Brentwood being installed

[Kentucky Brentwood]

First time post. After spending more than a month reading this site, going to all of the outlets in this part of Kentucky and Indiana, and looking at what there is out there, and needing to replace a Martin Healator? that did nothing but suck up wood, we are having a Lennox Brentwood installed tomorrow. One word of advice: Get all of the estimates before deciding. We got an estimate on a BIS Ultima (same as Lennox Brentwood) for $4500.00 from a dealer with a bad BBB report to a $3200.00 estimate from a A rated BBB company. This included varible speed blower, all pipe and installation. We wanted to do away with the Brick Hearth and wood Mantle and install an Antique Mantel that we had. We found only a few Zero Clearances that would work. Let you know how it works soon.

 

[Islander08]

I too found a wide range of prices on BIS fireplaces. The best deal by far was from an HVAC supplier that had a smaller markup. They are a stocking distributor of the chimney pipe, mostly for local HVAC companies. The pipe is also used for oil burners so they sell a lot. The fireplace seemed to have the same markup as the chimney pipe.

The fireplace plus 20' of 6" insulated chimney came in at about $2200. Stove dealers wanted double that.

 

[Kentucky Brentwood]

Did you get a price on the Bis Ultima that low? My Lennox Brentwood was installed with 8" Air Cooled pipe. Just got a $485 Electric Bill (pre-installed Brentwood). That will change next month.

 

[Islander08]

Oops...sorry that price was for a BIS Nova, not the Ultima / Brentwood.

I'd guess the Ultima / Brentwood would be about $500-700 more, as you need to purchase a separate door and blower.

Also probably a difference between BIS and Lennox. Seems like the Lennox prices were $200 more when I looked. The stoves are identical except for engraving on the glass, and maybe the andirons.

We're quite happy with the Nova. Only issue is a minor blower problem that the factory is helping me with. The footprint on the Nova is a little smaller. The door is plain flat steel instead of cast iron. The face is louverless instead of louvers top and bottom. I think these items are where the price difference is. The firebox on the Nova looks about the same as the Ultima...but I think the Nova is a little taller and narrower.

 

[Kentucky Brentwood]

Sorry, mine was installed with 6" Pipe. Have not been able to reply. We have been without electric since 1-28-09. I have been total heating with the Lennox Brentwood. Had it installed just in time. One thing that I saw on this site for fast start up, or air intake problems, is to not latch the door, but close it, until the wood is really burning. Then latch it and watch to see if the logs stay going. We installed a varible speed blower system. It comes on automatically, but we keep it on low until the outside of the box temperature, where the thermometer is placed, reaches about 275 to 300 degrees. Then we put the blower on high. I'll try to post some before and after pics when my brother in law finishes the dry walling and we get the mantel in place.