Buying a home is an emotional decision and fireplaces affect everyone, even if they never throw a log on the fire. A buyer “imagines” it is used, whether it is a mental image of an old painting, Christmas stockings hung on the mantel, or a romantic evening snuggled up to a loved one in front of a flickering or roaring fire.
Would a homebuyer like it?
Sooner or later, that may be an important consideration. An old or non-working fireplace is a big turn-off for buyers, most will assume that because the fireplace has fallen into disrepair, then the rest of the home must have been neglected as well.
Where the fireplace is in your room, that is the focal point. If it isn’t, it should be. Furniture and decor are placed about the fireplace and a great-looking fireplace can “make” a great-looking room.
Take a look at your fireplace.
Does it “fit” the room? Have you updated or remodeled the room or decor but did not know what to do about the fireplace? Does it look old and outdated? Ugly? Dark and moody?
Whether you like it or not, a potential homebuyer will focus on your fireplace. Your fireplace could affect whether they make an offer on your home.
Or not make an offer.
Or offer less money.
You might want to update your fireplace.
Fireplace Upgrade Cost & Real Estate Return Value:
- Replacing a fireplace could net an 11% return
- There are many types and sizes of fireplaces to choose from
- An updated fireplace will freshen your space up and make it more attractive to buyers
- You can’t go wrong with a traditional brick liner and log set with a neutral surround
- Some gas fireplace updates qualify for rebates
- We offer finishing services so you don’t have to spend too much time finding and hiring a contractor
Inexpensive Brick Fireplace Upgrade Ideas
A brick fireplace adds old-fashioned elegance to any home. However, if you have redecorated, remodeled, updated, or modernized the room, sometimes those old bricks just don’t cut it anymore.
The fireplace can be an eyesore.
What do you do?
Replacing bricks can be expensive, so you don’t want to do that. You’ve seen painted bricks too, and you certainly don’t want that look, either.
But…
…things have changed.
Brick paint is something relatively new. Unlike in the “olden days” when some folks just splashed regular paint or whitewash on their bricks, “brick paint” is specially formulated to retain the texture and feel of natural brick. Many people will think that the painted color is the natural color of the brick.
Even better, brick paint is specially formulated to withstand the higher temperatures of being located near a fireplace.
Fireplace Mantels Makeover
Adding a fireplace Mantel can turn a boring room into something noteworthy or even spectacular. If your fireplace has a mantel, you may decide to update or modernize it.
What you add depends on the house and the room where the fireplace is located. You don’t want to overload the room, and you don’t want to add something that does not give credit to the space where it is located.
There are tons of online websites offering pre-built mantels, moldings, legs, and surrounds. You can surf, window-shop, choose, buy, or just get ideas online. You can find something relatively inexpensive or select something more ornate. For the do-it-yourselfer, there are even instructions on how to build a mantel on your own.
We offer custom built-in cabinetry and fireplace mantels based on your particular taste and needs.
As a fireplace contractor, you can depend on our expertise, and we genuinely enjoy creating something that looks good in your home…
…cool.
Adding Gas Fireplaces
Gas fireplaces have come a long, long way. They are genuine “decorator items” for your home and can go almost anywhere that has access to a gas line and a source of electricity. You don’t necessarily need a chimney because they can vent directly outside through the exterior wall.
Just to state the obvious, gas fireplaces can also go in an existing fireplace “brick fireplace”, which is called a gas insert.
The fires flicker and wander realistically. No longer do they use those “old” fake-looking logs. New logs are made of porcelain and do not collect the sooty build-up that some of us remember. Fires look real, and the embers flow and waver like coals in a real fire. There are new designs of logs called “split logs” which look as realistic as chopped fire logs and are highly recommended.
If you didn’t know it, gas fireplaces are almost always less expensive to run than wood fireplaces and even your gas furnace.
In a traditional fireplace, almost all of the heat goes up the flue. Wasted. Today’s closed-unit gas fireplaces are designed to heat the room. The new gas fireplaces are highly efficient and can be depended upon as a source of heat especially when there is a power outage.
Plus, most gas fireplaces have the option of adding a blower fan which helps circulate the extra heat around the room. Also having the convenience of a remote control thermostat can help to run the fireplace at certain temperature settings even when you are not around.
Last but not least, men like remote controls.
Find out more information on how we can help you improve the ambiance of your home!