Fireplace Addition

Nothing says winter like sitting around a roaring fireplace, letting your extremities thaw out after a long day outside in the cold. Unfortunately for homes that don’t already have a fireplace, it is a tricky and expensive addition. Fortunately there are options for home owners looking to add a fireplace.

Crafting a custom fireplace is a big project, but a worthy investment.

The first and most expensive option is to completely construct a traditional wood-burning fireplace.  This requires the expertise of a skilled mason and the total cost could approach $10,000. For an existing home this also means massive amounts of renovation work to existing walls and foundation. Obviously a project this big will change the structure of your house and the foundation needs to be a reformatted to support the firebox and the new chimney.

A second option is to go with a gas-burning fireplace. You can get a direct-vent fireplace, meaning you don’t need to build a chimney. Typically this system will cost about $4,500 for supplies and installation costs.

The third and least expensive option is to purchase a vent-free, gas or electric fireplace. These are stand alone “fireplaces” that serve as space heaters around your house. These vary in price depending on how fancy a setup you want.

All fireplaces require something to burn, whether it is wood, gas, gel, or an electrical current. Here is a great fuel calculator that comes in very handy when trying to calculate yearly costs for each type of fireplace.

It’s important to consider what limitations your house may have due to zoning requirements, and or neighborhood restrictions. Make sure you look into these before starting any project around your house.