Cost of wood burning fire

[bonbonpixie]

DH and I have just bought a lovely house in a great area. It needs a little love, but generally is liveable. After the re-wire, plumbing and central heating upgrade we plan to put in a wood burning fire in the lounge. We've already ripped out the 70's monstrosity and its been boarded up in wait for the chosen fire by Contura I think. I was hopeful someone had been through this and could give us some indication of the steps/work and cost likely to be involved in the whole project. Obviously we will have to organise an official quote but would like a figure as a jumping off point as to when we should undertake this work. The list of to-do jobs is getting pretty long!!
Thanks

[PrincessPilolevuofTONGA]

I looked into it a little while ago and it was going to be about £2k all in. The expensive bit was the chimney liner. We've still got a hole :(

[DeliciousMonster]

Don't forget to factor in time to process wood or the cost of buying it in.

I am lucky that I have access to lots of wood but it really is quite a job to keep yourself in wood all winter.

[MabelBee]

Ours was 3 and a half grand to buy and install but this included widening the fireplace. This winter we have spent 380 quid on wood!

[specialsubject]

sounds roughly right, but your main task is to ensure that the installer is registered with HETAS. They will also need to inform council building control, check that they do.

just to make sure you know:

• chimney swept annually, maybe more
  
• CO detector fitted nearby
  
• space to store wood
  
• energy to chop wood, to bring it in, to clean out fire (the last is five mins a day, plus the extra vaccuuming you'll be doing due to dust)
  

love my logburner but it needs some nurture!

[FunMitFlags]

We're having this done at the moment and I had list of good advice from MN.

The stove (multifuel not wood burner) cost £1450 - a Morso.

Fitting (taking out old coal fire, sorting out the chimney, making a new hearth, plastering ) is £2,500 BUT it's an old house with very very tall ceilings (so a long chimney) . We are keeping the original fireplace but the fitter has had to carefully remove it and will put it back afterwards. Fitting is taking 3 days.

We currently spend about £500 on wood per winter and around £250 on coal, but do have stoves/fires in more than one room.

[Monica101]

Mine including fitting, flue, stove, slate hearth and mantel was 2.8k.

That was with a middle range stove, tbh I regret getting mine.

It is dusty, hard work stocking wood and coal etc and it is now not used as much as i'd hoped!

[cerealqueen]

Open fire or woodburner? woodburner might need chimney lined etc and costly. A regular fireplace as a feature you use in the winter might be less.

[specialsubject]

an open fire is, what, 20% efficient? Woodburners/multi-fuel stoves are about 80%. No brainer for running costs and the planet.

currently sitting by my woodburner, glass is perfectly clear so I can see the fire (which is of course all part of the idea). I would also think that the chimney needs to be lined even for an open fire otherwise you might get more combustion than you want.

[Flingingmelon]

We're doing the same. Looking at about 3k from removal of current seventies eyesore to new fireplace, burner and chimney liner. I'll spend a wee bit more on decoration. We're having a 7w so it's a bit more expensive - air brick etc.

[bonbonpixie]

Thank you ladies! Exactly the kind of information I was after. I'm really looking forward to the finished room. Some adult only space!! (I wish)

[SquidgyMaltLoaf]

I'd definitely recommend multifuel over wood only - ime more heat, last longer, more efficient.

[specialsubject]

depends if you can grow your own wood, of course.

[specialsubject]

ok, I could grow my own coal too but might be a bit old by the time it is ready..

[Doilooklikeatourist]

Ours cost around £3 k oo install , including the cost of the multi fuel stove ( though we only burn logs )
We have loads of wood , so it's just the cutting , stacking , drying and moving them this year , we had to buy it in last year though
We have lit the fire every afternoon since about November , and not used the central heating much at all

[Phoenixfrights]

We have one and I would definitely recommend it. I love ours, it's the best money we spent during our (onging) refurb.

I don't find it hard work in the least. Man comes 2 times per year with a load of wood, we stack it. Feed fire of an evening. Empty ash pan once every 3 days or so.. that's it. Oh, plus the sweeping.

Can you tell I love my stove?!

Definitely agree with the poster above about checking it's a hetas-approved installer. Among other things your house insurance might be void if you don't have it signed off and maintain it properly, and then have a chimney fire.

[Phoenixfrights]

Oh, antd to answer your actual question ours cost about 3000 all in inc VAT, including installation, sign-off, opening fireplace, installing liner and hearth, capping chimney, and the cost of the stove itself. But we are in London.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

For me -it's the idea of a real fire that's so appealing - but reading this - the costs and the wood deliveries - the extra dust and the cleaning ... Kinda damps the dream somewhat ! I think I'll stick with my calor gas Provençal faux fire for a bit longer ! Instant heat - no ashes - and I spent much less than £500 per winter on gas bottles!

[Belindabelle]

OnePlan I was thinking about getting one of those Calor gas Provençal heaters for sitting area in our kitchen diner extension.

Are they any good? Do they give off a good heat?

I wanted to put in a woodburner but as we have under floor heating I was overruled by DH and the builder. I must admit we don't need it for the heat but I want to create a focal point.

I was thinking we could make some sort of faux chimney breast and sit one of these in it.

Sorry for high jack OP.

[specialsubject]

remember that Calor (LPG) creates water as a byproduct of combustion.

[FogBound]

Belinda

My sister couldn't face the costs and crashing about that our wood burning insert involved (5k, but it has tubes that takes the heat to four rooms) so got an ethanol fire.

No massive fuss to install. By the sounds of things they just plonked it against the wall and it was good to go. She says it has reduced their heating bill overall becuase it keeps their (big) lounge warm, so they can turn down the central heating a good few degrees. I was concerned about the cost of the fuel and condensation, but she's run it for two years now and says she hasn't had any issues. And it is very pretty. With a lot less "twig, bark, ash dust" mess than I have to contend with.

[Ishouldbeweaving]

We've had a logburner installed in the last month in the South Yorkshire area. The one we ended up with has a grate so can burn coke too (we're in a smokeless area so coal is out). It was a two day job replacing a gas fire, we didn't need any work doing on the chimney but we did need a hearth and fire surround. The first quote was £3,600, second quote was £2,300. From my very limited experience I wouldn't recommend an outfit where they don't have prices on the fires in the showroom - for all I know the first quote was based on the most expensive one they had. We also bought a wool hearth rug in case sparks landed on the carpet and a Nordic log holder. It's much less mess than I expected (I sweep the hearth in a morning and clean it out maybe twice a week) and the (male) household vote is that it is the best household improvement we've had.

[OnePlanOnHouzz]

Pm'd you Belindabelle ! Yes good heat output - not had any issues with water vapour ! Have got high ceilings and good ventilation though !