Wood insert (and problems) came with the house

Yep I can confirm this. I have the Rainier 90. It is called the 45 because of the angle of the back/top where the flue exits. On the 90, it comes straight out the top.

This is a great insert and I love mine. Avalon does make a blower for it, although mine came without and still heats 1250 sq ft of a partially-reinsulated/partially replaced windows 1950's ranch. I plan to add the blower soon. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to post the link directly, but here is the link to the owners manual: http://avalonfirestyles.com/TravisDocs/100-01140.pdf

I noticed from the pictures that I can't see the handle for the air control. It should be under the ash shelf on the bottom of the stove. I can't tell if it's missing or just hidden out of view from the angle of the picture, but there should be something there. Pushed in = more air, pulled out = less air. Of course the glass is the main concern now, but you wouldn't want to use the stove without air control either.

The issues with the install are indeed numerous and have been pretty well covered already. The advice you will get on this forum is the best there is.

I would look for a new stove. I see around 500 just to get that stove back to running condition. 250-300 for the blower and 100 for the glass, how are the burn tubes? they are another 100.

Mine looks like this with the air control handle off to the lower right side (at least that's what I think it is):

Up is more air, down is less. but I could be wrong about that lever...
With this unit could I still have the blower without the legs? It looks like the blower attaches to the bottom of the unit, but mine sits right on the hearth.

there are two different blowers for this stove. one is a bottom/back mount and the outer is a front mount. you would need the front mount, it mounts below the ash lip and blows into the rectangle openings and exhausts on the top of the stove.

I would be looking at a free standing stove with a hearth like that.

If that was my house I would put an Englander NC 30 sticking out from that fireplace and run a 6 inch liner up the chimney.

The whole thing will cost you less than $1500 and you won't have to worry about it.

You should also get your money back from the ding bat who installed that stove pipe in your chimney and report him. He's going to burn somebody's house down.