Buyers Guide
Here are a few helpful pointers.....
Selecting a fire surround and gas fire along with ensuring it will fit your chimney can be a daunting business. For example do you have a class 1, class 2 pre-cast flue or no flue at all, not to mention ventilation requirements. To make sure you get it right we offer a home visit service by one of our Gas Safe Register Installer to local residents. A badly fitted or wrong combination of gas fire flue type can lead to a very dangerous situation.
Gas fires must be fitted by a Gas Safe Register Installer. Gas Safe Registered for gas installation and maintenance (Registration no: 196702).
Limestone
Fireplaces made from this beautiful natural material are truly wonderful you will never get two the same. They will have veins and probably contain fossils, which may appear in prominent places. Fossils and veins are considered to be the beauty of this material. Limestone surrounds should be sealed once installed and dried out approx 3 weeks. We can supply tins of sealer.
Why do we not sell this product on-line..????
Firesurrounds are fragile until they are installed onto a wall, permanently. They have to be handled with great care as they will chip very easily. Many surrounds come in numerous parts and some are extremely heavy. We use two expert fitters for most of our installations, only rarely do we use one fitter.
We have tried sending firesurrounds by carriers on pallets, but despite our best efforts of packaging many still arrive damaged, in fact some have arrived as a pile of rubble (most disconcerting to the customer and us). We soon realised this was a recipe for disaster and no longer do it.
All the manufacturers who we buy our firesurrounds from deliver their products on their own transport direct to our premises, with experienced people to handle the products. They do not use carriers.
If you live up to 30 miles from our showroom we may be able to deliver direct to you on our own van, or if you can pick up from us we will help load it, but you must have a van and lots of packaging.
The internet with its online selling is great for many things but having had our fingers severely burnt, fireplaces in our opinion are definitely not one of them. You have been warned !
Micro marble
This material is crushed natural marble which is reformed with binders to provide a slab which is worked by masons the same as if they were working natural marble. The advantage of this material is its uniformity of colour. However you may find some areas will not polish up the same as the rest and a disadvantage is that it cannot be used for solid fuel. This is probably the most used material for firesurrounds today.
Natural Marble
The very best most upmarket fire surrounds are probably made from this material, however be aware as the marble is extracted from a quarry the colour and grain may vary tremendously, it often contains vents and flaws which are filled by the masons.
Wooden Mantels
Surrounds may be of solid timber or MDF please make sure that the surround ordered is what you want.
Reconstructed Stone
Reconstructed Stone fireplaces are hand crafted. All fire surrounds are constructed from natural materials comprising natural stone dust, special sands and cement. The process used is an age-old process and requires highly skilled operatives to achieve the natural stone look and feel .
As in all natural products slight colour variation is inevitable even within each part, meaning that no two fireplaces are identical. This together with some slight imperfections, gives the surrounds a natural look that is nearly impossible to distinguish from natural stone.
Gas fires
Must only be installed by a Gas Safe Register Installer. You can check their details on the Gas Safe Register website. Gas fires may be specified for Class 1, Class 2 or even pre-cast flues. It is essential you check with a Gas Safe Register Installer before purchasing. Gas fires may work on Natural gas or LPG once again please check with your Gas Safe Register Installer.
Electric fires
Electric fires generally have to be inset into a chimney opening. If you are installing on to a flat wall you may need a spacer, full or semi inset. Check with the fires manufacturer.
Wood Burners & Stoves
Many thanks for exploring our online store we hope we may be of use to you.
We will be happy to help and advise you with your purchases. Please contact us by e-mail billericayfireplaces@btconnect.com
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