Adding a fireplace to your home can improve its heating as well as its look and comfort. Brick and stone fireplaces are two of the most popular types, since they are some of the highest quality fireplaces that you can install and a good quality fireplace can last for decades with proper care. There are gas, wood burning and electric options available for stone fireplaces.
Aside from the most basic electric pre-built fireplaces that are designed to be simply plugged-in and work, installation and construction is recommended to be left to the professionals because of the high skill required and safety concerns.
Fireplaces are designed in proportion to room sizes. A fireplace that is 30”-36” in its opening width can heat approximately 300 sq.ft. of room space. A 42” opening width, which is also common, can heat even more square footage, and the larger the opening width the higher the installation and material cost will be. A 42” width cost approximately 30%-40% more in labor and material costs than a 30” width.
There are many customizations that you can add to your stone fireplace to improve it or make it look a certain way. For example, faux stone 1 looks like real stone but it is made from concrete that is poured into molds. Faux stone 1 is an inexpensive alternative to real stone. Faux stone 1 is lighter in weight than real stone and is available in a much wider range of colors, but there can be substantial differences in quality from one manufacturer to another.
Stone veneer 2 is a thinner paneling that can be used on fireplaces instead of full sized natural stone or faux stone 1. The main difference is that it is much thinner and lower in cost as a result. Stone veneer 2 has the advantage of being lower in cost than real stone because it isn’t as thick, and the installation is also often easier because there aren’t any special structural needs or footings 3 required in most cases. However, one disadvantage is that it is not as strong as full sized stone and if there are cosmetic defects in the veneer 2, they can be easier to spot. A list of some of the most common types of stone and materials used for faux stone 1, real stone or stone veneer 2 fireplaces are described below.
Type of Stone | Pros | Cons |
---|---|---|
Limestone 4 | Usually lower in cost than other types of stone like granite or marble. Easier to install and cut which may lower installation costs. | Often does not heat evenly and may show cracks and other types of deterioration more easily over time. |
Granite | One of the highest quality stones that can be used for a fireplace; it is very durable, scratch and damage resistant and heat resistant. | Often has the highest installation and material costs of any fireplace material, and it is difficult to cut which increases installation costs. |
Marble | A beautiful natural stone that can create an eye catching centerpiece in any room. Comes in a variety of different natural colors. | A more expensive stone compared to many others, and marble also requires more maintenance and cleaning and can chip easily as well. |
Slate 5 | Not one of the highest priced stone materials but still available in a wide range of colors, and it is relatively easy to clean and maintain. It is also heat resistant. | Installations can be more difficult than other types of stone because the stones are not always uniform in term of their width and length. |
Faux Stone 1 | Looks and feels like real stone, available in the widest range of colors and textures because it can be completely customized based on the homeowner’s preference. | Not really that much lower in terms of cost compared to natural stone. Not as tough as natural stone and scratches can sometimes more easily be seen. |
High quality brick is just as durable as stone. Brick gives a fireplace a more classic look while stone gives it a natural look. There are also several more patterns and colors of brick because it’s a manmade material. However, it’s worth noting that custom stone fireplace installations are usually more labor intensive than brick installations because of the irregularity of the shapes of the stones, and will cost significantly more. Normally, the average cost of installing a brick fireplace is 30%-50% cheaper than a stone fireplace.
If bricks are used in either a wood burning or a gas burning fireplace, you will need two types: firebricks 6 and regular bricks. Firebricks 6 are used to build the inner layer of the fireplace due to its high density, which makes them resistant to extreme heat. The outer layer can be made of regular bricks because they are not exposed to extreme heat and, therefore, they don't need to be as dense as firebricks 6. For stone wood burning fireplaces, firebricks 6 are also installed in the firebox 7 to add extra fire protection.
At the low end, electric fireplaces are some of the lowest cost options. They do not require a chimney, because they don’t have an actual flame. The cost is between $150-$1,000 for a plug-in electric fireplace. Most electric fireplaces come with a remote control and electronics can be installed directly on top of them because they don’t have a chimney.
A pre-built gas burning fireplace is a good mid-range option that would cost about $1,500-$3,000 for the materials and the fireplace.
Custom masonry built wood burning fireplaces may be needed when a home needs to be significantly modified to install a fireplace or when the homeowner has specific requirements for the fireplace. They are always more expensive than pre-fabricated fireplaces. Custom built stone fireplaces are some of the most expensive fireplaces anywhere, but are also the most dramatic and impressive. These are the types of fireplaces that you see in the lobbies of resort lodges, except on a smaller scale usually. They are usually charged as a flat rate, not hourly.
The major cost in installing a brick fireplace comes from the labor. On average, masons charge $70-$90 per hour and can finish the project in one to two days (8-16 labor hours) for a total cost of $560-$1,440.
Cost to install a fireplace varies greatly by region (and even by zip code). To get free estimates from local contractors, please indicate yours.