Fitting electric hole-in-the-wall fire - cost?

[Deleted User]

Can I have some opinions please?

We want to fit an electric, hole in the wall fire, flush to the wall in the lounge in place of a 1970s gas fire that is sited in front of a Baxi back boiler that's still there but decommissioned. We now have a Combi boiler upstairs. So, there's a hole in the wall where the present working gas fire is fitted and a back boiler in situ and a Class 1 flue. We live in a 1978 terraced house with a flat roof.

I have had several opinions on the cost of the fitting (not including the price of the fire) from £200 to £500. The installer who said it may cost £500 has not surveyed yet but he says he anticipates having to increase the size of the hole (yes), remove the old boiler (yes) and that he may have to fit a lintel to ensure the brick work is secure (yes?) then he will have to fit the new fire (yes), make good the surroundings and replaster (yes). He says that the previous back boiler will have an electric connection so he should be able to connect the new fire internally without any cables showing (yes? sensible?)

The work sounds credible (the lintel??) but why can some guys think they can do it for £200 and they didn't mention installing a lintel?

Thanks for reading this - it's turning out potentially expensive! What do you think?

lifes-too-short

Hi Spantik, what rating is the proposed electric fire? the lintel extended would mean a brand new lintel and a bit of work involved, Personally i would say £200 sounds a bit cheap.

In regards to electrical works, is there a fused connection for the existing decommisioned back boiler, space in the electric board for the circuit (the combi boiler might be using the old back boiler supply)

some pics would be good to have a look at.

rustyboy21

I agree with the above poster and would say £200 is a bit cheap.

It would be possible to actually leave the old back boiler unit in situ, as long as all the gas piping and water piping is capped off and sealed, but if you are going for this, you may as well take it out, it would only take a few miniutes more.

The electric fire would be on a standard 13 amp plug, but I wouldn't recommend that you fitted it onto the existing electrics for the boiler, as strictly speaking, you are supposed to have a way of isolating the power in case of emergencies, which is away from the actual appliance. You wouldn't be able to get to it if it was behind the fire.

The BBU, should have been drained and gas/water pipes capped. when decomissioned.

If you could have the fire taken out by a registered engineer, it is a fairly straight forward job for a general builder to do for you, so have a look at that option too, with ref to price.

I would say you will need a new lintel, if it is for one of the larger landscape fires, if it was just a normal standard size electric fire, wall hung, you could poss get away with the old lintel if it is at the right height you want.

It may seem that it is quite expensive, but take into account, the job consists of the jobs of a gas engineer, sparky,builder and plasterer. It is fairly straight forward, but time consuming to do.

BTW, What fire are you looking at? Is it not slim enough to go wall hung instead of inset? would bring fitting price down a lot.

[Deleted User]

I'm beginning to think the last estimate might be reasonable I just hadn't considered a lintel - maybe there has never been one - knowing this house!!! I want the back boiler taking out and the pipe work that serviced it removing cos, as I understand it, that's all unused now and capped but it's boxed in down the side of the 'chimney' in the lounge and it's ugly.

Regarding the electrics I thought it seemed a bit strange concealing the power cable but maybe I misunderstood. I'm afraid you'll have to be a bit more explicit with your enquiry: "In regards to electrical works, is there a fused connection for the existing decommisioned back boiler, space in the electric board for the circuit (the combi boiler might be using the old back boiler supply)" Not sure what you mean - I AM female!!

I think the installer is trying to tell me that he'll have to enlarge the hole because I've asked him to get the old back boiler out (Baxi Bermuda 551) that's behind a Baxi Bermuda PW fire (does that make sense?) The fire I intend to fit measures approx 60x60cms externally and I want it to fit flush - not wall mounted - sorry - but thanks for the idea. I have found three that, sort of, fit the bill but none are ideal: one is very individually made by a onemanband and called Aztec Electra 2kW no glass front; another is from evonicfires, Stratford on Avon called 'londa' 2kW with a glass front and the final one is made by Flamerite fires in Lichfield, Staffs and called Landscape. Think it has a glass front too.

Can I send pics on this site or privately?

Any more thoughts?

rustyboy21

Ok.... The londa is a standard size inset electric, so if it will be going into the recess at the height the PW5 fire and BBU was fitted, then you shouldn't need the lintel, in fact, you may need to brick in the hole slightly as it may be too big.

The Flamerite Landscape is slightly wider, but only marginally, so you may get away with no lintel change if keeping at original height. The lintel has come into the equation, due to the need to raise the fire up more than before and if it is wider than the original opening. Don't know the other one.

Re Electrics. The way my lads do it in your situation is by taking the plug off the fire, feeding the cable through the side of the chimney breast and connecting it into a fused spur socket on the side of the breast. This enables you to isolate the fire when required from the electrics. A fused spur socket looks like this


If the £500 includes taking out all the old piping and making good all the plasterwork involved, including the hole in your lounge ceiling, then I say it is a fair price for the work involved. He shouldn't really need to open the chamber up to get the boiler out, it should just come out after all the pipes are out the way. I would be really worried with the £200 quote, he most likely doesn't realise the work involved now. I didn't at first.

Both of the fires are quite nice models actually, don't know the aztec one, he will buy the engine off a chinese manufacturer and put his own fascia on it. There are loads of cheap fires going around at the mo.

Hope this helps

[Deleted User]

It REALLY REALLY helps. Thank you SO much.

If you live anywhere near Nuneaton, Warwickshire are you interested in the job?!!

rustyboy21

spantik wrote: »

It REALLY REALLY helps. Thank you SO much.

If you live anywhere near Nuneaton, Warwickshire are you interested in the job?!!

Thanks, but too far away for me. Lancashire here