Cost to remove gas fire and install wood burner

[TeaChocKitKat]

I'm buying a house which used to have a coal fire (it has a chimney). There's currently an ugly gas fire there - I'd love to get rid of it and replace it with a wood burner. Assuming the chimney still works, how much do you think it will cost?

The house is from the 1960s so any suggestions on how to do it sympathetically with the house are also gratefully received!
Thanks

I knew this thread would get derailed as soon as it was posted.

People have made their point but still it continues.

It’s like someone posting for advice on the best way to cook a chicken and a bunch of vegans constantly going on about the evils of meat.

Just going on about the same stuff isn’t going to change anyone’s mind. Any thread about wood burners always gets taken over by the “ban wood burners” tribe and it’s really tedious.

I paid £2.4k about two years ago, I'm in Yorkshire so prices may vary, depending on where you are. However, my brother is thinking of installing a second wood burner in his kitchen/diner and apparently prices have rocketed.

Nearly forgot, the price I paid included everything including slate hearth.

Does anyone know which cleaning activities generate PM 2.5s? I think vacuuming without HEPA filter does, but not sure what else. Yet cleaning chemicals are noted as a source... air fresheners?

Sorry that's too technical for me PM 2.5 ??

PM2.5s are particulates that are a very small size and cause damage in the lungs, because so small that they get deep into lungs. 2.5 microns? Anyway, it's generating lots of these little particles that get deep in lungs that is supposed to be how wood burners harm human health.

Other ways to get PM2.5s inside your home is cooking, especially frying foods, and burning anything (like a candle or incense). Getting building work done, like carving a channel into bricks or taking down plaster or sanding stuff too: anything that generates dust, basically.

some sources say you can get PM 2.5s from cleaning activities, but are a little fuzzy how... I think using a vacuum cleaner without a HEPA filter might mean spraying PM2.5s all over. But also implied certain chemicals, like deodorisers, maybe... ? That's why I asked about cleaning activities.

I agree with you, this thread shows that you can tell people something’s incredibly harmful for their health and that of their children and they just don’t care. They won’t look at the evidence. They just want it not to be true and so act as if it is.

Reminds me of all the sticking fingers in ears about other risks that used to be acceptable, like not wearing a seatbelt, or smoking indoors. A fair chunk of society didn’t want to know about those for ages, either. It was inconvenient and spoiled their fun, so they acted like it was all a big conspiracy. Boring old killjoys just wanted to interfere.

After all, we’ve all had enough of experts and evidence, right?

I'm on the fence about perfumed candles, plug in puffers, car deodoriser,In fact anything scented that is heated or pushed into the air. BUT that's a personal thing.

Electric hob.

Always used wet and dry for sanding. Sensible to wear a suitable mask for some building work. Some of our cottage hospital buildings were owned by Manchester corporation, Leeds mill owners. They were for employees whose lungs were damaged by their trade. It was thought the Welsh air was beneficial

I agree , there’s always some boring old killjoys that want to interfere. There is absolutely no reason to be burning wood and killing all your neighbours, just so people can keep their homes and families warm ! It’s not like gas and electric are even remotely expensive nowdays, they are just doing it to be trendy and cool 😎.

Thank you! I stupidly wasn't expecting such a pile on in property/ DIY. I just wanted some advice on how much it was likely to cost to help me decide if it was a goer or not.

Speaking only for myself, as someone who’s been posting to point out the health risks, there has been absolutely no intention to ‘pile on’. But as this thread has made absolutely crystal, many, many people are complete unaware of the health risks of wood burners and are installing them in ignorance.

Now, if you’re not bothered about the health risks and are prepared to run them, for whatever reason, then at least you’re doing that in full knowledge. But for many people, it’s not just a matter of cost and health is important to them. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Ours was about 3k with vat. Remove and cap gas fire, new flue, inset fireplace with door, slate for the floor in front and a bit of plastering.

Installed last year.

It has been great this winter. I just sit there hypnotised with a glass of wine listening to an audio book and the room is so warm.

Goodness. How superior can one be. I can categorically assure you, we are capable of understanding, maybe more than you, someone who seems unable to contextualise and understand the differences in stoves and fuel, but what you’re posting .

you can stand down. We are all good.

I wasn’t intending to be superior, just concerned about peoples’ health! And many people don’t know about the issues, so I’ll be carrying on pointing them out. If some people feel uncomfortable with that, then too bad. .

I'm capable of doing my own research so please don't assume that you know more than me. I just wanted an indication of likely costs thanks.

Well maybe educate yourself some more and try to add some context and not be so black and white.. Plus you know. We are all grown ups. We are able to Google ourselves.

I’m sure everyone is grateful though for your repeated efforts.

amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/27/wood-burning-stove-environment-home-toxins

A wood burner will release a lot of toxins into your home

Gosh, and you reckon I’m the one being superior! Pot and kettle springs to mind. That was really rude. There’s nothing wrong with my education, thanks. Maybe check your own.

I think if somebody is posting about possibly intending to put in a wood burner dependent on cost, it’s a reasonable assumption that they may not be aware of the health risks. Sorry if you feel got at, that wasn’t my intention. It’s very clear many people do not know of the risks and others want to warn people of them in the same way they may point out other dangers to people who aren’t aware. It’s not meant to be some sort of gotcha or one-up.

Hmmmm. You have some questionable use of the comma from someone with such a good education though :) Seriously, I am able to research the pros and cons of woodburners myself. I'm just after a rough idea of likely costs.

🙄😁 Feeling better for that now?!

The thing is, it doesn't need to be said twelvety billion times. On every thread about woodburners.

And the people insisting on giving out a lecture on woodburners have absolutely no idea of the circumstances of the other posters.

There might be lots of reasons why they've chosen to use a woodburner. For example:

Maybe there's no mainline gas.

Maybe there's an existing wood burner and they can't afford to replace it (I mention this option because the scoldings about wood burners are on every single thread that mention woodburners, even if the person already has one and is asking for advice on fuel etc).

Maybe the gas supply is unreliable and they're worried about not having access to hot water/heating.

Maybe they live rurally and prefer to be self-sufficient.

Maybe they have access to free wood and simply can't afford to heat their home another way.

In other words - not everyone has options. And even those that do may have different priorities - it's not about "ignoring the science". There are ways to minimise the risks of a wood burner - such as a proper HEPA air purifier. I can't remember the stats but I believe that an air purifier combined with one of the new stoves means there is very little pollutants/particulates circulating.

And anyway, quite aside from all of the above, it doesn't need the same thing repeating. Again and again and again. As I said, it's like a bunch of vegans jumping onto every thread that asks for advice about cooking meat. Or anti-vaxxers hijacking a thread about the availability for vaccines.

I'm sure it's meant well, but sometimes you really do need to let people make their own decisions. If they can read Mumsnet, they can google.

I remember after my first son was born a tiny little nurse came into the ward to lecture us all about getting our figures back. She was the same shape as Tweedledee herself. Some folks eat, drink, smoke, own log burners, drive big cars. So it's not worth advising them to do what you think they should do

No, she doesn’t. What an unbelievably weird comment.