Are you struggling to find an installer for your wood burner or fireplace?
If you're not sure where to begin looking for a stove fitter and unsure of what the regulations then you are in the right place. In this article, we will outline the different places for you to find stove installers and discuss how to choose the right one for your stove installation.  Please note that this article is in reference to installations in the United Kingdom and is aligned with British laws and regulations at the time of writing of this article, updated references should be sought.

If you'd rather speak to someone feel free to call our offices on 01484 940111 or email us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

Contents

Finding Stove Installers and How To Choose The Right One
Wood Burning Stove Installers
Can a Builder Fit a Log Burner?
Can I Install a Wood Burner Myself? 
Who Should Install a Gas Stove or Fire?
Twin Wall Flue Installations 
Other Options: Electric & Bio-Ethanol 
Checklist Before Buying 

Finding Stove Installers and How To Choose The Right One

There are lots of different ways to find a reliable stove installer, the best way to find a stove fitter is often the most simple! Word of mouth can often be a great way to find a competent installer, nothing beats first-hand experience! If you don't know anyone in your area to ask then there are other websites you can visit that we will get into more detail on below.

Wood Burning Stove Installers

The very first thing you should do before purchasing a wood burner or solid-fuel stove is find out whether you can safely have one fitted in your home. Wood burners and multi-fuel stove installation within the UK have to meet the government installation regulations in order to be signed off as safe to use. 

The Heating Equipment Testing and Approvals Scheme (HETAS) is a non-profit organisation that offers advice on the most up-to-date regulations and they are available to answer any questions regarding solid-fuel installations. Most competent installers will also offer a surveying service that includes all of the relevant checks for you and your home. This will often include a site visit at the property where they will assess the location of where the appliance is planned to be installed, advising you on the stove requirements and pricing the cost of the installation. The survey is often free but some installers, depending on how busy they are, can charge a small fee for this service. If they charge you for the survey it is usually refunded back to you if you decide to use the fitter for the full installation. 

The main benefit of using a HETAS-certified installer is that once fitted, the stove can be signed off on the spot and be used on the same day. The fitter will provide you with a certificate of compliance that demonstrates that the installation complies with the relevant Building Regulations. It may cost more to get a qualified fitter to complete the job but it tends to be more efficient and done to a much higher standard with a better finish than it could be doing it yourself. 

When getting quotes from qualified installers ensure they are HETAS registered and have completed the H003 Hetas course, you can look at customer reviews and testimonials to try to get an installer you can trust.

We always recommend, if possible, getting two or three quotations from different installers, this will allow you to grasp a better idea of what the job entails and how much it should cost to complete. Please be aware that installers tend to charge more during the busier winter season so it is often a good idea to get quotes for stove installation in Summer.

Can a Builder Fit a Log Burner? 

Using Builders to fit a log burner is perfectly fine but you’ll need to ensure it is also checked by Building Control to ensure the stove has been properly installed. If you choose a builder to install your stove we would recommend using a builder who has prior knowledge or previous experience with installing a wood-burning stove. Your builder may not be fully up to speed with the current stove fitting regulations so ensure you do enough research so you have an understanding of the requirements. One of the benefits of using a builder over a registered HETAS installer is that they will often charge a little less, the downside is that Building Control will have to come out to check, test and sign off on the installation before it can be used. Getting Building Control involved to check an installation can often take some time and it does come with a further cost. If for any reason, Building Control decides to fail the installation, the recommended adjustments will need to be made before the stove can be used. They will need to come out again to retest the installation which will cost you a further call-out fee.

Can I Install a Wood Burner Myself? 

If you’re looking to save money and want to self-fit your log burner this could be another option for you to consider. If you fit your stove yourself, you will need to inform your local Building Control department before you begin the work. You will need to ensure that the installation meets all the most up-to-date building regulations and Building Control will need to come out and approve the installation as safe before it can be used. The call out from building control will be at your expense, so make sure you factor this into your budget.

If you’re still thinking to self install a wood burner ensure that you carefully plan the installation following all of the manufacturer’s guidance and ensure it meets all the regulations set out in Document J of the building regulations. Remember, before using the stove you should call your local Building Control so they can come to assess the installation. If you are unsure of anything along your installation journey you can contact HETAS directly at 01684 278170 or email them at [email protected]

Who Should Install a Gas Stove or Fire?

Whether you want a balanced flue, conventional flue or flueless gas stove it needs to be fitted and signed off by a Gas Safe Registered installer before it can be used in the UK. These installers can be found online via the Gas Safe Register website. With over 20 years of experience in selling gas fires & stoves we’ve built up a great number of competent gas installers so if you contact our sales team we should be able to recommend someone in your local area. 

We do NOT recommend attempting to install any gas appliance by yourself if you are not qualified or registered to do so. This can be extremely dangerous if done incorrectly.

Twin Wall Flue Installations  

Twin wall systems or insulated flue installations are a way for you to install a wood burner even if you don’t have a masonry chimney. Rather than using a flexible flue liner within a brick chimney, you can create your own flue system using twin wall flue parts. 

If you’re using a HETAS installed to fit your twin wall system they should have completed the H006 course which provides training for the installation of twin wall rigid chimney systems in residential properties.

Twin wall flue installations can be installed externally or internally in your home. There are lots of different parts involved so it essential you buy everything you need. If you would like to get a price for a twin wall flue system you can use our FREE Chimney Flue Design Service.

Simply select the technical drawing that best suits your installation on our website and enter the relevant information and we will get back to you with a full and detailed quotation with a list of all of the parts you require.

Other Options: Electric & Bio-Ethanol 

If after reading our article you feel a log burner isn’t going to work for you don’t worry there’re plenty of other heating options for your home. An electric stove could be a consideration, these stoves very rarely require someone to visit the property and are not associated with hefty installation fees. Electric stoves all come complete with a standard 13-amp plug connection that simply plugs into a wall socket and you are good to go. 

If you prefer the idea of a real flame then a bio-ethanol stove could be a great option. These fires burn bioethanol to produce a real flame and don’t require specialist installation.  

A Built-in electric fire could be a further consideration, these statement fires are designed to suit a media wall and offer a totally different aesthetic to a wood burner. A media wall fire will need to be fitted by a carpenter or joiner who will build the media wall for you. Local wood joiners/carpenters are usually experienced with installing media walls and you can find lots of inspiration for these products on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Checklist Before Buying  

The installation of wood burning stove can seem overwhelming at first but hopefully, this article has broken down the process and put your mind a little more at ease.  

The best thing you can do is follow the simple checklist below to ensure you find the right stove & installer. We’ve covered all the important decisions that are involved in buying and choosing a log burner for your home.

• Find out if your house has a chimney
• Work out where in your home you want to fit your stove
• Calculate what heat output you’ll need from the stove
• Do you live in a Smoke Controlled Area? If so you’ll need to buy a Defra Approved Stove
• Which type of fuel do you want to use; wood only or multi-fuel
• Contact competent installers and start getting quotes for the fitting

There are a lot of available resources out there to answer any questions you may still have:  

StovesAreUs - 01484 940111 - [email protected]

HETAS - 01684 278170 - [email protected]

Gas Safe Register - 0800 408 5500 - [email protected]