for regular users. The cost is the permanent line and a fixed location.

Here's the Texas-specific part. There is no statewide residential general-contractor license, so a reputable general contractor here is insured and bonded, not "licensed." But the individual trades are state-licensed, and that's exactly where it matters: a natural-gas line must be installed by a plumber licensed through the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), which regulates gas piping as well as plumbing, under a gas permit and city inspection. A hardwired electric heater's circuit is the work of a TDLR-licensed electrician under an electrical permit. Anyone offering to "just run a quick gas line" with no permit or license is a safety and insurance risk, not a shortcut.

Safety, code, and HOA rules — confirm yours first

Fire rules in Texas are local, layered, and change with the weather. Treat these as the shape of the rules, then confirm the specifics with your city and HOA:

• Wood recreational fires carry the strictest setback: fire code generally keeps them at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible material, with the fuel area capped at 3 feet across and 2 feet high, an adult attending, and a hose or extinguisher on hand (IFC 307.4.2).
• Portable outdoor fireplaces (chiminea-style units) follow the manufacturer's instructions and roughly 15 feet from a structure, with an exception commonly allowed at single- and two-family homes (IFC 307.4.3).
• Permanently installed gas fire pits and fireplaces are listed appliances — they follow the manufacturer's listed clearances and the fuel-gas code, not the open-burning setbacks. That's why gas is the practical choice near a house or under a cover.
• Under a cover, a gas fire feature needs clearance above the flame per its listing — commonly on the order of 18–24 inches to a non-combustible ceiling, and 3 feet or more under combustible wood or fabric (FirePits.com). Wood-burning under a solid cover is a bad idea; always follow the unit's spec sheet.
• Burn bans are real here: North Texas counties, Collin included, issue outdoor burn bans in dry spells that can suspend wood fires; gas and propane appliances are usually exempt, but check before you light up.
• HOAs frequently restrict open flame, propane-tank storage, and permanent structures independent of city code. Read your CCRs first.

Materials that hold up outdoors

Fire features live outside through Texas summers and hard freezes, so materials matter. Natural stone and brick are the classic, most durable claddings and match most DFW homes. Concrete — block, poured, or manufactured units — is a budget-friendly, moldable base that wants sealing. Stucco over block gives a clean, modern look for a contemporary house. Whatever the outside, anything in direct contact with flame should be firebrick or a proper refractory material; standard brick and concrete can spall or crack under repeated high heat.

Where to start

The fastest way past a national average is a walk-through of your yard: where the gas and power are, how the patio sits against wind and winter sun, and which mix of pit, fireplace, and heaters fits. The Remo Guys is an insured and bonded design-build general contractor based in Allen and serving the DFW metroplex, coordinating the mason, plumber, and electrician under one plan so the permits and clearances are handled right. See what a backyard build can include on our outdoor living services page.