Putting a chimney liner/ fireplace/ multi fuel stove in yourself.

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Putting a chimney liner/ fireplace/ multi fuel stove in yourself.

39 posts & 25 voices | Started 1 year ago by scotabroad | Latest reply from Mugboo

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scotabroad - Member

I have an old (100yrs old)big sandstone semi D house where the gable end is three stories high, so its quite a height. I have an existing open fireplace circa 1950's in the living room, which does draw ok but when a small fire was lit to test its integrity there was wisps of smoke coming out of the upstairs fireplaces, so the chimney does need a flexible liner installed.

So considering the task in hand I got a rough quote from the local fireplace shop to put a liner in, rip the old fireplace out, and to put in a multifuel stove. Just adding up budget figures it looks to me to be at least a 2.5 grand job they are quoting.

Has anyone on here tackled such a job? If so what are the pitfalls and definite no-no's I should be watching out for? I would get a professional to put the liner in but after that to me the firepalce work seems reasonably straighforward if I borrow some builder pals muscle for the heavier work

Posted 1 year ago #
richmars - Member

I think you'll find the cost of the linear is quite alot, esp. if you get a stainless steel one. (I had one fitted a few years ago, only 'hard' bit was going up on the roof).

Posted 1 year ago #
MrSmith - Member

don't you need a license/certificate to do that kind of work?
if you need a fenestration license to do windows/doors then it's highly probable you can't touch flues/chimneys without the right qualification.
if you cock it up and gas somebody or cause a fire your home insurance would be invalidated.

just found this:

"Approved Document J of The Building Regulations stipulates that any work that affects an existing chimney (ie fitting a new stove or liner) or creating a new chimney now comes under building control. "

Posted 1 year ago #
wwaswas - Member

I don't think that measn you can't do it, only that you have to get it all signed off at the end and certificates issued?

Posted 1 year ago #
Rubber_Buccaneer - Member

I want a stove too but it's a job for another time so I haven't done much research yet. Unconfirmed info so far is that you need the liner fitted by a registered fitter OR building control must be advised. Stoves rated >5kW must have a vent and in some areas will have to be compliant with smoke restrictions. I don't know what you have budgeted for the stove but your figure of £2.5k doesn't surprise me one bit. Hopefully bartering or shopping around can reduce the price significantly, good luck.

Posted 1 year ago #
TooTall - Member

The stove will be close to £1k if not more. Steel liner costs a bit. Certificated installation required that would cost anyway. Someone else doing the graft and sorting the mess.

Well worth it. I've done both and will pay every time now.

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Its not difficult to do. All the building control studf and standards will be available, putting a flue liner in is easy.

I'd DIY it

Posted 1 year ago #
TooTall - Member

TandemJeremy - Member
Its not difficult to do. All the building control studf and standards will be available, putting a flue liner in is easy.

I'd DIY it

Obviously done one yourself then Jezza?

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

Bear in mind stoves put out lots of heat and liners have a limited life because of this. If you plan on being in the property for 5+ years consider having a concrete liner put in as it will end up being more cost effective (although a greater initial outlay).

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

Yup - I have. Chimney liner down from a 3rd floor gable end into the basement. Help mate fit multifuel stove. Both straightforwards to do

Posted 1 year ago #
Blazin-saddles - Member

me too, DIY'd a stainless liner from 3rd story and fitted wood burning stove. hardest job was knocking out the old bricked up opening and shifting the 40 rubble bags of junk that came out of it!

Posted 1 year ago #
sv - Member

Our stainless liner fitted to a two storey house cost £1200 4 years ago. Includes all the fittings and backfill etc

Posted 1 year ago #
scotabroad - Member

Agreed a concrete liner would be better but this will be an occasional use stove so i wouldnt go to the expense and hassle of that. The shop put a warranty of 15yrs on the felxi liner which is not bad.

If I went ahead with the job I would be looking for someone else to do the liner for sure. Call me a wimp but I aint going to the top of that gable end to muck about with a liner for sure, not unless it was scaffolded. TJ & Blazin how exactly did you work at that height to get the liner down the chimney, was it scaffolded?

The stoves I have seen that would fit would be about the 700 quid mark.

Posted 1 year ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

I did it off a long ladder. Rope tied to a brick dropped down the chimney, tie rope to liner and pull it thru with a bit of feeding it down from the top.

Posted 1 year ago #
Blazin-saddles - Member

Nope, H&S wouldn't have been too impressed but ladder/roof crawler, climb onto chimney stack and feed liner down with rope/weight attached, man on inside pulls rope gently whilst I (stood ontop of chimney stack) feed it in. was a little hair raising but got the job done.

Posted 1 year ago #
bassspine - Member

What about the vermiculite insulation around the flue?

Posted 1 year ago #
nickjb - Member

The regs are here. Worth a quick read even if you only look at the pictures

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADJ_2010.pdf

Posted 1 year ago #
wrightyson - Member

Piece of piss! To be fair tho if your house burnt down as a result of bodged fitting, insurance wouldn't cover it. Friend had first hand experience of a similar scenario! A hetas certificate is the equivalent for fires as corgi is for gas.
2.5g is over priced mind. I hadn't the time to do my own and got someone to supply and fit fire and flue for 1100 cash, plus the mrs wasn't happy about it being non certificated because of having two kids in the house. If you're around Derbyshire, 50 miles or so then he's definately worth a bell.

Posted 1 year ago #
sharkbait - Member

Bear in mind stoves put out lots of heat and liners have a limited life because of this.

Wrong way round I think MF - stoves put more of the heat into the room rather than up the chimney, so chimneys run cooler. This can lead to condensation if you burn damp wood or run the stove too cool..... which is what kills the liner in the end.

Posted 1 year ago #
jam bo - Member

Been advised that round here (west Devon) buildings control will not sign off on a self installed woodburner/chimney liner.

Posted 1 year ago #
leebaxter - Member

I did a similar job on a similar property this year. If its an old sandstone house the chimney flue might be rough inside, so dont get to big a stove else the liner might not fit. Also get a cone type device to put on the end of the liner to aid feeding it down.
. I reckon the liner will cost you about £200 ish. Im not hetas by the way

Posted 1 year ago #
leebaxter - Member

Just noticed, when i went back to the forum home page, an advertisement for flue liner came up on the right of the page.. Weird.

Posted 1 year ago #
AnalogueAndy - Member

Where bouts are you?

I've fitted two. Bought all the bits from these guys, they even cut the liner to length and only charged me for what I needed:

http://www.knight-stoves.co.uk/

As pointed out already you'll need building regs. And dependant upon where you live, to comply with smokeless laws

Posted 1 year ago #
scotabroad - Member

Where bouts are you?

Up in SW Scotland.

Just had a thought, they were quoting about a grand to fit flue and knock out old fireplace, and render inglenook. If I could knock them down a bit on that then I am sure that could bring the price closer to being attractive. Then I am sure I could sort out a fireplace, plinth etc ready for someone to hook up a stove??

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

leebaxter - Member
Just noticed, when i went back to the forum home page, an advertisement for flue liner came up on the right of the page.. Weird.
POSTED 54 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Not weird - it's how Google ads work and it happens all the time

Posted 1 year ago #
Blazin-saddles - Member

Just had a thought, they were quoting about a grand to fit flue and knock out old fireplace, and render inglenook. If I could knock them down a bit on that then I am sure that could bring the price closer to being attractive. Then I am sure I could sort out a fireplace, plinth etc ready for someone to hook up a stove??

Yep, depends how valuable your time is/able to do the job yourself. A flue liner will be between £200-400 length dependent. Mine took 2 days of handwork and I needed roof crawlers/long ladders to get up there. I had the time and ability so took the project on but if I'd got more cash and no time I'd sub it out as it wasn't a very pleasant job. Also my mate is a HETAS registered fitter so told me what I needed to do and in what order.

Posted 1 year ago #
nickjb - Member

A small word of warning

illegal_diy_job_burns_loughborough_man

Posted 1 year ago #
phyncra - Member

>>Been advised that round here (west Devon) buildings control will not sign >>off on a self installed woodburner/chimney liner.

This wasnt by a HETAs engineer was it. Surely if they decide the regs theyve got to sign them off, irrepespective of DIY?

Posted 1 year ago #
tom496 - Member

I have just recently started working for a hetas installer in Oxon; his daily labour charge is £375 a day, be it knocking a fire place around (breaking out) or just dropping the liner and connecting the flue. Depending on the size of the fire place that currently exists we would take approximately two days to break out to the correct size, replace lintel, render, lay hearth and drop liner, fit register plate and install stove and commission. If it is an inglenook it might progress into three days, so that could be the best part of 1K for labour it’s self.

Then you have to consider the parts and materials needed, chimney Pot(?), top stub, cowl, flu liner anything from £11 to £60 a meter, flat 3mm plate and angle iron for the register plate, lintel, beads to render to, some sort of base to lay the hearth to and the finally hearth. Plus there is the expertise and knowledge that they have.

I would be very care full when knocking a fire place around, especially one that is three stories high due the structural integrity for the chimney can be undermined. However if you go carefully it can be done I would seek some advice from a builder mate if you have one.

Posted 1 year ago #
sharkbait - Member

Plus there is the expertise and knowledge that they have

Knocking bricks out and putting a liner into a hole

Only kidding (ish) but £375/day.... yikes.

Posted 1 year ago #
Junkyard - Member

yes not rocket science
Flue liner about £300 for 10 m on Ebay iirc including cowel and install as above.
Hearth size vents etc just do it correctly - get advice
I got help from a HETAS mate to sign it off - he did the actuall fire and register plate, attaching of flue and testing took 1/2 day not sure if they would do this routinely or not tbh

Posted 1 year ago #
gavtheoldskater - Member

speak to your local building control first. ours (cornwall) will come and inspect and give necessary certificate of conformity for 60quid (if total job inc labour comes out to less than 1000. 120 if over 1k.

of course you only need the paperwork if you are going to sell the house on!

using a hetas engineer does not always work, i 'paid' for an installation, which i could have done myself but it was for a reno project so needed paperwork, and then discovered that it was so far from being safe and installed correctly it was ridiculous. good job i was spotterish enough to get up in the roof and check myself.

Posted 1 year ago #
miketually - Member

Just noticed, when i went back to the forum home page, an advertisement for flue liner came up on the right of the page.. Weird.

Welcome to the internet

Posted 1 year ago #
woffle - Member

Bear in mind stoves put out lots of heat and liners have a limited life because of this. If you plan on being in the property for 5+ years consider having a concrete liner put in as it will end up being more cost effective (although a greater initial outlay).

You want to be careful about concrete / pumice liners and do some research. There were some nasty rumours circulating when we renovated our house about them breaking up which is expensive to fix. Regardless of these there were also (from memory) concerns raised about liners with certain content mixes under-performing quite dangerously from one of the government bodies at the time. It all got a bit technical but it was enough to put us off...

Posted 1 year ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

You want to be careful about concrete / pumice liners and do some research. There were some nasty rumours circulating when we renovated our house about them breaking up which is expensive to fix. Regardless of these there were also (from memory) concerns raised about liners with certain content mixes under-performing quite dangerously from one of the government bodies at the time. It all got a bit technical but it was enough to put us off...

That is interesting as we were advised by a chimney sweep and the place we bought our stove from that concrete was by far the better solution if able to afford it.

Posted 1 year ago #

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