Buying and installing Fireplace

PM

We have just taken a big cement fireplace out and wanting to install a new one.

1) can anyone suggest any shops to buy from?
2) is it hard to DIY install?

LEJC

We replaced a couple of fireplaces a few years back....its not a difficult thing to install...as long as you have a some knowledge of diy.

My husband did both in about a day each,one did require a little bit of platering work around the edges to neaten it up but it certainly wasnt too much of a problem.

We did need to get the gas fire fitted by a registered tradesman,but that really was just a case of connecting it up so not too long or expensive job

The other fireplace we installed was for an open fire and again it was fairly easy to do....and prior to use we had the chimney swept.

What type of fireplace are you looking to put in?

suisidevw

A fireplace is easy to install. Just follow one of the many online 'tutorials'.

Bear in mind if you DIY it you may wish to get building regs sign off by your local Council in case of any fire and the house burning down/insurance not paying!

Leif

What do you mean by 'fireplace' ? You might mean hearth and fire surround, in which case is this for an ornamental fireplace, a real fireplace, a gas/electric fire or a stove? I ask because real fires need slabbed hearths and these can weigh a lot, and require two people to carry. In contrast the surrounds and hearths made from reconstituted stone are quite light, relatively speaking.

PM

I'm looking to install gas fire place, everything from the fire to the surround, etc.

I have someone corgi registered so he will do the gas connection. I think the old one was coal fire, currently theres a metal thing in the chimney, will this need to be taken out?

rustyboy21

I would suggest that you get your ' Gas safe' registered installer out prior to doing anything to see what needs to be done.

Check that the ' Gas safe' engineer, is qualified to install gas fires, if he isn't then it is as bad as you doing it yourself and you will void any warranty you have on the fire. Some engineers are only qualified to fit boilers etc not fires.

If he is qualified, then ask him for a price to fit the whole lot. A lot of the time, when the homeowner has installed a fireplace themselves and got a fitter out for the fire, the openings for the fire are wrong, the chamber in the flue is the incorrect size, the hearth has not been bedded down properly, The gas point is not in the correct position, The lintel needs moving up, lots of things need to be taken into account in fitting a fire.

You could be throwing good money after bad if things are not done correctly in the first place. Have a good think of getting one person to install the whole lot. You may find that there isn't a lot of price difference in fitting fire, compared to whole fireplace.

What fire and fireplace are you looking at?

suisidevw

FWIW, I was referring to solid fuel fire above.