Connect a gas fire
Gas fire installation cost guide
A gas fire can be a great additional heat source for your home. With lots of different fireplaces and styles to choose from, you can make your gas fire complement your home's style. It costs between £100-£350 to have a gas fire installed, plus the cost of the fire – but what can affect the cost?
How much does it cost to have a gas fire installed in the UK?
On average, it costs £100-£350 to have a gas fire installed in the UK. Let's have a look at the average costs of different types of gas fires too to give you an idea of the total cost:
|
Item |
Average cost |
|
Flueless gas fire |
£800-£1,200 |
|
Open front gas fire |
£200-£500 |
|
High-efficiency gas fire |
£600-£1,000 |
|
Outset living flame gas fire |
£250-£800 |
|
Balanced flue gas fire |
£750-£1,500 |
|
Power flue gas fire |
£1,000-£2,000 |
|
Gas fire installation |
£100-£350 |
What factors affect the cost of gas fire installation?
There are a few things that affect the cost of gas fire installation, mainly the type of gas fire you choose and where you are located in the country:
Size of gas fire
The larger your gas fire is, the more expensive it will be. It’s important to make sure that you get the right size gas fire for the space – too big and it will overwhelm the room, but too small and it won’t stand out as a feature.
Small gas fires can cost as little as £200, while larger and grander fires could set you back up to £5,000.
Type of gas fire
The type of gas fire you choose will also impact the cost. Make sure you do your research to find the best type of gas fire for your home, but here are a few of the options:
Flueless
Flueless gas fires are becoming increasingly popular as they don’t need a flue. They burn gas through a catalytic converter to turn it into harmless vapour, so they don’t need a vent to release fumes into the air outside.
These gas fires are ideal if you don’t have a flue system installed already. They cost between £800-£1,200 and are one of the more expensive options due to the new and complex technology.
Open front
Open front gas fires have been a popular choice for many years. They look like real open fires and offer a classic look for your home. They often have coal or pebble effects that emit radiant heat into the room.
Open front gas fires are a great budget option as they cost between £200-£500.
High-efficiency
High-efficiency gas fires can be as much as 90% efficient. They are generally glass-fronted, which forces more radiant heat into the room and reduces the amount of toxins being released into the air.
These gas fires cost between £600-£1,000.
Outset living flame
Outset living flame gas fires look similar to open front fires, where the fire sits in front of the fireplace on your hearth. Like high-efficiency fires, they allow more radiant heat into the room.
Outset living flame fires often come with remote controls and other features. Expect to pay between £250-£800 for one of these fires.
Balanced flue
Balanced flue gas fires are room-sealed, so they don’t draw any air from the room, and this makes them very efficient. The flue is usually fitted horizontally through the wall rather than through the roof, and it doesn’t use a chimney.
A balanced flue gas fire is one of the more expensive options, ranging between £750-£1,500 – but luxury models can reach over £3,000.
Power flue
Power flue gas fires have a flue that’s powered by a fan, which takes the fumes out of the fire and moves them through a vent. They’re a great option for homes that don’t have a chimney.
Expect to spend more on a power flue gas fire than other types. You’ll need to budget between £1,000-£2,000.
Whether you need new pipework
If you need new pipework or repairs to your gas connection before your new gas fire can be installed, this will drive up the cost. The job will take longer, so you’ll have to pay extra in labour as well as parts.
Where you live
Your location in the country has a fairly large impact on gas fire installation costs. Gas engineers in London and the south east of England tend to charge more than any other area in the UK. Rates are usually cheapest in the north of England and Scotland.
HaMuch has a large database of hourly and daily rates for gas engineers across the UK. Take a look at the table further down the page for more accurate labour costs in your area.
How long does it take to fit a gas fire?
It will take anywhere between an hour and four hours to fit a gas fire depending on the type of gas fire you choose and how big it is. If you need new gas pipework, your installation will be at the top end of this estimate.
Is it worth installing a gas fire?
With energy bills at their highest ever, it’s still worth installing a gas fire. If you install your gas fire in the room you use most often, like your living room, you can turn on your gas fire to heat the room rather than turn on your heating and heat your entire home unnecessarily.
Gas fires tend to be more expensive than electric fires, but gas costs less per kWh so will be more effective in the long term.
Are gas fires going to be banned in the UK?
No, gas fires aren’t going to be banned in the UK any time soon. Soon, gas heating will be banned in newbuild homes and they will have to have renewable sources of heating. But this won’t apply to houses with a gas supply already.
You’ll still be able to have your gas fire for at least 30 years before gas is phased out in homes that already have a gas supply.
If you’re ready to get quotes for your gas fire installation, post your job on HaMuch. We’ll put you in touch with trusted Gas Safe engineers in your area.