DIY Stove install to save money or no?

[bannerj]

I'm in West Michigan putting up a garage with an apartment above it. I want to add a woodstove.

A seller nearby has quoted me an Enerzone Solution 1.3 that I think is smart. The price on the stove is only $800, but the cost of chimney and installation brings the whole price tag up to $3600!

I'm doing much of the interior work myself with a friend who is a carpenter. I'm trying to discern if hiring the seller to install is worth the piece of mind that we won't burn the building down.

How safe is it to install your own stove?

I'd also love some feedback on the Enerzone Solution 1.3

Thanks,

jb

 

[begreen]

This is a fairly common question. Yes, it can be done DIY if you have a decent ability to work with tools, ask questions, measure correctly and follow instructions.

 

[Jan Pijpelink]

I second that. I have installed a stove, Class A chimney, cut a hole in the roof, etc. It will save you money, but only if you do your research, ask advice from the company you order your parts from etc. It is doable, but try to meet or exceed code and do it safe.

 

[KJamesJR]

This is a fairly common question. Yes, it can be done DIY if you have a decent ability to work with tools, ask questions, measure correctly and follow instructions.

Following instructions being the key takeaway.

Overall it’s not rocket science. I’d rather do it during construction then fool with cutting through drywall and altering/adding framing in a finished space. That’s for sure.

 

[Ludlow]

Is the stove going in the garage or up in the apartment?

 

[yooper08]

Hello from the east side!

Couldn't say it better than begreen. Perhaps the most critical thing to follow is clearance requirements since we are talking about fire. Have a good understanding of those to develop your project plan and the smoother it will go. Don't take those into consideration and/or not having a thought out plan will lead to frustration, more time, and more cost.

Lots of people to help here with best practices, clearance issues, and just about anything else related.

 

[firefighterjake]

If you've got some half decent DIY skills you should be fine to do your own installation . . . providing you are a stickler to following the manufacturer's guidelines vs. going with the "close enough" or "I think it would look better this way" philosophy.

That said, it is a minor point . . . but make sure your insurance company is OK with you doing the installation. My insurance company specifically required me to pay someone to install the stove and chimney . . . although ironically they were fine with me building my own hearth.

P.S. Not sure where you are thinking of putting the stove . . . but if the stove is to go into a rental apartment I suspect you'll find many folks here will say they would not recommend doing so with renters and if the stove is to go into the garage there will be a debate about whether this is permitted by code or not (followed by discussions with folks saying the code does not apply to where they live and others saying it does.)

 

[bholler]

If you've got some half decent DIY skills you should be fine to do your own installation . . . providing you are a stickler to following the manufacturer's guidelines vs. going with the "close enough" or "I think it would look better this way" philosophy.

That said, it is a minor point . . . but make sure your insurance company is OK with you doing the installation. My insurance company specifically required me to pay someone to install the stove and chimney . . . although ironically they were fine with me building my own hearth.

P.S. Not sure where you are thinking of putting the stove . . . but if the stove is to go into a rental apartment I suspect you'll find many folks here will say they would not recommend doing so with renters and if the stove is to go into the garage there will be a debate about whether this is permitted by code or not (followed by discussions with folks saying the code does not apply to where they live and others saying it does.)

Of there are those who beleive that if you simply call you garage something else the code does not apply

 

[jetsam]

if the stove is to go into the garage there will be a debate about whether this is permitted by code or not (followed by discussions with folks saying the code does not apply to where they live and others saying it does.)