replacing gasfire with stove?

[happydays]

Hi folks,
Just wondering if anyone in links (or nearby) has replaced the existing gas fire with a solid fuel stove. If so were you able to retain existing fireplace surround, was chimney flue adequate, was it a messy job and any idea re price/ companies to use?
thanks for any advice/help

[Spider]

Hi, we're not in the Links but we did replace gas fire with a stove a few years back. We had to replace a few decorative tiles on the fireplace as they would not be strong enough to withstand the heat. They were replaced with black granite tiles. Altogether, small stove including fitting and replacement of tiles cost around €800 as far as I remember. It was of the best decisions we ever made, much warmer in the sitting room now.

[happydays]

Thanks very much spider! Very useful info, I'm totally of the loop on this kind of thing, so thought it would have been a much bigger job. Any recollection regarding the company you used?

[Spider]

Yep, I think it was Maddens who are based in Finglas. We didn't do much shopping around so you may get a better deal elsewhere but we were happy with what we got.

[Minidigger]

Got one last Oct. Cant say enough about it. Love it. Saved about 300€ on fuel (coal, logs etc) from Oct to March i reckon.

[happydays]

Thanks spider. Mini digger did you take out gas fire also and preserve your fireplace? Who did you use?
Many thanks

[Minidigger]

the fire was taken out, everything else remained and was reused. i got a new cast iron surround for it. it was done by a nice personable bloke from tallaght i think, i wouldnt use him again though, a one man operation, so it took him about a month to fit me in. Direct into the existing flue should be fine once sealed properly. Some companies want to add flue to the roof, which is where costs ratchet up as they work from the roof of the house downwards, (couple of men etc). its a bit messy alright, but in my case that was the fitter rather the installation. Chinese Parts stoves are fine, I'd personally give chinese assembled stoves a miss, which is what most of them are. All up it cost about 900€.

[Derek]

Do these stoves heat the radiators or just the room they are in??

[Minidigger]

Can Do. Larger Stove needed that wont fit in a conventional fireplace. 16Kw or above needed. About 6K€ to complete. Not sure how worthwhile it is, Controlled gas supply to the rads is probably best value of all.