any mason's - need some help

[elevens]

I'm doing some work on my house and need a new fire place. It doesn't surprise me since it's an old place that I bought a few years ago with the idea of fixing it up.

Here's where I need some help - what's a fair market price for taking down and replacing a fireplace?

I've received a few quotes and they have been anywhere from $8K to $20K. I'm thinking that most of the costs are associated with removal but wanted to get a few opinions. I realize it's a pricey job but these estimates aren't even close to the same range.

Thanks,

elevens

[Mulletizer]

I thought you were going to ask what the secret handshake is...

[Mulletizer]

BTW Telepath and I helped install a new fireplace in an hotel in Serre at the start of the 2002/3 winter. It was far from rocket science. Those quotes sound way high. The fire (a big wood burning stove) and the chimney tube were expensive - but they were huge and no where near as expensive as that. It took 3 or 4 of us a couple of days (and it was abig job - involved installing a new chimney) so labour costs shouldn't be that massive either.

What work do you need doing? A new chimney? And what type of fire-place is it? That would help.

[iceman]

If the thing's not falling down, consider relining the chimney with steel chimney pipe and putting a big-ass woodstove on the hearth, it'll be drastically cheaper and provide much more heat while burning much less wood.

Any chimney sweep should be able to supply and install the liner. That's what I did in my old house, worked like a charm. If you go that way, look at Jotul stoves, they rock.

[basom]

are you rebuilding the firebox only, or does the whole chimeny need to be rebuilt?

are they putting in a liner or rebuilding the chimney.

how tall is the house?

do they need to stage the housr to work on the cap?


some work is massivly expensive in my area, but a lot of the houses i work on are brick town houses with shared chimnies. alot of the cost involved is liability if there is damage to the neihboring property.

also, if they ar3e lining the chimney how are they doing this. i.e. puored or sections?

[elevens]

It's a pretty big fire place with a wood stove already in place. The house is an A-frame and the chimmey runs from the main floor all the way up to the roof (2 floors)

It looks like (from what I'm being told) that it needs to be replaced and has been tinkered with in the past

I'm thinking the removal portion of the job is what's driving up the costs.

Thanks for any and all advice.

elevens

[elevens]

It's about 25 feet high and the job would be to rebuild the entire fireplace and chimney.

[Beaver]

What Iceman said. If it ain't falling down just reline it with a sainless steel liner.

If you really want it replaced you could save some coin by demolishing the existing yourself. It would not save you much but if cash is tight... If you want to know why there is such a huge variation in the prices ask what exactly each is going to do. Get a detailed breakdown.

[basom]

they are going to want to set up a lot of protection then if your house is wide open.

with masonry you get what you pay for. ususally the companies that cost more have longer warenties and will maake things right should something catastrophic happen. the more expesive outfit (usually) has more respect for the property and the client, and will take the nessary time to do the job right (setting up dust barriers and the like). there is often less impact on the client if you are living in the home at the time.

this is just my experience as a GC in the boston area.

good luck with your descision.

[elevens]

Thanks for everyones .02 - it's greatly apreciated

I'll be doing most of the prep work in the house (covering the wood floors, moving all of the furniture out, plastic, etc) myself and might take it down but I'm amazed at how much it costs (close to 10% of the total value of the house) to replce a fireplace and chimney.

Home ownership - the gift that keep on taking.

elevens

[sanjuanworm]

brick?
block?
rock?

[iceman]

http://www.jotulflame.com/frontpics/index_r2_c3.jpg

[elevens]

Brick with a rock face

[Beaver]

Why cover bricks with a rock face? Why not just use blocks and cover them with rock? Bricks are expen$ive, blocks are much cheaper.

[Spicoli]

http://www.charliemanson.com/graphics/manson-33.jpg

[iceman]

"Oy, he said MASON'S not Manson's, you schmuck"

http://www.jackiemason.com/images/gallery2.jpg

(this will be funnier when Spicoli fixes his image)

[Spicoli]

Yea, I know. I was just going to respond with the lame and over used, “my bad”

Although, he may be learning a trade in his free time. Ya never know

[Aldo]

When's the DEMO party?

[elevens]

Demo party - now that's a great idea.

Already talked about it and it looks like that's the route I'll be taking....any EC maggots good with a sledge hammer?

Keg of beer - check
cups - check
sledge hammers - check
removing POS fireplace and chimney - not priceless!

[Grange]

Are you sure there is no asbestos involved? In my state we have a lot of restrictions which are strictly enforced. I am still amazed at where this stuff is found. The latest example are in expansion joints and under railings on bridges.

Demo parties can be a blast though.

[elevens]

great aesbestos - I never thought of that.

House for sale!

[Aldo]

Asbestos-pfft

Hose- check
Respirator- check

[splat]

elevens - pm me. I've built a couple. It's a great chance to build a great fireplace that will provide ample heat by utilizing convection to move air as if fan-forced - but without a fan. It's all in the firebox and the venting of cold to hot air around it.

Basically a slab mount (with a clean-out, if you want), a metal firebox any welder can make, the lintel (crucial for how it drafts) and a chimney with ceramic tile liner. Then just river rock the exterior and you have a kill fireplace.

[Spicoli]

The word lintel has now been used, this is no longer a fireplace gaper thread.

Take it to tech talk

[train07]

Research Count Rumford .
Basom, you're be typn on some good drugs there aren't you?