The Fireplace Store & More

The project encompassed several months. We went to the store and picked out the fireplace and mantle. It was a wood mantle with limestone surround and hearth. Given the specs, we framed an opening. The crew arrived, ran the gas and electricity and set the fireplace in the wall. They installed the vent through the roof. Our carpenters then finished the wall. The limestone had to be ordered which took a couple of weeks. We had to buy the paint and get it to them so they could spray the mantle. Eventually they arrived to complete the installation. The side posts on the mantle were 3 1/2 inches too tall, The store told us the manufacturer had typos in all their spec sheets. That didn't seem right. but they took everything back for another couple of days to cut down the mantle posts. A couple of days went by and they came back with the shortened posts. The posts were not cut evenly. There was a chip on one from the saw and one was 1/4" shorter than the other. The tech installed it anyhow. He said he'd try to bang it down to hit the hearth. He wasn't able to do that. He instead suggested we have our painter putty the bottom while our painter was filling up the nail holes and repainting it. After he finished the installation, we started the fireplace. The flames were 6" wide and about 6" tall. I suggested they should look like the photo on the manual (about a foot higher) and he said they can't go that high. There was no way to adjust it. Calling the store and talking to Tom got the same response. Turns out the flames are only visible with the room completely dark. If we turn the flame height to 50% they completely disappear. Not a very happy feeling after spending $4000 on a fireplace. I sure wish they had told us in the store that there are no visible flames. After the fire had run 2-3 minutes it went out. Tech thought it might be the pilot sensor and he'd order another. Update - Tech arrived today (10/29/2011). Reinstalled the stovepipe on top of the house. It had fallen off. I questioned his covering the burner holes with the "embers". He said the manual was wrong and the flames on the cover were simulated. I suggested he uncover the burner holes as the instructions said. He got mad and left. Refused to install the pilot sensor. We contacted the store and asked them to mail me the pilot sensor and I'd install it. I'll also follow the manual and see if I can get some visible flames. If not, I intend to ask the store to remove the fireplace entirely. Lowered professionalism to F. Update - Fireplace is working well. I got an installation manual and performed the adjustments myself. Uncovered the burner outlets. When we got the bill, they had "given" us the green remote control ($275) as an apology. However, they did charge us $100 to "pull the wire, install boxes and connect power. Actually I did that. They dropped the wire into the basement and left. They also charged us to install the gas pipe. Our hearing guy installed the pipe and valve. They just screwed the fitting on. Fireplace is working very well now though. Case closed.

It was a complicated installation because they had to go quite a distance up in the attic; but they turned out great. They haven't leaked. We don't have to use the light during the day. They are just like a piece of jewelry on the ceiling. The installation guy was great. The guy who owns the company was a little goofy because he couldn't figure out what the prices were. When we got it done, the price was pretty much the same as everybody else was; so it was great.