Replacing a fireplace - technical question

jenny-wren

We have an open fire with a cast iron inset with tiles and a dark wood surround. We are changing the room from a living room to a dining room and putting in oak furniture and, as the surround got slightly damaged during recent building work we're considering changing it.

I know everyone raves about the appeal of an open fire but I hate it. We hardly ever use it, I hate cleaning it and I'm fed up with the draft that comes down the chimney. We're due to the get the room replastered very soon and urgently need to decide on what to do with the fireplace.

Would it be easy enough (and not too costly) to rip the existing fireplace out and replace it with a gas fire and a simple surround that wouldn't look out of place in a dining room? It would be easy enough for us to get a gas line put in as the floor is currently bare floor boards but would we need to get the chimney checked or lined to put a gas fire in? I've seen a complete lightweight marble fire set in B&Q for around £500 but I'd also consider a more modern wall hung one.

Any views welcomed - we need to make a decision in the next few days.