Start with the room, then pick the fireplace it can take

Why the room decides first

It's tempting to start with pictures of fireplaces you like. The better place to start is the spot where it'll go. Which wall is it on? What's above that wall, a second floor or the roof? What's under the floor, a slab or a crawl space? Those answers narrow the choices before style comes into it, and they save you from falling for a model the room can't hold.

Each type of fireplace asks something different of the house. Electric asks for a wall and a power supply. Gas asks for a way to vent exhaust and a gas line. Factory-built wood asks for a path up through the roof. Masonry asks for a foundation strong enough to carry tons of brick.

Once you know what the room can give, the cost to add a fireplace comes into focus quickly, and the choice gets a lot simpler.

Electric, the lightest touch on the house

Electric fireplaces don't burn anything, so they need no chimney, no vent and no gas line. The simplest plug into an ordinary outlet. Wall-mounted and recessed models take some carpentry, and larger units or built-in installations may call for a dedicated circuit, which is an electrician's job.

A suitable plug-in electric fireplace can require relatively little installation work. Recessed designs, electrical upgrades and finish changes can add substantially to the project. Compare complete quotes for models that suit the intended location and heating needs.

For a room that can't take a vent or a chimney, electric is the practical answer. Choose a unit whose heater size suits the room, and plan the outlet or circuit before the wall gets finished, so nothing has to be opened up later.

Gas, where the vent route rules

Vented gas fireplaces need an approved route for exhaust, and direct-vent models also require outdoor combustion air. The model determines permitted routes and termination clearances. Gas supply and any electrical requirements must be included in the same installation plan.

An exterior wall makes gas easy, since the vent can go straight out the back. An interior wall with rooms above means running the vent up through the house or across to an outside wall, and that adds framing, pipe and finish work. The gas line is run by a gas contractor, and its length from the meter or the tank affects the total too.

Gas supply, the approved vent route, enclosure and finish work can each be significant. Their share of the total depends on the selected model and the house.

Factory-built wood, a listed chimney through the roof

A factory-built wood fireplace uses the components and chimney system specified by its manufacturer. Structural support, clearances and routing must be checked for the building. It is not safe to assume that every unit avoids foundation work or always costs less than a masonry option.

What it does need is a path up. The chimney pipe runs through the ceiling, any floor above and the roof, with the clearances the listing requires, and it ends at the height the code and the maker call for. Outside, the pipe is boxed in a framed chase finished to match the house, with a chase cover on top.

Every floor and roof the chimney passes through adds framing, firestopping and finish work, so a one-story house on an outside wall is the easy case.

Masonry, the full build

A masonry fireplace is built as part of a substantial structural assembly. Firebox, chimney, support and surrounding construction need an appropriate design for the site. A general guide cannot prescribe footing dimensions or establish whether existing support is adequate.

A masonry fireplace adds substantial weight and needs a structural design suited to the building and ground conditions. Footing dimensions cannot be selected from a general article. Include any engineering, foundation and approval requirements in the project scope.

Adding masonry to an existing house means cutting into the floor for the footing and into the roof for the chimney, so the house itself shapes a big part of the bill.

The floor in front of any fireplace

Hearth and floor protection requirements depend on the fireplace or stove and its installation. Materials, dimensions and thermal protection must follow the applicable design and appliance instructions. A dimension quoted for one fireplace opening is not a universal rule.

Ask the estimate to identify required floor protection and any changes to nearby combustible finishes. Existing tile or stone does not by itself prove that the assembly underneath meets the needed protection. Have the complete detail checked before installation.

Cost to install a fireplace, side by side

A plug-in electric unit can involve less building work than a new masonry fireplace, but that does not create a fixed price ladder for every project. Electrical upgrades, finish work, access and structural alterations can change the comparison. Compare the full installed scope.

The room moves the number inside each type, too. An exterior wall on a one-story house is the easy case for all of them. An interior wall under a second floor is harder for everything except electric. And any fuel-burning fireplace will likely need a permit, which the building official for your address decides.

Plan your fireplace with us

Not sure what your room can take? Our locally owned pros study the wall, the roof and the floor on a free visit, tell you which fireplace types fit and write up a price for each. Your first service carries a 10% discount. Plan your fireplace installation with us at (352) 675-6366.