Installer in Greater Boston for APS-1600

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Zorkomatic

New Member
Aug 17, 2022
38
MA
I am a disabled Marine veteran looking for an installer to install a brandnew APS-1600 wood stove in my living room, with flue/chimney through the wall. Not looking for a handout, will pay what the job is worth. You must be insured and have at least two references. Reply here or send PM with contact details to arrange a visit for a quote.
 
Not one contractor showed his face for this. It was either "not in my service area," or "I don't install unless I sold the stove (at obscene prices)" or "We have an installer but I won't tell you who it is." Classic L. Ermey jackwipes all. I ended up doing it myself with the help of a Russian immigrant who did want to work. The next time some fools mouths off at me about "inflation" and the "great resignation" I'm going to adjust his attitude with a 2x4 Attitude Adjustment Tool®.
 
This really isnt a website to source contractors for work, but good on you for getting it taken care of, hope to see you make more posts as the heating season starts up, lots of good info and banter here, all great people that love burning wood.
 
This really isnt a website to source contractors for work, but good on you for getting it taken care of, hope to see you make more posts as the heating season starts up, lots of good info and banter here, all great people that love burning wood.
True, but most people are not up to the task of installing a wood stove, especially when it comes to getting the insurance to accept it. I got the permit from the city and thoroughly research the code and manufacturer requirements to make sure it passes both city and fire dept inspection. I would think that people in the Greater Boston area would be able to recommend installers that are not surgically attached to the stores selling the stoves.

It seems it's some kind of fireproof material that looks like cotton but is most certainly not. I will take a sample to the hardware store and hopefully they will sell me something smaller than a 50 ft roll that I don't need. Thanks. 😀

BTW, if you do hire a Russian immigrant handiman, beware him thinking he can do it just like in his grampa's dacha where no one would show their face to inspect anything, let alone force them to do anything over. And hire someone who is married. The one I hired is 65 (!!) and never been married, which explains why he thought it would be nice to gift me a 24" round to put my fire tools on next to the stove in the living room so as to express my macho side. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I may be a crazy former Marine, but I am not stupid. There is a difference.
 
This installation really should be inspected by a professional sweep. Often city inspectors are not up to the task.
 
This installation really should be inspected by a professional sweep. Often city inspectors are not up to the task.
Point me to one who will actually show up. None of them even bothered to answer my emails and always had some excuse when I called. The city and fire inspectors will show up. If they point out something that needs to be fixed, it will be.
 
Unfortunately, many city inspectors are out of their element with wood stove inspections. Our inspector gave a 20 second glance and approved ours. In the least, show us what you and the old Russian have put in.
 
Point me to one who will actually show up. None of them even bothered to answer my emails and always had some excuse when I called. The city and fire inspectors will show up. If they point out something that needs to be fixed, it will be.
I honestly would not trust the city inspector. They generally don't have the expertise to do a proper inspection
 
Unfortunately, many city inspectors are out of their element with wood stove inspections. Our inspector gave a 20 second glance and approved ours. In the least, show us what you and the old Russian have put in.
The ones in my city know what they are doing. I can tell by the questions they asked when I went to the building office to inquire what I needed to do to obtain a permit. We went through EVERYTHING, including all the photos of the hardware (especially the UL labs label) and the owner's manual. They also asked questions during the process of issuing the permit. They were very helpful.
 
The ones in my city know what they are doing. I can tell by the questions they asked when I went to the building office to inquire what I needed to do to obtain a permit. We went through EVERYTHING, including all the photos of the hardware (especially the UL labs label) and the owner's manual. They also asked questions during the process of issuing the permit. They were very helpful.
In that case they may give a reliable inspection. Did you just contact installers or did you also try chimney sweeps?
 
In that case they may give a reliable inspection. Did you just contact installers or did you also try chimney sweeps?

I called EVERYBODY and their mother for miles around, even in NH and southern Mass. It was a total waste of time. That installer on YouTube on This Old House videos? "Out of my service area" even though he's maybe 20 min from my house. People who don't want to work should not complain to the government about not being able to pay their bills.
 
I called EVERYBODY and their mother for miles around, even in NH and southern Mass. It was a total waste of time. That installer on YouTube on This Old House videos? "Out of my service area" even though he's maybe 20 min from my house. People who don't want to work should not complain to the government about not being able to pay their bills.
Please keep politics off of this site. Honestly this year has been insanely busy. If you had called me in August when you posted the first thread you would have been scheduled for me to look at the install around this time. Probably couldn't do the install untill after Christmas. Lots of guys simply aren't taking on more at this point.

I seriously doubt it has anything to do with not wanting to work. And more to do with having too much work.
 
Please keep politics off of this site. Honestly this year has been insanely busy. If you had called me in August when you posted the first thread you would have been scheduled for me to look at the install around this time. Probably couldn't do the install untill after Christmas. Lots of guys simply aren't taking on more at this point.

I seriously doubt it has anything to do with not wanting to work. And more to do with having too much work.

Why in the wide, wide world of sports would I call someone in PA when I am in MA, and wind up paying a ton of money for travel expenses???

And it's one thing to call me back and let me know they have a lot of work and offer to schedule me later on, quite another to ghost me. The former is acceptable, the latter is not.
 
Why in the wide, wide world of sports would I call someone in PA when I am in MA, and wind up paying a ton of money for travel expenses???

And it's one thing to call me back and let me know they have a lot of work and offer to schedule me later on, quite another to ghost me. The former is acceptable, the latter is not.
I wasn't saying you should have called me. Just that all of us in the industry are swamped.
 
Well, be happy. It's probably a better job than some rushed installers would have done and you know the system well now.
 
Well, be happy. It's probably a better job than some rushed installers would have done and you know the system well now.
I'll be happy when I fire it up. My oil furnace died last week and the home warranty insurance is balking on replacing it because it's 40 years old. I'm about to go full jarhead on them and point out the contract says nothing about the age of appliances, and they did not ask before issuing the policy. I also think the VA will not look kindly on what they think they want to do.
 
The project is finished and the city inspector signed off on the work yesterday. I am a happy and toasty camper.