I need help updating a fireplace system

[cckw]

I recently moved to a house that had a crappy wood burning fireplace insert from about 1990, that was later converted to a crappy gas one. I wish to gut it and put in a nice wood burner. I got a quote from a fireplace/stove shop and the total price was offensively high. So wondering about having a regular contractor do it. What is there to know going this route?

photos added below.

 

[bholler]

I recently moved to a house that had a crappy wood burning fireplace insert from about 1990, that was later converted to a crappy gas one. I wish to gut it and put in a nice one. I got a quote from a fireplace/stove shop and the total price was offensively high. So wondering about having a regular contractor do it. What is there to know going this route?

What do you mean by an insert? Is it a stove slid into a masonry structure or is it a metal box in a framed structure?

Also what is offensively high?

 

[Huckleberry]

I recently moved to a house that had a crappy wood burning fireplace insert from about 1990, that was later converted to a crappy gas one. I wish to gut it and put in a nice one. I got a quote from a fireplace/stove shop and the total price was offensively high. So wondering about having a regular contractor do it. What is there to know going this route?

As a regular contractor, and without actually seeing
your particular situation, I would estimate the
price at being around +/-$4,000 out the door,
depending on the cost and grade of the insert itself.
Main thing is to get a competent contractor,
I.e., one who's done it before and will install to code.

 

[begreen]

The cost of replacing a basic contractor grade zc fireplace with a good quality epa zc could be more like $10-12K depending on the fireplace replacement model and assuming that the chimney system gets replace along with the fireplace and there is some facia work to make it look proper again. There are fireplaces alone that cost more than $4K.

 

[bholler]

As a regular contractor, and without actually seeing
your particular situation, I would estimate the
price at being around +/-$4,000 out the door,
depending on the cost and grade of the insert itself.
Main thing is to get a competent contractor,
I.e., one who's done it before and will install to code.

We don't even know if this is an insert or zero clearance unit. So there is no way to give any sort of guess as far as price.

 

[Huckleberry]

We don't even know if this is an insert or zero clearance unit. So there is no way to give any sort of guess as far as price.

Yet I did.

 

[bholler]

Yet I did.

Based on what? If this is a prefab fireplace your estimate wouldn't even buy the materials. If it needs an actual insert but has a good liner your estimate is pretty high. Telling someone their project should cost $4000 without even knowing what the project is won't help them at all.

 

[cckw]

I'll try to answer questions. It is a brick face hearth. Old system appears to be slid into place, not built around. Chimney is offset to the outside, 2 story house. Fireplace store quote was $15k the only part I know anything about is labor costs, which are rivaling lawyer rates. I assume accessories are obscenely marked up as well.

 

[SpaceBus]

You should post some photos if you want a more accurate estimate.

 

[webby3650]

$15K sounds pretty high, but we don’t know what you have or what the bid was for. If it’s a high efficiency unit, with stone work, siding repairs, chase cover etc.. then it could be right on par. I’ll do it for $4,100!

 

[Alpine1]

Rip the fireplace and install a wood stove would be my choice...

 

[bholler]

I'll try to answer questions. It is a brick face hearth. Old system appears to be slid into place, not built around. Chimney is offset to the outside, 2 story house. Fireplace store quote was $15k the only part I know anything about is labor costs, which are rivaling lawyer rates. I assume accessories are obscenely marked up as well.

Yeah we need some pics to know what we are talking about.

 

[cckw]

The installer was not fixing any siding, structural stuff, or animal damage to the wood parts from when there was a tree there. Only doing fireplace and chimney specific stuff. I was to get a seperate contactor to fix those things.

 

[bholler]

Ok that is a prefab fireplace not an insert. If you want to go with something that will actually produce heat you will need switch to a high efficiency fireplace. Doing that would start at about $10000 and easily get up to $15000. What are your goals with this unit?

 

[Highbeam]

Ok that is a prefab fireplace not an insert. If you want to go with something that will actually produce heat you will need switch to a high efficiency fireplace. Doing that would start at about $10000 and easily get up to $15000. What are your goals with this unit?

There are lots of other options that actually produce heat than switching to a high efficiency fireplace.

For one, just set a freestanding stove and run a new chimney through the chase.

He has gas so replacing that crappy fireplace with an efficient gas fireplace is another option.

 

[bholler]

There are lots of other options that actually produce heat than switching to a high efficiency fireplace.

For one, just set a freestanding stove and run a new chimney through the chase.

He has gas so replacing that crappy fireplace with an efficient gas fireplace is another option.

Yes but that is not what he was asking for

 

[Highbeam]

Yes but that is not what he was asking for

Actually it is. I went back to his post and read it again and he just wants to replace his crappy gas insert. Didn’t say with what but we can assume he wants wood. There are lots of efficient things he could put there that aren’t so expensive.

 

[bholler]

Actually it is. I went back to his post and read it again and he just wants to replace his crappy gas insert. Didn’t say with what but we can assume he wants wood. There are lots of efficient things he could put there that aren’t so expensive.

No he has a fireplace and said he would like to gut it and put a new one in. Pretty straight forward. Yes of course there are other options I was just addressing what was asked for

 

[cckw]

Sorry for my original choice of words being vague. I added a couple words to the OP to clarify that I want wood burning not gas.

 

[bholler]

Sorry for my original choice of words being vague. I added a couple words to the OP to clarify that I want wood burning not gas.

Ok do you want another fireplace or do you want to go with a freestanding wood stove ?

 

[cckw]

Ok do you want another fireplace or do you want to go with a freestanding wood stove ?

Another fireplace and a whole new one, not something inserted into the current junk.

 

[bholler]

Another fireplace and a whole new one, not something inserted into the current junk.

Ok that is what I thought from your original post. For a fireplace that will actually provide heat to the home total installed cost will probably start at $10000 and $15000 is not out of line depending upon what unit is installed and how much modification needs to be done.