HI300 / Jotul550 / Hearth Requirements / Upstate NY install questions

Hi all,

First post. Been lurking for weeks on here. Great source of information. Thank you.

Looking at a new wood insert. Narrowed it down to HI300 or the Jotul550. Current set up is an old El Fuego insert that is garbage. 1979. Masonry chimney. Not lined. Covered in soot. Lord knows how long its been since its been swept. Dangerous. Non exterior. probably 25 ft high. (one story). Pics of current setup below.

Called everyone I could seem to find in the Syracuse area and found the following:

HI300 roughly $5,000 for install.
Jotul550 roughly $6,000 for install.

I am told that would be with insulated pipe. Installers here didn't seem to care about insulating around the steel pipe at firebox/Flu. I asked a bunch of them about insulated block plates and non of them seemed to have heard about them or thought them necessary at all. A couple installers said they would stuff insulation around the pipe at stove to block any loss heat. Told me that they have installed 100 of these and block plates are not necessary. Which is surprising to me because it gets cold up here and I figured this would have been something they have seen 100s of times.

So, my questions to you fine folk are:

1) are these prices for the inserts anywhere near reasonable? How about $230 to clean and inspect chimney?

2) My Hearth is 12" high and 17" deep. See pics below. The HI300 appears to require 16" from door from the manufacturers specs. From the Specs it appears that the facade sticks out 12 3/16 (oversized model which I need) So does that mean I need a total of 28 3/16" for the hearth? Or can I just throw down a stove mat or hearth rug?

3) is a block plate absolutely necessary? I am being told that stuffing insulation up there will be just as effective.

A couple of the installers said that I need to pull a permit with the town. Others said I did not. Most said I needed to have the proper 16" clearance from the face of the HI300 or they wouldn't install without it. Others said all I needed was a stove mat to use during the burning season. Can remove it during summer months. So many different answers.

What I have narrowed this down to is:

1) the HI300 installed by a highly rated guy here for roughly $5000 with insulated pipe and insulated (stuffed) around flu. and a stove mat to meet any clearance issue. No permit. Seemed to be a trustworthy fellow. In the business a long time. Said his two installers have worked for him for 20 years.

2) The HI300 installed by average rated guy for roughly $4,800 with insulated pipe and I would have to stuff insulation around flu. $150 mail in rebate. No mention of hearth clearance issue. Seemed to be more of a salesman. I think I could get the actual installer to insulate for me. But then again, I may get a rookie installer these people sub out. who knows.

3) the Jotul 550 installed by highly rated guy here for roughly $6,000 with insulated pipe and insulated (stuffed) around flu (although I had to push for this). Plus I would have to get town permit and pay whatever associated costs for that. With the jotul I have no Hearth clearance issue as its a flush unit. Definitely a salesman. Most expensive. No rebates or discounts. 3 month install wait.

4) what kind of heat savings am I looking at? I know there are a ton of variables, but in general? Center Hall Colonial. 2500 sq foot. Oil heat now. 1224 gallons used last year. Roughy 350 a month in heating costs last year. Would it be safe to assume cutting that in half?

Looking for any assistance from you guys. Any advice on any of the above? Thanks!

Current set up:

no replies?. Probably because I was rambling on and on.....

Here is a pic of the old Fuego removed.
I was shocked how well that thing was installed. Actually had a really nice block plate with 3" insulation and steel sandwiched on both sides.

Had to rip it out to get all the debris out that was sitting on top of the block plate, but at least now I have a template for a new block plate. you can see in the bin how much debris came out. The chimney was dirty for the first 3 or 4 feet until the straight run to the roof. Then the chimney tile looked sparking clean. and by Clean I mean, it actually looked like someone had clean the flu from the top down. Cristal clean.

So here is my dilemma. I have a cleaning/inspector guy coming here this weekend for $230. I think I should cancel. I am no fireplace professional, but the chimney looks in great shape and really clean except for the bottom part that was near the old insert. I feel like I can clean that.

My other dilemma is, I think I want the Jotul 550 Flush look. I think I can buy it from the local dealer and then maybe get a local chimney sweep guy to install it for me? I can order the pipe online.

I think I can save some money on the install. Fab my own block plate while the local chimney sweep guy and crew shlep and install the unit and ss pipe. Pretty sure I can save a few hundred on that. Plus the 230$ for the cleaning.

What say any of you? Any advice?

Yeah. The only problem with the liner is the hassle this time of year. There is a foot of snow on my roof and I would have to get a buddy over here to help. Plus the chimney is about 8 feet above the one story roof so I need a decent way to secure a safe way to climb that whilst on a snowy roof. With another guy to help me. If it was June. No problem. But pretty desperate this time of year. And I guess I will have to pay the stupid tax of paying someone to do something I could do.

The only problem I have with the Hampton is that the room I plan to put this in is not very big. And that Hampton, with the proud insert front that sticks out, I think would just look way to big for the room. The flush unit would be the best look imho. Not completely against it yet however.