Design Ideas | October 2nd, 2014

Does Your Dream Home Include a Fireplace?

Fireplaces can add tremendous ambiance to a home, make it a little cozier and take the chill off of a frosty winter evening. Some statistics even suggest they add resale value to your home. Before you decide to put any type of a fireplace into your new home; however, it pays to do your homework.

We love fireplaces! Like most optional items inside a home; however, it is an investment we would recommend you give careful consideration to. We want to be sure you will be happy with everything inside of your dream home for years to come, indeed – for a lifetime.  

Things to Consider

(1) Cost. Jandel Homes offers some lovely fireplace options for homebuyers. The average cost is approximately $2,800 [depending on the style you choose], with the three sided fireplaces being the most costly of the natural gas options and the wood burning stoves being the most expensive at approximately $6,000.

(2) Style. You will need to decide on the style of fireplace you want in your home. We may not offer the same design that you saw at your local fireplace retailer, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work with you on getting it installed. Once you get to that point in the home building process, simply talk it over with your Housing Consultant and they can advise you on the different options available.

(3) Fuel Source. You will need to decide on whether you would prefer a more energy efficient gas appliance, a more traditional wood-burning or an electric fireplace. These all have pros and cons, which are outlined in the links below.

(4) Home Insurance Costs. Wood burning fireplaces are typically deemed higher risk by insurance companies, and generally speaking, homeowners with wood burning appliances will pay a higher home insurance premium.

(5) Declining in Popularity. Fireplaces were once ranked on everyone’s must have wish list, but they are no longer as highly sought after as they once were. While fireplaces are still very appealing to most, many of today’s homebuyers are simply opting for more space, windows or wall space in lieu of adding a fireplace.

(6) Easy to Retrofit. Fireplaces can be easily installed after you’ve moved into your new home, unless it’s a wood burning fireplace. Wood burning can also be installed after the home has been built, but it is more difficult [and expensive] to retrofit than to add a gas or electric fireplace.

Want to Read More? Here are some links we thought have value: 

 

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