You can build the Mattone Barile (including the base and foam form) for about $1000 - $1200.
The Mattone Barile Grande is around $1200 - $1400.
Both of these estimates are based on a firebrick cost of $1.75 per firebrick.
One of the cool things about our ovens is the fact you can build it in stages… You don’t need to make a full investment all at once!
Our cost for materials was around $1500. That’s not counting time (“time is money”) spent driving around to get refractory cement and other items not readily available in our rural area. Building the oven in stages is unavoidable, given cure times for the concrete base, mortar, stucco, etc.
Just calculated the cost of all materials to build our Grande brick oven. I saved every receipt, even if it was something from Lowes. This does not count the bricks that our house builder saved for the build in advance. We did not pay for pre-packaged refractory mortar. We saved about $1000 by making it ourselves.
$1970.60
Considering how much you would pay for a commercial oven oven the same size and caliber, freighted to your house, that is pocket change. Well worth the investment ! We love our brick oven!
The Mayhew Family Oven. Pictures are on the way . . .
DocM
The pre-packaged refractory mortar was pretty salty! i think i paid $89 for a 50lb bag.
Ours was close to $1700. We had some left over stackstone for the base (still need to finish) i was just pushing to get it done before winter. So could have saved some money if we made our own refractory mortar…
I agree that’s a large part of the cost. We are fortunate to have a HarbisonWalker distribution center close by, and we’re paying about $55 for a 55 pound bag. But it ends up being a major chunk of the oven’s cost. Making the mix ourselves would have cut that down. Like Mike, I was pushing to get done before winter, but nasty weather hit here early this year (and now winter seems to have gone away just enough to taunt me!).
It’s worth noting that if I were to include durable equipment costs and rentals in the total, it would add another $700 or so. That includes:
The rentals (amounting to about $400) should be added in, but the purchases have already been used for other projects.
I lost a few receipts mainly when is was doing the base. The base was the cheapest. It got costly for the oven itself. Most specifically the refactoring mortar. 50lb bag for 65 dollars per bag and I needed 5. All in all it’s was around $1500 to get it operational. I still have to finish the cosmetics. We want a house over it like some of pictures on this site and dress up the base. Waiting to complete to post all of the pictures.
Only cooked in it twice. Winter came early hear in Chicago area. Heck. 2 inches of snow on Halloween! I see people are getting cabin fever because now I’m seeing posts. It’s been quite the past few months. Spring is coming! Good luck to all.
I’ve used my oven almost every weekend since I built it. It performs well even in 30-40 degree weather. I’m not doing pizza parties but a lot of cooking and breads. I’m doing more sourdough loaves for the neighbors tomorrow. 48 hour ferment. Albeit I keep some hot coals burning while I have bread in there but block the direct heat with two flame guards. I’m in Virginia so not as cold as Chicago, but the cold that we do have doesn’t get in my way! It’s interesting seeing what others have paid for the total cost of materials. We are getting ready to hardscape the entire area around the oven with steps, a patio, retaining wall, and an in-ground fire pit, and that will probably cost more than the oven did ! It’s hard to believe that more people don’t build brick ovens. Its been the centerpiece of gatherings and conversation and it is well received by friends and family. We are probably the only brick oven in the county(s). I ask many landscaping friends and none of them have stumbled across a brick oven. Maybe its more of a west coast thing. I tell you there is nothing more gratifying than sliding that GI metal peel in and fetching a freshly baked loaf of sourdough bread. Come on Spring! I’ve got 20 pounds of Caputo flour ready for some Neapolitan pizza!
Tommy, I love your andiron, did you get it online? what are the dimensions?
