feedback on quote for freestanding BK Princess installation (new construction)

[twd000]

This is the first quote I received for purchase and installation of Blaze King Princess freestanding stove. New construction.
Quote does not include hearth yet (another contractor will provide)
GC quoted high number for "fireplace installation" so I asked him instead to manage woodstove installer as a sub and add his O&P

Any feedback on this quote?

I'm comparing it to my previous install (BK Princess insert installed into masonry chimney) - stove cost is similar but the chimney is higher than I expected. Any way you see to economize here? Should be a simple straight pipe up through the second floor and attic.

 

[begreen]

Ouch. The chimney pipe does seem high-priced. Do you know what brand they would be installing? Hopefully, it is top-of-the-line. For comparison, with DuraTech:

Home :: Chimney Pipe / Venting Pipe :: Wood/All-Fuel Piping :: 6 inch :: DuraVent DuraTech 6 :: DuraVent 6'' x 48'' DuraTech Chimney Pipe - Stainless Steel - 9407 // 6DT-48SS

M&G DuraVent 6" x 48" DuraTech Chimney Pipe - Stainless Steel - 9407* Non CF (Carton Filler) pipe of this length needs to be purchased with at least two other pieces of similar brand pipe. Please call or e-mail us if you have any questions.Designed for ap

woodstovepro.com

They don't need to install chimney with a stainless outer jacket through the house. Galvalume is fine for the interior passage. That would save a bit.

Home :: Chimney Pipe / Venting Pipe :: Wood/All-Fuel Piping :: 6 inch :: DuraVent DuraTech 6 :: DuraVent 6'' x 48'' DuraTech Chimney Pipe - Galvalume - 9407GA // 6DT-48

M&G DuraVent 6" x 48" DuraTech Chimney Pipe - Galvalume - 9407GA* Non CF (Carton Filler) pipe of this length needs to be purchased with at least two other pieces of similar brand pipe. Please call or e-mail us if you have any questions.Designed for applia

woodstovepro.com

This is a really tall chimney. It's going to draft strongly. This should be tested. The stove will likely need a draft damper in the stove pipe to reduce the draft to factory requirements.

 

[twd000]

I'll ask him about swapping galvalume for stainless for the interior section

draft was not a problem in this same house previously. Had a BK Princess insert installed in the first floor, then ~30 feet of 6" pipe straight up. I was able to control the draft using the thermostatically-controlled damper; it never pulled too hard such that I couldn't control it.

 

[twd000]

followup question on the BK Princess. Need to decide which base to get, and whether to opt for the ash pan

https://www.blazeking.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/BK_King_Prin_Broch_3-2023_WEB.pdf

confused about the ash pan/ ash drawer - is the ash pan option that's available with the Parlor legs, the same as the ash drawer that's available with the Ultra pedestal?

Do you find the ash pan useful? Does it sift out coals with a grate, or does everything drop down?

My experience was with a Dutchwest which had a great sifting ash drawer, and a BK Princess insert, which I had to clean out from the front with a shovel. The Dutchwest was much more convenient to clean out, but I can't find any pictures of the inside of the freestanding BK Princess to compare. Dealer says they don't have any on the showroom floor.

 

[HuskyMakk]

I don’t have an ash pan on mine, I have the classic base, but the plug is still there. If you have the pan, you pull a plug out, and scrape it all into the hole so it falls into your ash pan.

 

[twd000]

I don’t have an ash pan on mine, I have the classic base, but the plug is still there. If you have the pan, you pull a plug out, and scrape it all into the hole so it falls into your ash pan.

interesting. How big is the plug opening? I guess you'd need to let the fire burn down for a full day to avoid getting any large chunks falling through into the pan

 

[HuskyMakk]

Yes it would need to be cold I’d guess. The plug is about 4 1/2” square.

 

[Highbeam]

On my 2012 princess ultra the ash plug chute is about a 2x3" opening. Little and rectangular. No grate, but that's not a problem since it's best to burn these things in complete cycles down to just a small pile of coals and you don't want to 100% empty the firebox anyway so you shove the coals to the side, scrape ash down the hole, shove coals to the other side, scrape ash down the hole. Level everything out and reload. With the princess and it's wonderful 6" deep ash belly this process can be delayed until a convenient time. I get over 2 full cords of douglas fir burned before the ash belly is even half full. I only empty those 2" so I can fit more fuel in there. The ash bin in the princess ultra from 2012 holds about 2" of firebox ash. It's much cleaner than shoveling.

Oh and no reason to let the stove cool. I do it hot and think that the drafting chimney helps suck the ash dust up the stack. You use the supplied tool from BK to pluck the ash plug out.

 

[bholler]

I have never used the ash pan on any stove I have had with one.

 

[HuskyMakk]

My last stove had an ash pan, I thought it was going to be great. Used it once, and never again, way too messy. Ash goes everywhere in the house around the stove.

And I guess I should have stated that my stove is a Princess 32, made in September 2022, installed in March 2023. They must have enlarged the hole for the ashes over the years.

 

[Ashful]

I have never used the ash pan on any stove I have had with one.

... and thus begins "the third(?) great ash pan debate of 2023". I'd call this a perennial topic, if it didn't occur at least a half dozen times every year.

You won't have any issue controlling a BK on 30 feet of pipe, these stoves shut down quite well, but that wasn't the reason begreen had mentioned it. With that much pipe, it's likely your draft will be at least 3x the max spec, which will affect efficiency and also subject the bypass damper assembly to higher likelihood of damage while operating in bypass mode. In some BK's, namely the 30 series, the likelihood of frustration with clogged combustors also goes way up on very tall chimneys.

While BK has their hands tied with regard to recommending a key damper in your pipe, the EPA prevents them from recommending any equipment other than that included in the testing, many of us have already shown that this is the quick and easy solution to keep your BK operating at peak performance on a too-tall chimney.

 

[panderson03]

This is the first quote I received for purchase and installation of Blaze King Princess freestanding stove. New construction.
Quote does not include hearth yet (another contractor will provide)
GC quoted high number for "fireplace installation" so I asked him instead to manage woodstove installer as a sub and add his O&P

Any feedback on this quote?

I'm comparing it to my previous install (BK Princess insert installed into masonry chimney) - stove cost is similar but the chimney is higher than I expected. Any way you see to economize here? Should be a simple straight pipe up through the second floor and attic.

View attachment 313247View attachment 313248


View attachment 313249

we paid just under $5000 installed but that was a few years ago. too, labor and materials in your area might be higher than my neck of the woods

 

[BKVP]

The Parlor version (legs) was an ash pan option. It has lots of volume but it is not deep. You'll shake it a bit back and forth to fit more ashes into the pan.

The Ultra version, has a built in pan and it is very deep. Also, the base make the firebox sit much higher and therefore, no getting down on knees to load.

The Classic has not ash pan option.

BKVP

PS I use my ash pan because it works well. Like Highbeam, I do it with hot coals raked to the rear right corner and move the ashes into the pan. No need to empty 100%, so I usually get about 75% of the ashes out each interval.