Can you take your fireplace with you if you move house?

Moving house can be one of the most stressful things in life. It can also can get very expensive depending on factors such as the cost of renovating your new home right through to the distance you are planning to move and the goods you plan to take with you. Cost saving tips for house movers focus on staging necessary renovation work, recycling old furniture to fit in with your new surrounds and storage ideas.

Portability of Furniture vs. Fireplaces

Consumers have a great deal of confidence when buying sofas, dining tables, and rugs because these pieces of furniture are portable. You can simply take them with you to your new home, transport them to storage, or sell them as second-hand furniture to help fund a newer purchase. However, fireplaces are not as simple or straightforward.

Considering the Long-Term Plan

When looking to buy a new fireplace, it is important to consider whether this centerpiece can be taken with you when you next move. If you are renting, the chances are you will be moving within a few short years of buying your new fireplace. If you are buying, then you may be looking to take your existing fireplace with you or desire to have a new fireplace. Whatever the case may be, here are some top tips for buying fireplaces to help relieve some of the stress when moving home.

Permission and Structural Considerations

If you are renting, it may be an idea to contact your landlord to ask for permission to install a new fireplace, particularly gas fireplaces, which will need a small amount of structural work to be undertaken on the chimney or flue.

Removability of Electric Fireplaces

Unlike gas and solid fuel fireplaces, electric fireplaces are usually fixed in place with a few screws. Simply undo the screws, and the fireplace will prize away from your wall without any risk of damage. This way, you do not have to leave your expensive purchase for the old landlord or new occupants. Removing an old gas-fired or solid fuel fireplace that has been fixed in place can be difficult to remove. There can be no guarantee that the fireplace will remain intact when trying to carefully prize it away from the wall. Gas-fired appliances are usually fitted to a non-combustible back panel and hearth. This granite or marble is usually fixed in place with a hardened sand and cement mixture, which can be difficult to break away from without causing damage.

Considerations for Repair and Cost

Consider the cost of repairing any mess left behind after removing an old fireplace. A gas fireplace is permanently fixed and not designed to be portable. Taking this away will likely leave the old bricks and mortar exposed. If you are renting, this will likely need to be put right before returning the property to your landlord. The cost of installation is much cheaper with electric fireplaces, and similarly, the cost of disconnection is much cheaper too. With gas-fired appliances, you must use a qualified Gas Safe Engineer for installation, servicing, and disconnection. The only time you will need a qualified electrician for your electric fire is if you need a fused spur. If you can accommodate the regular 3-pin plug, then you can simply do it yourself.

Consider a Freestanding Electric Stove

Buy a Freestanding Electric Stove, this type of Fireplaces can simply sit on a portable hearth, plug it into the nearest 3-pin power point and away you go. When you move simply unplug and take it with you.

Opt for a Hang-on-the-Wall Electric Fire

Buy a hang-on-the-wall Electric Fire. Many people are doing away with the traditional mantel and hearth style of fireplace and instead opting for a minimalist look with a fireplace sitting off the ground. The Gas fired versions can be expensive and tricky to install with brickwork and plastering often required. The electric equivalents simply hang on four screws very much like your mirror/TV and are as easily removed and portable too.

Warranty Considerations

Electric Fires will not be void of their guarantee if they are installed in a particular location and then moved to another. Gas Fire warranties are covered once the appliance is installed by a qualified engineer. However, once disconnected from the original location, the warranty may be void. You may find it difficult to find a qualified Gas Safe Engineer willing to install a “used” gas fire. You will find most qualified plumbers will avoid fitting used gas fires because they stand the risk of inheriting any future problems which will not be covered under the manufacturer's warranty.

Final Thoughts and Professional Assistance

We hope the tips above will help when looking to make your next Fireplace purchase or have answered your questions if you are wanting to take your current fireplace with you. At www.inspirationalfires.co.uk we sell a wide range of Electric and Gas Fires to suit all budgets and styles. Furthermore, we have over 20 years of experience in the industry. You can expect genuine professional advice from our team of specialists to help guide you through the whole process from start to finish. If you decide that only a gas fire will do, please stay rest assured we have a team of dedicated and qualified Gas Safe Engineers who can carry out installations, servicing, and safe removal and reinstallation of your old Gas Fireplace too.