Wood burners?

[Lagoonablue]

Anyone had one recently fitted? I would like one which will mean removing current open fire as well as installation. What is a ball park figure and is it messy? Would we have to redecorate?

Ball park figure £3k Ours is (hopefully) being fitted next week. We are going to have to re-decorate behind the existing chimney as it will be visible once the new stove is in (if you see what I mean).

Even a small wood burner will cost around 2k to buy an install. More if it has a lot of pipe work needed. Larger fires can talk 4k and up for fitting and purchase. I inherited mine when my dad upgraded (he thinks he's a lumberjack!) so was lucky bit the initial outlay is big. They're also a lot of work - can you source wood? Who will chop it and move it? Can you store large quantities? Wood is expensive to buy and coal is phenomenal in some areas. They are a lovely feature and can save a lot on gas bills but a lot of people don't realise the initial set up up costs and the work they require.
I'm very lucky my dad has lots of wood chopping buddies who source it for free and I get loads delivered and hub enjoys chopping and piling it up.
Good luck if you go for it!

I've just had one fitted! Cost £2.5k in total, including knocking hole in chimney breast, fitting a liner, building the hearth and the burner itself. It's lovely and if you're anywhere near Manchester I can highly recommend our fitters.

I'd say yes the work itself is a bit messy - we took the opportunity to redecorate that room and we'll need to paint the chimney breast wall once the plaster's fully dry. But the work itself took 2 days and redecorating took another 2 and then it was all back to normal!

We're getting the hang of the burner - it eats through more wood than I thought it would, but the heat it gives off is lovely and we're all completely mesmerised by it - definitely pleased we had it done.

It cost us about 2k including getting the chimney lined. Room was being redecorated anyway but I think we'd have got away without as the job was reasonably tidy (though left the cellar messy). It's minimal effort to use. We use kiln dried logs which are expensive, but cheaper than putting the heating on. Very easy to keep clean. Best thing we've ever done. Can recommend fab supplier/fitter in Chapel-en-le-Frith if reqd!!

Thanks all. Actually was just thinking that a gas version might suit me better but a guessing would still need fireplace knocked and made 'square' etc. I wonder if this is more expensive. More research needed I think!

It will cost you but there is no point in asking for a figure on here. Get a quote as you don't know how much work is needed. But you are talking ££££ and not £££.

We paid £3000 for ours but that included demolishing plasterwork, removing tonnes of stones which some happy chap had piled down the inglenook years ago to block it up, sandblasting the stonework, pointing, damp proofing, new concrete floor, stove, flue, fireboard, slate hearth.

A lot of work but 100% worth it!

£2K for mine. Hearth, 200. Stove £600. Flue and chimney pot £700. Registry plate and fitting, the rest.

you say a woodburner, but I would seriously consider a multifuel. It can be very convenient to keep a few sacks of smokeless handy. e.g. if it is very cold (it burns hotter, longer and provides more heat per weight), or if you are ill and unable to fetch wood, or you run out.

Sacks also do not bring an interesting variety of wildlife into your home.

Some stoves are able to heat a hot water cylinder, which feels like free energy.

Thanks. Am starting to think wood burner is a bad idea as have limited access to firewood! Multi fuel might be better but am looking at a gas fired one I think which I know is a cheat but tbh it will be about how it looks more than relying on it for heat. We have central heating but often only want to heat one room during the day.

Also already have an open fire with working chimney where the burner would go. Would mean removal of the fireplace etc but at least chimney already there so hoping it will help keep costs down.

We had a gas one installed in our previous property. They are great, no complaints about it and very realistic. We are getting a cast iron fire installed this week. We carefully researched cost. The multifuel stove needed the chimney lined. We have a high chimney. It doubled the cost of stove etc. I like that the damper on the cast iron can be closed when not in use so no heat loss when we are just using radiators. Also considerably cheaper to install. We are paying £900 instead of the £3700 for the stove. A gas stove is expensive but easy to use, no mess, no heat loss from radiators. A gas fire has the damper fixed open so heat escapes when the radiator is on.