“That gas fireplace would look good in a museum!”
We think this is a fair assessment of the original gas fireplace. In fact, this property is quite a trip down memory lane. We have another job in the same property renovating the bathroom (and when it is done you can read about it here). So, on paper, a fairly straightforward replacement job. Not really; here’s why.
They don’t make [insert anything – in this case, gas fireplace] like they used to
And thank the higher powers that be they don’t! This project was much tougher than we imagined because of the weight of the original fireplace. Plus, the existing installation didn’t want to move. Whoever fitted this fireplace did the job right, much to our disappointment! After much gentle persuasion with a hammer and chisel, we freed the old fireplace surround from the builder’s opening. This immediately posed another alarming issue. This old solid concrete and tile fireplace is very heavy. In fact, too heavy for two men. We needed reinforcements. In the end, this needs four men to remove our museum piece.
Now the easy bit – fitting the new gas fireplace
We enjoy transforming a room with the work that we do. A fireplace becomes a feature of many living spaces, so we ensure we do everything with precision. Our laser level provides perfect accuracy, especially when positioning a fireplace surround in the centre of a chimney breast. First thing to sort is the builder’s opening (where the fire sits at the base of the chimney); second is plastering the chimney breast. The opening requires a few repairs before we begin the fireplace construction and the chimney breast now looks much better. Once complete we need to get our levels spot on, starting with the base which the hearth sits on. Leave this to set and then we’re ready for the fireplace.
Installation is a simple affair, and the chimney works like a dream, passing all tests required before handing over to the customer. If you live in the Leeds area and would like more information on this type of installation, please get in touch