Open fire vs multifuel stove

Energy28

So I have a quote of around 1800 to 2000 to line both chimneys and connect up etc... including the materials. 650 for scaffolding unless I have enough access for a cherry picker.
He says I need 5k multistoves... any recommendations that are not going to break the bank but are good and give out a good level of heat?
Thank you everyone for your help!

Mickey666

Check what sort of liner has been quoted for.  If you plan to burn coal-based fuel, you'll need a '914' grade stainless steel rather than a '316' grade if you think the warranty is important.  More expensive of course, but not all that much as a proportion of the total installation costs.  Also, stove installation is notifiable work under building regs.  The installer can certify if they are HETAS registered or you pay building control to certify the work (details should be on your council website).  A HETAS installer is probably the simplest route.

As for recommending a manufacturer, my only experience is with Stovax.  I've got four of their Stockton models ranging from 5-11kW and have been pleased with all of them.  I suspect that most of the major manufacturers will be ok though and the final choice probably comes down to aesthetics.  

This website has lots of useful info (not a Stovax website): https://www.stovesonline.co.uk/stove_help_and_advice.html

A._Badger

Energy28 said:

So I have a quote of around 1800 to 2000 to line both chimneys and connect up etc... including the materials. 650 for scaffolding unless I have enough access for a cherry picker.
He says I need 5k multistoves... any recommendations that are not going to break the bank but are good and give out a good level of heat?
Thank you everyone for your help!

Mickey666's advice about liners is correct - don't try to save a few pounds by fitting the cheaper kind. Prematurely having to replace a corroded liner would wipe out any savings you might have made.

As for stoves, as I said earlier, I haven't had to buy one for a few years but reading various forums and so on I do get the impression that when the boom in stove sales took place a lot of new suppliers jumped on board (some of them leveraging brand names well known in other fields) and that it was these, not to mention the dodgy Chinese 'own brand' stoves that were causing people trouble.

My advice would be to to stick with a product from one of the longer established manufacturers (Woodwarm, Charnwood, Stovax, Hunter, Morso, Esse, Clearview and the like). They have been at it long enough to know what they are doing and, importantly, will; carry spares to support their products. 

One thing I would add is don't let anyone tell you that steel stoves are inferior to cast iron ones. Both materials have their plusses and minuses - neither is inherently superior, it's a matter of what you like the look of, how much you want to spend and how you plan to use them that matters more.