6 Things Fireplace Replacement Pros Wish You Knew Before Starting Your Project

Every home remodeling project requires a leap of faith. From owning your design vision, to having confidence the budget you’ve set aside will last, to believing in the professional partner you’ve hired, trust is involved every step of the way.

When it comes to a fireplace remodel, you can trust that Heat & Glo’s factory-trained network of authorized dealers has the experience and know-how to make your dream fireplace a reality. Like any successful client-contractor relationship, communicating honestly and efficiently with your fireplace pro is key to a successful fireplace remodel.

We spoke with four fireplace replacement specialists from around the country, who collectively replace more than 1,000 fireplaces annually, to find out what they wish you knew before, during and after your project, to ensure your fireplace makeover goes smoothly.

“Gather all the information you can on the fireplace you currently have [manufacturer, model or serial number]. Is it sealed or not? Is it a masonry fireplace or a bump-out? Does it use natural gas or liquid propane as fuel?”— Michelle Theriault, Superior Hearth, Spas & Leisure, Avon, Connecticut

“Take a couple pictures: One facing the fireplace and another facing away from the fireplace. The away-facing picture gives us an idea of the size of the room the fireplace is in. Proportion is important to the overall look and we never want to overheat a small space or put too small of a unit in a larger room.”—Marci & Mike Buckiso, The Fireplace & Patio Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“We love seeing examples of design styles you like, as well as photos of the other rooms in the home to understand the overall look and feel. If you’ve done other remodeling projects recently, we’d love to see photos of those as well!”—Elyse Rethlake, Fireside Hearth & Home, Roseville, Minnesota

“Many customers share their Pinterest and Instagram photos showing the overall look they’re going for which helps us focus on a solution faster.”— Marci & Mike Buckiso, The Fireplace & Patio Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“Many customers come in looking to just replace the insides or add a new front because that is the part that looks dated. Or the focus will be on updating the wall finishing or mantel, but they’ll leave the fireplace as-is because they don’t know how it can and should be replaced.” —Elyse Rethlake, Fireside Hearth & Home, Roseville, Minnesota

“People believe it’s just the part they physically see that needs to be removed, but often, everything comes out when replacing a fireplace, including the current finishing, sheetrock and even the mantel.”–Lavina Griffin, Complete Home Concepts, Riverside, Missouri

“A full replacement can involve a fireplace crew as well as a plumber, an electrician, a drywall contractor and a trim carpenter. To make it all seamless, we coordinate these trades for the customer, but it helps if the customer is flexible on providing access over several days to keep it all flowing smoothly.”—Marci & Mike Buckiso, The Fireplace & Patio Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“With so many fireplaces now having TVs above them, some customers think we are also A/V people. We once had a customer run out and pick up a TV in the middle of a project and then ask our installer to hang it for them. We’re simply not qualified to do that kind of work.”—Marci & Mike Buckiso, The Fireplace & Patio Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

“I absolutely love the response once we complete a turnkey job. It is a total makeover for the home.” —Lavina Griffin, Complete Home Concepts, Riverside, Missouri

“Our replacement projects are usually in the $7,500-$15,000 range. When you think of it, it costs as much to build a garden shed and this project delivers so much more value to the home. Overall, a fireplace remodel is a bargain compared to kitchen or bath projects.”—Marci & Mike Buckiso, The Fireplace & Patio Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ready to get started on your dream fireplace makeover? Request a quote today!