Wood/Gas Stove in New Build
Discussion
The other stove thread has got me. This year I would like to fit a stove in my living room as at the moment it is a bit of a characterless new build box and I think it would really improve things. Lack of a fire is the only part of the house I am disappointed in and I need to do something about it.
Absurdly, like many new builds we have a brick built 'fake' chimney up on the roof, exactly above where a fireplace would be in the lounge, however that is where the fire story ends. There is no chimney breast, or indeed chimney inside to speak of, just a long bland wall of doom.
I approached a firm some time ago about installing a balanced flue gas stove (Vega B7) and for them to make a stud wall fake breast to house it, with beam, brick chamber lining and a slate hearth, gas pipes run round the house etc etc. The price (5k) put me off somewhat given the stove was only 1.5k itself and given it was gas I didn't proceed as really I suppose I would quite like to burn wood.
A couple of questions for the PH collective then. If I installed a wood stove would a black twin wall flue, up the side of the house and presumably terminating past the 'fake' chimney on the roof look bizarre? And would it put future buyers off for being incongruous? Would it really matter as I don't look at that aspect of my house except when getting out of a car it faces the driveway? FWIW If I ran one internally I would then have to box it in on one of the bedrooms above the lounge which would also look odd and Im not really prepared to start messing about upstairs.
Secondly, and I suppose in either case (wood/gas) is a question of cost reduction. I am reasonably DIY confident, would anyone here consider doing the bulk of the fake chimney breast work themselves to reduce costs on the install? It all looks pretty straightforward, build stud box, add plasterboard, chuck in a chamber liner etc etc. Or is that asking for trouble with prospective stove installers?
I want (need) fire, should I forge ahead with gas and keep it looking discrete and enjoy the convenience of cracking it on at a whim but not be able to burn actual physical stuff? Or go wood and just accept the quirk that the builder put a fake chimney on top and live with a socking great flue up the outside wall. Not that it matters hugely as I want to enjoy it but which would future buyers prefer? Which is the better option?
Cheers
Absurdly, like many new builds we have a brick built 'fake' chimney up on the roof, exactly above where a fireplace would be in the lounge, however that is where the fire story ends. There is no chimney breast, or indeed chimney inside to speak of, just a long bland wall of doom.
I approached a firm some time ago about installing a balanced flue gas stove (Vega B7) and for them to make a stud wall fake breast to house it, with beam, brick chamber lining and a slate hearth, gas pipes run round the house etc etc. The price (5k) put me off somewhat given the stove was only 1.5k itself and given it was gas I didn't proceed as really I suppose I would quite like to burn wood.
A couple of questions for the PH collective then. If I installed a wood stove would a black twin wall flue, up the side of the house and presumably terminating past the 'fake' chimney on the roof look bizarre? And would it put future buyers off for being incongruous? Would it really matter as I don't look at that aspect of my house except when getting out of a car it faces the driveway? FWIW If I ran one internally I would then have to box it in on one of the bedrooms above the lounge which would also look odd and Im not really prepared to start messing about upstairs.
Secondly, and I suppose in either case (wood/gas) is a question of cost reduction. I am reasonably DIY confident, would anyone here consider doing the bulk of the fake chimney breast work themselves to reduce costs on the install? It all looks pretty straightforward, build stud box, add plasterboard, chuck in a chamber liner etc etc. Or is that asking for trouble with prospective stove installers?
I want (need) fire, should I forge ahead with gas and keep it looking discrete and enjoy the convenience of cracking it on at a whim but not be able to burn actual physical stuff? Or go wood and just accept the quirk that the builder put a fake chimney on top and live with a socking great flue up the outside wall. Not that it matters hugely as I want to enjoy it but which would future buyers prefer? Which is the better option?
Cheers
Catz said:
No idea about cost but could you build an external “chimney” to hide the flue outside? Could it be combined with the false chimney top?
Would encroach on the driveway which is tight enough as it is so not an option unfortunately, I guess that puts you in the 'it will look odd' camp 
In terms of wood. No problem getting that at all. However having looked at those flue photos I am back to dead against it going up for the outside!
I suppose I could try and run it inside, however I have just been into the loft and there appears to be no way to access inside the chimney at all. So all in all it’s utterly redundant. The flue could just come out of the roof near it though, but it means boxing it in etc in one of the bedrooms.
Have a company coming to survey in a week or so to explore possibilities and want to be armed!
Has anyone got some install photos of a gas one out of interest? The exit appears to look just like a boiler so in terms of actual cutting about it looks like it’s just a hole in the wall and off you go.
Photo for context.. apologies it’s on its side!
Cheers
I suppose I could try and run it inside, however I have just been into the loft and there appears to be no way to access inside the chimney at all. So all in all it’s utterly redundant. The flue could just come out of the roof near it though, but it means boxing it in etc in one of the bedrooms.
Have a company coming to survey in a week or so to explore possibilities and want to be armed!
Has anyone got some install photos of a gas one out of interest? The exit appears to look just like a boiler so in terms of actual cutting about it looks like it’s just a hole in the wall and off you go.
Photo for context.. apologies it’s on its side!
Cheers
Taking it then that a balanced flue stove is altogether just easier. Today I have had a couple of conversations with online stove retailers. I have been advised that I can buy the stove, get it to the stage it needs a gas guy to come and wire it all up, and have then have him sign it all off?
Does anyone know if that is actually true? I.E can I reasonably install myself by following the instructions, basically cut the hole in the wall make sure all the combustible regs apply etc, and then let a gas chap do his bit from there and notify building control etc with the safety cert? Or is this just nonsense by the online stove retailers?
liking the look of the Yeoman CL that was mentioned above, the Gazco Marlborough or more on the budget side Burley Thurlby.
Does anyone know if that is actually true? I.E can I reasonably install myself by following the instructions, basically cut the hole in the wall make sure all the combustible regs apply etc, and then let a gas chap do his bit from there and notify building control etc with the safety cert? Or is this just nonsense by the online stove retailers?
liking the look of the Yeoman CL that was mentioned above, the Gazco Marlborough or more on the budget side Burley Thurlby.
going on other comments on here I think it will almost certainly be gas. Off to view some live tomorrow and unless they look bad I think I will be making my decision on that. At the moment I am at home a lot more due to office covid rotation so the thought and romance of a real one is on my mind.
However that will all change when offices go back to normal, and at that stage coming in from a commute, rain and in the depths of a miserable winter, flicking a switch sounds a lot better than cleaning out a fire and starting it each night at 8pm! Glass of red, some flames and heat and an easy life is realistically what I am after.
Probable build thread incoming if I do this all myself.
However that will all change when offices go back to normal, and at that stage coming in from a commute, rain and in the depths of a miserable winter, flicking a switch sounds a lot better than cleaning out a fire and starting it each night at 8pm! Glass of red, some flames and heat and an easy life is realistically what I am after.
Probable build thread incoming if I do this all myself.
ST12AT said:
Any Gas Safe engineer with a modicum of sense would entertain ‘signing off’ work carried out by a DIYer (I mean that term it’s actual sense rather than a derogatory way!)
It would be like carrying out your own breast augmentation and having a random surgeon whose never met you before giving them a quick squeeze and saying “jobs a gooden”.
Some things are definitely work DIYing, gas is most definitely not.
I wholeheartedly agree. I clearly wouldn't actually be getting my hands dirty on the gas side. From what I can tell a lot of the stove showroom places sub contract the gas work and connection side of things out, so I would be getting it to that stage. EG drilling a hollow core in the wall and letting the gas chap have at the rest to commission it. It would be like carrying out your own breast augmentation and having a random surgeon whose never met you before giving them a quick squeeze and saying “jobs a gooden”.
Some things are definitely work DIYing, gas is most definitely not.
There is no way I would entertain messing about with the gas stuff!
ST12AT said:
Ah yes. I did mean “wouldn’t”......
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer...
Select ‘Gas Fires’ and enter your postcode. That’ll show everyone with the correct qualifications to install.
And by a random stroke of luck my neighbour appears to be just the man for the job! Now I just need to collar him!https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/find-an-engineer...
Select ‘Gas Fires’ and enter your postcode. That’ll show everyone with the correct qualifications to install.
Just to update this.
After a few surveys by local companies we have reached a conclusion. DIY - OUT.. Wood IN.
Professional Install due to take place on 25th Nov. Opted for a Stovax Chesterfield 5 Wide. Black Twinwall Flue running outside. False Chimney breast, Hearth and Oak Beam inside.
Cheers for all opinions
After a few surveys by local companies we have reached a conclusion. DIY - OUT.. Wood IN.
Professional Install due to take place on 25th Nov. Opted for a Stovax Chesterfield 5 Wide. Black Twinwall Flue running outside. False Chimney breast, Hearth and Oak Beam inside.
Cheers for all opinions
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