Preparing for the installer

I'm negotiating a little with my installer by offering to do what I can to make things easier for him. My ideas were to:

1. Remove the glass doors over the fireplace opening.
2. Vacuum out the firebox.
3. Remove the damper.
4. Remove the cap (I have a large internal chimney with three flues, all covered with a large metal cap.

He said if I got these things done he would take $200 off the install estimate, but if it turned out that he had to torch out the damper (because it was a heatilator), that could add $150 back on.

I've done steps 1 and 2. I've read a couple threads on here about damper removal. Some say it's a matter of finding the one bolt or cotter pin, and it comes out. Others say it's welded into the masonry, and to just use a hacksaw, sawzall, or angle grinder to cut a hole for the liner. But I think it depends on the kind of damper you have? My house was built in 1961 in western Washington state. I don't own a sawzall or angle grinder, but I guess I could get a new blade for the old hacksaw and have a go at it, if I knew where to cut. Any suggestions for the damper? Are there other things I can do to make things easier for the installer?

Here's what it looks like:

6er of beer and a couple sandwiches would make me happy if I was doing the install.