Purchasing property with wood burner

Davesnave

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Do you intend using it? If you do. What's the downside in cost. Factor this into your offer. The answer given sounds vague and a cop out by the vendor. In itself a potential concern. Always best to assume the worst. Then there's no unwelcome surprises.

It may not be a cop-out. Many wood burners exist which were installed before legislation affecting them was enacted.

If a purchaser told me they were going to lower their offer if I couldn't supply paperwork for a burner that never had any, my answer would be clear: "Either accept it as it is, get your own report on it, as you would for any other aspect of the house, or alternatively, I'll remove it."

Bottom line: Wood burners are a current fad, many people don't have enough storage space for the wood and good fuel or kiln-dried etc, isn't cheap.

Thrugelmir

Davesnave wrote: »

Bottom line: Wood burners are a current fad, many people don't have enough storage space for the wood and good fuel or kiln-dried etc, isn't cheap.

Doesn't stop people from using them.

Chimney fires being the obvious downside. Knowing someone that suffered the misfortune of one. Why take the risk. In their case the seller removing the wood burner woudn't have one iota of difference. If they had simply replace it. Easy to be dismissive.

Davesnave

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Doesn't stop people from using them.

Chimney fires being the obvious downside. Knowing someone that suffered the misfortune of one. Why take the risk. Easy to be dismissive.

Having spent £2k on a new one recently, I'd hardly dismiss wood burners, but if I had mains gas and didn't generate a huge quantity of 'free' wood, I'd have a gas one, which wouldn't create any mess either. Many people don't realise that some of the top makers produce identical gas-fired models.

Ah, but then the 'primitive instinct' thing wouldn't be satisfied, would it? After a morning chain sawing today, I can tell you, it's overrated!:rotfl:

SG27

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Doesn't stop people from using them.

Chimney fires being the obvious downside. Knowing someone that suffered the misfortune of one. Why take the risk. In their case the seller removing the wood burner woudn't have one iota of difference. If they had simply replace it. Easy to be dismissive.

Chimney fires only happen from misuse like burning green (damp) wood and not getting the chimney swept regularly.

bertiewhite

I have an old burner which I was intending to restore and install but I haven't got round to it before putting our house on the market. However it's obvious that it hasn't been used because the flue system hasn't been installed. Does the OP's example LOOK like it's been used?

I did enquire as to whether I could install it myself and get a specialist to inspect and sign it off for me and got told that the chances of getting a professional to sign off someone else's work was slim.

bigdavecox90

Thanks everyone for your responses here.

So to cut to the chase, does anyone know how much it would cost to get a report on the burner to ensure it is safe to use?

Davesnave

bigdavecox90 wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your responses here.

So to cut to the chase, does anyone know how much it would cost to get a report on the burner to ensure it is safe to use?

Maybe £50 -70 if you can find a sweep who has the right kit, like an appropriate chimney camera set up. Depends how detailed the report needs to be.

If you employ a company that sells fires, etc they'll have an incentive to 'find' faults.

bigdavecox90

Davesnave wrote: »

Maybe £50 -70 if you can find a sweep who has the right kit, like an appropriate chimney camera set up. Depends how detailed the report needs to be.

If you employ a company that sells fires, etc they'll have an incentive to 'find' faults.

Thanks Dave, looks like it's going to make more sense to speak with a chimney sweep who can check it out then really.

Davesnave

bigdavecox90 wrote: »

Thanks Dave, looks like it's going to make more sense to speak with a chimney sweep who can check it out then really.

Those are the sort of prices my sweep would charge. It might be different where you are. His first hour is £45 and he doesn't add a lot for climbing on roofs either, say £20.

But he's good. The ones I had before him were relatively inexperienced and one wasn't physically able to go up ladders onto roofs. A HETAS certificate isn't enough to guarantee a good sweep, I'm afraid, but it ought to be possible for most sweeps to see if there's nothing major wrong with the install.

Margot123

kinger101 wrote: »

I presume you mean a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm. Personally, I'd get a HETAs registered engineer to have a look at it and check it's okay. If there was no flue liner for example, it might cost a couple of grand to put right.

"If there was no flue liner for example, it might cost a couple of grand to put right......."

My goodness, where did you get that cost from? My flue liner cost less than £200 for supply and install by a pro.
That included some repairs to a 250 year old chimney as well.