Construction & Contractors Blog
Heating your home in the winter can be expensive, and the cost of fuels can fluctuate in many different markets. Adding a custom fireplace to your home is an excellent way to help reduce the cost and can add something special to your house at the same time.
Steel Custom Fireplaces
One of the easiest ways to add a custom fireplace to your home is to purchase a steel fireplace that is constructed off-site and brought to your home ready to install. Many companies make fireplaces like these, and in some cases, they look much more modern than traditional ones, but in some homes, that look will work well with the decor and design.
The fireplace is still very efficient, and often installing additional features like fans to help optimize the heating effect can make them a better option for you. In a house that does not have a chimney already in place, these custom fireplace installations can use a chimney pipe similar to that used in wood stove installations and allow you more flexibility when choosing where you want to install the fireplace in your home.
If you are considering putting in several fireplaces, you can put them on opposite ends of the house if you like, and they will operate independently of each other, with separate chimney systems. The cost to maintain the fireplace is no more expensive than a traditional one. In many cases, installing a custom fireplace is cheaper because the contractor can do it with less damage to existing walls in your home.
Masonry Fireplace Installation
If you prefer a more traditional brick fireplace in your home, hiring a mason to build it for you is possible in an existing structure. However, you need to keep in mind that the time it takes to construct the fireplace and chimney will be longer and will require some structural changes in the building.
If you are considering a traditional brick fireplace, you may want to hire a general contractor to manage the job to ensure all the work is done correctly, and when the installation is complete, the fireplace looks like it was always in your home. A traditional fireplace installation can take several weeks to complete, so if you are living in the house while the work is underway, you may need to work around the construction. You may want to put up plastic around the work area to keep the dust and debris in that space.
The cost associated with building a traditional fireplace in your home will be higher than using a modern premade unit. Still, when the job is done correctly, the look and feel of the brick fireplace can be fantastic. Determining which option is best for your home may come down to budget or time constraints but discuss the options with your general contractor or visit a fireplace store to see what is available before deciding which option is best for you.
Share16 June 2022
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