"tom w" wrote in message
...
Hi,

Having removed the carpet and old gas fire in the lounge of our 30s semi,
we
found the opening to the chimney in decent condition (lintel still
present,
concrete base for tiled hearth still in place) and we've found an original
30s fireplace to fit. We bought a fireback, grate, hearth tiles etc with
the
fireplace and now we're ready to install. We though that we'd get a
'competent person' (as in new regs) to do the fitting, just to keep the
right side of the council, however, the local 'expert' fireplace fitter
has
quoted us £350 + VAT for the install! He seemed to think the fit was quite
straightforward, so I can't understand the price. Is this a job that a
reasonable competent DIYer can do themselves? Am I being naive to think
that
the price is OTT? Can anyone recommend a good source of advice when it
comes
to installing fireplaces?

Many thanks

Tom

I fitted a wooden fire surround and limestone backpanel and hearth myself. I
also
extended the constructional hearth ( the hearth at and below floor level -
there are
three hearths, the constructional, the superimposed ( the nice bit of marble
or
slate that goes on top of the constuctional hearth ) and the back hearth (
the bit
where your fire goes )) as I thought for an open fire it did not meet the
new regs.

The process was not exactly straightforward, as some floorboards and a joist
were
removed to fit in a 5" thick extended constructional hearth ( only necessary
for
open fires lit directly onto the back hearth, so probably not a problem for
you ).
Also, the chimney breast had a bit of a curve in the plaster, and I
replastered it
to be able to fit the mantelpiece flush without gaps.

I also had to use cement to make a faiing inside the chimney so any soot
coming
down did not pile up on top of the edges of my firebox ( wood-burning,
probably a
different design completely to what you're putting in ).

The wooden mantel and surround was held in place using mirror plates. There
are a lot of annoying details to consider. Also, you shouldmake sure your
chimney
is OK by using a smoke bomb and checking for leaks in the rooms above, and
the
loft etc.

I think you can buy 'firecement', but I just used a high lime cement
mixture. You
need to use a very weak cement mix behind your fireback to hold it in
place.

The best source of info I found was the Collins DIY Encyclopedia, it has
notes
on installing just the sort of fireplace you're detailing, plus some info on
hearth
minimum dimensions etc. A search of the web using Google may also turn up
some info if you're patient. Can't comment on the price, but if you're
diligent and
practical I see no reason you can't do it yourself. It will take a while
though, so be
patient!

Andy