Fitting a fireplace and what's involved does this quote sound right?

[toucancancan]

We've had a quote to remove the existing gas fireplace, hearth and mantel and fit a new gas fireplace, hearth and mantel.

The price we've been quoted is twice what we expected it to be, and includes some extras which I am sceptical about:

If it's gas, would we need a new chimney pot and cowl? And how would the fitter know if we needed the chimney sweeping, as he can't see up it at the moment as our gas fireplace is fitted there.

Anyone an expert in this area?

I'm not an expert, but we recently had a fireplace and hearth put it, which included knocking out a bit of wall and skirting board and putting some new skirting board in, and the work was about £300 (not including the fireplace). It's not a working fireplace though so no gas etc.

Can you say how much your quote is?

We were about 2k for that, including the fire and surround etc. We needed the chimney lined (gas regs, they use a smoke thingy to see if it is necessary), and that was £700 alone, only that 'cheap' because we had a bungalow so it was shorter. I think we needed a cowl but can't remember.

We were told £250 in the shop but fitter recommended by the shop came round today and said £500. I want to make sure he's not charging us for unnecessary work and taking us for mugs so I'm going to get another quote.

That sounds quite similar, actually, so I wouldn't say that it a rip off. They were at out house for about 5 hours so it wasn't a simple job.

I'm in London and I think the fitting etc was about 450. We had already got plumber to cut off the gas supply and pipe to old gas fire. And you'll def need to have chimney swept and tested. Don't know why you'd need to change chimney pit though.

Pot not pit. Sorry am on phone feeding baby.

Thanks

You have to meet the latest building regs if you're changing it.
We had a real fire reinstated into our house an it cost nearly £2k. The hearth had to be a special size, we had to have the chimney inspected etc etc. It had to meet 'heatas' regulations as we'd never be able to sell the house.

new chimney pot will be to connect to the flue (which is the metal tube lining the chimney space top to bottom). Flues are about £18 per metre. Then there's connecting bits - to the pot and cowl at the top, to the fire at the bottom. Would be almost the same for solid fuel.

The cowl is to stop things falling down the chimney. Birds quite like sitting on warm chimney pots, then fall down your chimney and get stuck behind your lovely gas fire, requiring you to call out Transco to come out release aforementioned bird which you realise it there due to horrid scratching noise which you ignored for a day a two. After bird has flapped round your living room, spreading coal dust you are left with a disconnected gas fire that you have to pay a plumber to reconnect. bitter experience