What's wrong with Northern NJ?

[Daveesrig]

Hi all, I just joined the forum as it appears to be the best source of impartial info on fireplaces. I was wandering if you could help me.

I'm looking to replace my useless 15 year old pre-fab contractor installed fireplace with one that actually warms a room and doesn't fill the house with smoke and fumes. I'm looking for a large viewing glass, single door model like those suggested here (https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/choosing-zero-clearance-high-eff-wood-fireplace.153465/). Unfortunately, despite the fact I live in a region with an enormous population --Essex County, NJ -- there are only a handful of store/showrooms//installers within a 30 minute drive of here and those that are get terrible Yelp/Google reviews and the one I visited felt over priced (at least $10k installed).

Is $5000+ installation cost to install a zero clearance stove (outside wall access through chimney with vinyl siding) reasonable? Has anyone had any strong positive experiences with installers in Northern NJ?

Thanks in advance

 

[Dix]

I've noticed here, that with the drop in oil prices, a few of the shops have gone under. Sad.

Can you install a free standing wood stove, and by pass this ordeal? Just a thought.

Welcome to the forums !

 

[begreen]

We're in peak season now. Prices are going to be higher. $7-10K for a quality fireplace and installation is not out of line. Usually everything needs to be replaced. Check around and see if you have a Pacific Energy or Flame dealer in the area. The FP30 fireplace is about $3500 and the Flame Monaco starts around $2500. Both take 6 in chimney which is less expensive.

 

[mminor]

Or you could purchase the ZC fireplace and pipe online and have a general contractor install it, which is what I will most likely be doing. I'm anticipating a savings in the thousands.

Woodstoves.net is known to have very good and fair prices and I believe they advertise here as well.

Best luck.

Matt
NY

 

[CheapBassTurd]

We got our stove at a dealer, then had a freelance contractor who has stove experience
do the hearth and install. We paid for stove and materials. Labor ran $2,000 in the midwest (2 days, 2 people)
The good piping was a bit salty but that's no place to cut corners. (SS double wall.)

The cost totalled much higher than anticipated and it took the rest of the winter to pay for itself in savings.
A week ago the free heating started. I scrounge/ split/ stack/ burn. (in order of moisture content)
The family and dogs all seem to approve.

Freestanding really puts out the most heat if your plan is to shut the furnace down. Our electric furnace
turned on twice once the stove was in. Monthly winter electric bill went from 5-700 dollars to our
highest bill last year- Feb was $128.

 

[gzecc]

Hi all, I just joined the forum as it appears to be the best source of impartial info on fireplaces. I was wandering if you could help me.

I'm looking to replace my useless 15 year old pre-fab contractor installed fireplace with one that actually warms a room and doesn't fill the house with smoke and fumes. I'm looking for a large viewing glass, single door model like those suggested here (https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/choosing-zero-clearance-high-eff-wood-fireplace.153465/). Unfortunately, despite the fact I live in a region with an enormous population --Essex County, NJ -- there are only a handful of store/showrooms//installers within a 30 minute drive of here and those that are get terrible Yelp/Google reviews and the one I visited felt over priced (at least $10k installed).

Is $5000+ installation cost to install a zero clearance stove (outside wall access through chimney with vinyl siding) reasonable? Has anyone had any strong positive experiences with installers in Northern NJ?

Thanks in advance

In my experience, a densely populated place like Essex county usually has natural gas available and inadequate if any space to season 6 cords of wood. Most would hook up to natural gas rather than burn wood.

 

[kennyp2339]

Most would hook up to natural gas rather than burn wood.

Blasphemy I say

 

[begreen]

In my experience, a densely populated place like Essex county usually has natural gas available and inadequate if any space to season 6 cords of wood. Most would hook up to natural gas rather than burn wood.

True in most urban areas.

 

[Daveesrig]

Great responses, thank you. Yes, I went to Albers Fireplaces on Route 22 and it was a madhouse (high season indeed) of folks likely buying gas entertainment fixtures since that was the vast majority of what they had on display. I left after 15 minutes waiting to speak with someone -- not angrily, the sales staff were working hard -- but because I got a strong whiff of peak season pricing. I agree that wood is not that easy to store in my crowded community or even to procure and we NYC area types have such long commutes we don't want the extra time wood takes over gas but my family is burning wood now anyway because it looks beautiful and makes you feel warm even if it's currently sending our warm air up the chimney. Heck if I want to look at a gas flame I'll go put up a pot of tea. And, even though you lose ten points of efficiency by having a fireplace instead of a free standing (good point), my small family room works better with a big windowed, relatively efficient, indoor pollution-stopping EPA ZC fireplace.

Meanwhile, the advice of buying exactly the one I like online (Pacific Energy's FP30 sounds good so far -- $4000 delivered to my driveway i think (broken link removed)) and hiring my own GC might be the best path. Maybe $8000 all in I hope.

 

[excessads]

Have you reach out to Flue tech in Norwood? They installed my no thrill century insert and cost is reasonable. They are closer to you than me, I am around Rutgers area, if they came out to help me, they would definitely come to Essex county.

Before I order the stove online from a Canadian company, they did a thorough online assessment to ensure the stove would fit and also apply a permit for local municipality.

The stove and the liner were delivered, they came, wrapped and insulated the liner plus install for $1600. They were clean, courteous and responsive. They also cleaned my neighbor's chimney and will be back after this season's over. They are highly rated on Angie's list and yelp as well.

The only GC my coworker used was SOS stove, they are a little far from you. The other GC is Allen chimney in Cedar Grove, didn't use him but he sounds reasonable as well.

The other thing to check before ordering is clearance of your current fireplace and fitment to ensure you are compliant with Essex county/town specific code. I downloaded the manual and study the damn thing thoroughly and get FT's ok before I ordered it. All worked out well.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[mwatt65]

I'm also in Essex county NJ, i built a woodshed & have over 5 chords of wood season on my property. The lot is 7500 sq ft
I checked out the fireplace place but never liked them. I also used Flue Tech, I had a couple of issues along the way, but they went out of their way to resolve them. Also check out sos stoves worth a visit & very helpful.

 

[gzecc]

Hi all, I just joined the forum as it appears to be the best source of impartial info on fireplaces. I was wandering if you could help me.

I'm looking to replace my useless 15 year old pre-fab contractor installed fireplace with one that actually warms a room and doesn't fill the house with smoke and fumes. I'm looking for a large viewing glass, single door model like those suggested here (https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/choosing-zero-clearance-high-eff-wood-fireplace.153465/). Unfortunately, despite the fact I live in a region with an enormous population --Essex County, NJ -- there are only a handful of store/showrooms//installers within a 30 minute drive of here and those that are get terrible Yelp/Google reviews and the one I visited felt over priced (at least $10k installed).

Is $5000+ installation cost to install a zero clearance stove (outside wall access through chimney with vinyl siding) reasonable? Has anyone had any strong positive experiences with installers in Northern NJ?

Thanks in advance

If your seriously going to burn significant wood, you'll need two years of seasoned wood stacked and split waiting for your insert.
IMO if your burning 2 cords per year you really need 4 cords stacked in stock consistently.

 

[richmhv]

Look for stove shops further west like Morris, Warren, Sussex and maybe Hunterdon. Many places there do not have natural gas and people may be more inclined to use wood.

 

[Simonkenton]

What is wrong with northern New Jersey?

When Tony Soprano sends Sil over to your cabin getaway, and he tells you to burn Adriana's body to cinders in your Vermont Castings, if you don't do it you will sleep with the fishes.

That's what is wrong with northern New Jersey.

 

[MikeStaten]

Any negative reviews of S.O.S. Stove over in Port Murray, NJ? Was thinking of using them for an wood insert install.

 

[excessads]

Any negative reviews of S.O.S. Stove over in Port Murray, NJ? Was thinking of using them for an wood insert install.

My coworker who is extremely savvy with general home improvement and his neighbors mentioned SOS stove do good work, the only downside is that they are pricey, and in my case, will not install inserts that they are not familiar with, I.e. no thrill century cw2500, works great in my book for the money, I ended up using Flue Tech myself and I got nothing but good thing to say about them.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Daveesrig]

Have you reach out to Flue tech in Norwood? They installed my no thrill century insert and cost is reasonable. They are closer to you than me, I am around Rutgers area, if they came out to help me, they would definitely come to Essex county.

Before I order the stove online from a Canadian company, they did a thorough online assessment to ensure the stove would fit and also apply a permit for local municipality.

The stove and the liner were delivered, they came, wrapped and insulated the liner plus install for $1600. They were clean, courteous and responsive. They also cleaned my neighbor's chimney and will be back after this season's over. They are highly rated on Angie's list and yelp as well.

The only GC my coworker used was SOS stove, they are a little far from you. The other GC is Allen chimney in Cedar Grove, didn't use him but he sounds reasonable as well.

The other thing to check before ordering is clearance of your current fireplace and fitment to ensure you are compliant with Essex county/town specific code. I downloaded the manual and study the damn thing thoroughly and get FT's ok before I ordered it. All worked out well.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

Thanks! I left a message with Allen Chimney. Will report back.