I have a high ceiling in my 2500 sq ft high but one zone heating. So, I would like to get a new vented gas fireplace put in the family room with high ceiling where I have no fireplace right now. I have evaluated two primary brands - Mendota and Regency and I have visited 3 dealers for Mendota and 1 dealer for Regency and the outcome is as follows:
Mendota - Evaluated the Mendota FV46 model. Total cost including fireplace, framing for a 20 foot ceiling, installing, plumbing and adding a stone face comes to about $15k. This is assuming a floor to ceiling 20 foot framing is done but stone finish is done for the height of the fireplace and a hearth is added. The advantages of this model is that it can use a heat output from 10000BTU to 45000BTU and there are two blowers which you can control separately. The disadvantage is that due to the venting limitation, the vent has to travel up a couple of feet and then right angle out and this is the primary reason for the floor to ceiling bump out of the drywall. My wife feels that she would much rather prefer a regular height fireplace without bumping out the full wall but this is just not possible with Mendota. The pricing breaks out like this:
Price of unit = $5768
Vent kit = $386
20 foot framing = $2000
Delivery & Installation = $1200
20 foot Gas line =$1350
Stone finish = $2750
Wood wrap around mantle shelf = $1666
Total cost =$15120
Add painting of area above fireplace, electricity and permits, painting of about $1000
Regency - Evaluated B41XTCE model. Total cost including fireplace, framing for only until height of fireplace, installing, plumbing and adding a stone face comes to about $12300. The model is designed in such a way that it vents from the back without requiring a framing from floor to ceiling. The disadvantage in this model that I see is that its heat output is 30000BTU to 40000BTU and there is only one blower. This means I can't reduce the temperature significantly but the salesman says I will not have a need for this. My wife feels she would much rather prefer a fireplace that only goes to the height of the fireplace. The other disadvantage in this model is that the depth is about 26 inches to which I need to then add a hearth whereas the Mendota depth is only 20 inches. The pricing breaks out like this:
Price of unit = $5850
MSI Stone facing =$1420
Stone top shelf =$725
Stone hearth =$725
Multi product discount =$-300
Framing and installation =$2500
Plumbing =$1000
Electricity =$450
Total cost =$12370
Add cost of permit of about $200
Which way should I go? Do the advantages or disadvantages makes leaning one side better than the other?
Mendota - Evaluated the Mendota FV46 model. Total cost including fireplace, framing for a 20 foot ceiling, installing, plumbing and adding a stone face comes to about $15k. This is assuming a floor to ceiling 20 foot framing is done but stone finish is done for the height of the fireplace and a hearth is added. The advantages of this model is that it can use a heat output from 10000BTU to 45000BTU and there are two blowers which you can control separately. The disadvantage is that due to the venting limitation, the vent has to travel up a couple of feet and then right angle out and this is the primary reason for the floor to ceiling bump out of the drywall. My wife feels that she would much rather prefer a regular height fireplace without bumping out the full wall but this is just not possible with Mendota. The pricing breaks out like this:
Price of unit = $5768
Vent kit = $386
20 foot framing = $2000
Delivery & Installation = $1200
20 foot Gas line =$1350
Stone finish = $2750
Wood wrap around mantle shelf = $1666
Total cost =$15120
Add painting of area above fireplace, electricity and permits, painting of about $1000
Regency - Evaluated B41XTCE model. Total cost including fireplace, framing for only until height of fireplace, installing, plumbing and adding a stone face comes to about $12300. The model is designed in such a way that it vents from the back without requiring a framing from floor to ceiling. The disadvantage in this model that I see is that its heat output is 30000BTU to 40000BTU and there is only one blower. This means I can't reduce the temperature significantly but the salesman says I will not have a need for this. My wife feels she would much rather prefer a fireplace that only goes to the height of the fireplace. The other disadvantage in this model is that the depth is about 26 inches to which I need to then add a hearth whereas the Mendota depth is only 20 inches. The pricing breaks out like this:
Price of unit = $5850
MSI Stone facing =$1420
Stone top shelf =$725
Stone hearth =$725
Multi product discount =$-300
Framing and installation =$2500
Plumbing =$1000
Electricity =$450
Total cost =$12370
Add cost of permit of about $200
Which way should I go? Do the advantages or disadvantages makes leaning one side better than the other?
