Costs & Process
Most people getting a stove fitted do it once. There is no accumulated experience to draw on, and quotes arrive in wildly different formats — one a single figure for 'supply and fit', another itemised across two pages.
This guide is the checklist. It is not about who is cheapest; it is about making sure you are comparing the same job, because almost every unhappy installation story starts with something that was assumed rather than stated.
It starts with a survey, not a price
A quote produced without anyone looking at the chimney is a guess dressed as a number. Until someone has established whether the flue is lined, what condition it is in, how it is sized and whether the room has adequate ventilation, nobody knows what the job is.
That is why we survey first. It occasionally produces unwelcome news — an unsound flue that needs lining, a hearth that needs rebuilding — but finding it at survey stage is far better than finding it with a stove sitting in the middle of your living room floor.
The appliance and the flue: two separate decisions
'Stove and installation' packages bundle these, which is convenient but obscures the important part. The appliance is the visible, exciting bit. The flue is what decides whether the installation works.
Check the quote states the specific make, model and output of the appliance, and separately what is proposed for the flue: relining or not, what liner grade and diameter, insulated or not, and why. A liner sized for the appliance rather than for the existing opening is the single most important technical detail on the document.
- Appliance make, model and kW output stated explicitly
- Flue proposal: reline or existing, with diameter and grade
- Whether the liner is insulated, and with what
- Register plate or closure plate arrangement
- Flue pipe from appliance to liner, and its finish
Hearth, clearances and ventilation
These are the elements the building standards care about most and the ones most often left vague. If the existing hearth needs extending or replacing, that is construction work and should appear on the quote as such.
Ventilation is the other one. If the room needs purpose-provided ventilation, the quote should say what is being fitted and where, because it involves a hole in an external wall and the position is not a detail you want decided on the day.
The parts that turn into extras
Here is where quotes diverge in practice. Removing an existing fireplace or back boiler. Opening up a builder's opening and making good the reveal. Scaffolding or access equipment. Disposal of rubble and the old appliance. Making good, plastering and decoration. Delivery of the stove.
None of these are unreasonable to charge for. What is unreasonable is discovering them afterwards. Ask directly which of them are included, and get the answer in writing.
- Removal and disposal of an existing fireplace or appliance
- Opening up, lintel work and making good the reveal
- Access equipment or scaffolding for roof work
- Waste removal
- Plastering, making good and decoration
- Carbon monoxide alarm supply and siting
- Commissioning and handover, including the manual and operating instructions
Compliance and paperwork
The quote should be clear about the compliance route and who is responsible for what. In Scotland, solid fuel appliance and flue work generally falls within the local authority building warrant system rather than English-style self-certification, so agree at quote stage who is applying for what and what you will hold at the end.
You should also expect the appliance manual, operating instructions and a record of the flue work. Keep it all in one folder — it is what a buyer's solicitor asks for years later.
Who is doing the work
Competence is the part that does not show up in a price comparison. We are HETAS registered installers, and our chimney sweeps are NVQ qualified and members of APICS and the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps. Those are assessed credentials, not badges.
Ask any installer what they hold, ask to see it, and ask who will actually be on site. On a job that involves fire, flue gases and your roof, it is a fair question and a good installer will not mind being asked it.
One last practical point about timing
Installation slots tighten as the weather turns. A survey booked in late summer or early autumn typically means the stove is in and working when you actually want it, rather than in February.
If you are already into the season, it is still worth getting surveyed — but be sceptical of anyone promising an immediate fit without having looked at the chimney first.
Frequently asked questions
Should a stove installation quote include the chimney liner?
It should state clearly whether relining is proposed, and if so the diameter, grade and whether it is insulated. A quote that does not address the flue has not addressed the most important part of the installation.
Are stove and installation packages good value?
They can be, but check that the flue work is specified rather than assumed. Bundled prices tend to be built around a standard installation, and chimneys are rarely standard.
What extras catch people out most often?
Hearth work, opening up and making good, access equipment, waste disposal and decoration. Ask which are included and get it in writing before accepting.
Do I need a survey before getting a price?
Yes, in any meaningful sense. A price without a survey is an estimate for an imagined chimney, and the difference is discovered on installation day at your expense.
What paperwork should I end up with?
The appliance manual and operating instructions, a record of the flue work, and clarity on the building standards route agreed at quote stage. Keep everything together for insurance and for eventual resale.
Get a survey and a quote that covers everything
HETAS registered installation, surveyed and itemised before anything is booked. Call 07826 049704.