Retailers/Installers in Connecticut

[The Dali Lima]

Hello everyone, I've sufficiently armed myself with enough information to make me dangerous and now I want to contact an installer to get this rolling. Any horror stories/great experiences for those of you in Southern New England? Any retailers/installers that you would recommend? I'm in central Connecticut (Colchester). I've had brief conversations with "More Than Stoves" in Colchester and "Fireside" in Hebron.

I think I've narrowed down my stove options to Quadra-Fire 3100, Morso 7110, or the VC Dutchwest Medium wood burning stoves... I haven't ruled others out, but those are the ones I heard mentioned more often and seem to have the characteristics I'm looking for.

I think I'm going for an installation to look like a fireplace, but has a stove - like this image:

(broken image removed)

Keep in mind, I don't have anything but an empty corner at this point, so it will all have to be fabricated...

All suggestions on installers are welcome! Thanks.

 

[WOODBUTCHER]

Have looked at the Jotul's.....Preston Trading post is pretty close to you and they have good prices.


WoodButcher

 

[HearthKB]

In regards to an installer, why don't you try ServiceMagic.com . I just used them yesterday and found two really nice installers (nice on the phone at least). You can read the customer reviews on each installer and they have to pass some sort of ServiceMagic certification in order to be listed. Its worth the couple of minutes to sign up.

 

[kwburn]

I too recommend Preston Trading Post.
They have Jotul, Quadrafire and I think Hearthstone.
Great prices and very friendly and informed staff.
They don't do installations but can supply you with anything needed if you hire someone or do it yourself.

 

[The Dali Lima]

Thanks - does Preston have a reference list of installers? I just sent them an email.

 

[pr0vidence]

We ordered ours from Dean's Stove and Spa in Plantsville. Ask for Tracey, she's great.

 

[stanleyjohn]

I bought mine at Afterglow stoves in Meriden.Ct.They carry the harman,regency and Quadrafire brands!prices and help are good.Only downside is that they have a tendancy to postpone and change service and delivery dates.They did that with me and my dad.

 

[Rich_CT]

Steve, purchased my Quadrafire insert from Superior Hearth, Spas & Leisure in Southington. They have another location in Avon. Superior installed within 3 weeks of when I ordered the insert, at the end of Feb '08. They carry Jotul, VC, Quadrafire and Pacific Energy stoves and inserts.

Rich

 

[Wet1]

You might want to contact Pete's as well. I believe they have stores in Guilford and Old Saybrook.

 

[stoveguy13]

Thanks - does Preston have a reference list of installers? I just sent them an email.

Yes we do

 

[kevin85]

I second Dean's in Planstsville. They did a nice install with my Olympic. Big place with lots to choose from. I liked being able to go into their showroom and see the stoves work.

 

[The Dali Lima]

Kevin, any idea what they carry?

Thanks to everyone who has responded. I find it interesting that Preston doesn't install. Isn't that the draw of a locally owned and operated shop? I have sort of a custom (I think) project in mind and don't want to be handed off to "Butch, the guy we rent out to customers who can install some stuff but ain't part of our store so don't come back to us if he sucks."

 

[kevin85]

I know they have Avalon, Hearthstone, and Lopi. They have a website you can check out. just google Dean's Wood Stoves.

 

[The Dali Lima]

I think I'm going to try to visit Dean's this weekend. I see that they sell Lopi/Avalon... has anyone had luck with the Lopi Leyden? That looks like a great stove. Of course, I can't find a price for it anywhere online. Are stove dealers involved with the CIA in some way?

 

[FLASHMAN]

I think I'm going to try to visit Dean's this weekend. I see that they sell Lopi/Avalon... has anyone had luck with the Lopi Leyden? That looks like a great stove. Of course, I can't find a price for it anywhere online. Are stove dealers involved with the CIA in some way?

We bought my father in law's Jotul Oslo at Preston... You won't go wrong with them. They are a quality outfit, and they won't give you to some Cheech and Chong retards for your install either. Good people down there... As far as your install goes, a wood stove in a fireplace hole is a very common install, nothing really all that "custom" about it. My install was very simple, just a stainless liner in an existing flue in my unfinished basement, so I did it myself. Same thing with my Father in law's house. We're doing his install shortly... Do yourself a favor and look at the Jotul stoves, they really are beautiful pieces...

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Jotul or Preston Trading Post. Just a happy customer of both...

 

[The Dali Lima]

The uncommon part of my install is that I don't have a fireplace right now. We were going to build a fake fireplace and then install the stove in front of it (with the flue/chimney going up into the "fireplace") but required clearances have all but killed that idea. I did go to Preston to look at the Jotul stoves, they seem nice, and a little cheaper than the Hampton I was looking at, but the Hampton came with a free blower kit. The total install for the Hampton, including delivery and galvanized chimney install was quoted at $4800. I was hoping to be below $4000 but I don't see how that is possible since my wife insists on an enamel finish and we are trying to heat 1500+ sq feet.

I should have went to Preston first, because Dean's Stove & Spa in Southington was such a NICE store it made Preston TP look like a flea market.

 

[The Dali Lima]

By the way, in case anyone is interested I went to More Than Stoves in Colchester... I mentioned that I didn't have an existing fireplace or chimney and the first thing the girl said to me was... "just want to warn you, it will cost $5000 for us to install a chimney"... What?!?! First of all, it costs less than $2000 from my research unless you are doing masonry, and why would you start your sales-pitch off with that?

They carry Pacific Energy, Napoleon, and Vermont Casting. Let me tell you ... they didn't want to sell the VC at any cost. She steered me away from the Vermont Castings stove so quickly. She didn't know much about the Napoleon stoves either ("we just started carrying them") so she focused on the PE stoves. ThePE stoves appeared to be nice stoves, but man I wouldn't do business with this outfit. I was trying to explain what I was interested in building around the stove and the owner talked to me like I was a 14-year-old who got caught with a Playboy. Man, very condescending.

I realize that my "fake fireplace surround" probably won't work now for safety reasons, but you'd have thought I asked her if I could put a shelf over the stove to store my fireworks.

 

[stack happy]

purchased my Quadrafire 5100 i insert from Preston and its being instaled today.

 

[old colony]

By the way, in case anyone is interested I went to More Than Stoves in Colchester... I mentioned that I didn't have an existing fireplace or chimney and the first thing the girl said to me was... "just want to warn you, it will cost $5000 for us to install a chimney"... What?!?! First of all, it costs less than $2000 from my research unless you are doing masonry, and why would you start your sales-pitch off with that?

They carry Pacific Energy, Napoleon, and Vermont Casting. Let me tell you ... they didn't want to sell the VC at any cost. She steered me away from the Vermont Castings stove so quickly. She didn't know much about the Napoleon stoves either ("we just started carrying them") so she focused on the PE stoves. ThePE stoves appeared to be nice stoves, but man I wouldn't do business with this outfit. I was trying to explain what I was interested in building around the stove and the owner talked to me like I was a 14-year-old who got caught with a Playboy. Man, very condescending.

I realize that my "fake fireplace surround" probably won't work now for safety reasons, but you'd have thought I asked her if I could put a shelf over the stove to store my fireworks.

absolutely

i just posted in a 2010 thread about this place and decided to do a search to see if MTS had been mentioned here before. not to 'pile it on', but i can confirm this kind of 'customer service'

stay away!

 

[Jim E]

I live about 20 minutes from Colchester. Earlier this year, I shopped around several places in eastern CT and ended up buying my stove and chimney from Mainline Heating in Ashford, CT. They carry Regency, Harman, Hearthstone, Hampton, and Vermont Castings stoves, and carry ICC Excel chimney parts. They also are dealers for cultured/veneer stone and offer installation of all their products.

I had no exisitng stove nor fireplace in my house, so needed stove, stainless steel chimney and hearth pad. I also wanted to do all fabrication and installation myself. Sales at Mainline did a great job of helping me pick correctly sized stove for my house, and worked with me to select correct components for the chimney and how I wanted it configured in my house. They also sell Micore sheets which I used in the hearth pad I built to get correct R value for my stove (Hearthstone Heritage). They have a good showroom, and an amazingly clean shop and inventory setup. When I picked up all the supplies, they went over the installation of each chimney piece and component to familiarize me with the Excel system.

When looking around, I found some other stove shops seemed more interested in telling me how they wanted me to build/setup everything rather than listening to what I wanted and then working together to accomplish this in a safe and effective manner. I value others advice and expertise, but I also had a vision of how I wanted the project to look in the end. Some shops were dead wrong on the correct R value for the hearth pad needed for my stove, and some had not even heard of Micore (one insisted only way to get to R 1.2 was to stack 6 sheets of 1/2 cement board). Although his math was correct, I found the alternative info here on the Hearth site much better.

Obviously finding a stove shop that you are comfortable with is the most important thing, and I would recommend at least checking Mainline out if you are interested.

 

[Biff_CT2]

Bought a Jotul and install from Superior. Pricey, but was a 'say what we're going to do' and 'do what we say' sort of sale/install/service experience. No complaints; you could do much worse...

Deans Stoves and Spa is a very neat place - excellent variety.

Have heard good things about the Trading Post in Preston, never been though.

Had a 'will never do business with you' experience with Blazing Hot Stoves in Oakville by Waterbury trying to buy a Jotul.