Plans go to the city first
The City of Chino Building Division issues building permits for structures in the city and takes in plans for review. When the job needs a permit, we apply and plan the work around the inspections.
Fireplace installation in Chino CA - a fireplace or insert that fits your house
Got a chimney you never use, or no chimney at all? We'll fit a gas insert or a new fireplace that suits your house.
- Licensed and insured.
- Free on-site estimates.
- We respond within 1 business day.
Adding a fireplace or an insert
Fireplace installation in Chino means fitting a gas fireplace where there wasn't one, or setting an insert, a unit made to sit inside the firebox of the masonry or metal fireplace you already have.
Most fireplaces are there for the look and a little extra heat, not to warm the whole house, so the real question is usually which setup suits your room and what's already in the wall. That's also what moves the price and the schedule. An insert in a sound chimney is the lighter job, while a fireplace that needs new venting, framing or a new surround takes more material and more days, and a chimney that needs chimney repair first adds to both. I'll give you a figure for your own house when I come out and write the estimate.
I write the estimate myself
I come out and write the estimate myself, then our crew does the install and I check on it as it goes, so the person who planned it sees it through.
Sound masonry before anything goes in
If the firebox or chimney has cracks or worn joints, I'll tell you before we set a new unit, because a rushed patch behind a new insert just hides the problem.
On our own since 2017
I learned masonry working on other masons' crews before starting this business in 2017, and the work we do is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
How we fit a fireplace to your house
The first thing I look at is the kind of fireplace you have now, factory built, metal or masonry, because that decides which inserts and vent options will fit. Then I check the firebox and chimney, or the wall and roof if there's no chimney, and ask how you use the room and how much heat you're after. Once you've picked a unit, our crew opens up what needs opening, sets the unit and its venting to the maker's instructions, builds or finishes the surround, and cleans up before we show you how it runs.
A new fireplace usually means a new face on the wall. Plenty of people finish the surround with stone veneer installation, a thin stone facing that gives the look of a stone hearth without the weight of full stone. For an outdoor fireplace or a raised hearth, we build the base from concrete block walls and face it once it's up.
Building a fireplace in Chino
Inspectors check the work on site
City inspectors come out to the house and check the work against the city's codes and ordinances. We plan each stage so the inspector can see what needs checking before it's covered up.
Not sure? Ask before we start
If it isn't clear whether your job needs a permit, we check with the city's building office before we start. You can also call the city yourself at 909-334-3251.
Firebox work is mason's work
California's licensing board counts fire brick and other heat-resistant lining, the kind a firebox needs, as masonry contractor work. We're licensed and insured, and the firebox and surround are the masonry side we handle.
Get a free estimate for your fireplace
Send the form and we'll reply within one business day to set a time. Then I come out, look at your fireplace and write up a free estimate, with no obligation to go ahead.
Tell us your fireplace type
If you know whether yours is masonry, metal or factory built, put it in the form. If you're not sure, that's fine, and I'll sort it out when I come out.
Call if you'd rather talk
You can reach us at (909) 479-6261 from 6 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 7 AM to 9 PM on weekends, and talking it through first is fine.
Close by but not listed
We're based in Chino and work the cities around it, including the ones on our city pages. If you're nearby and don't see your city listed, call and ask.
Masonry fireplace and surround examples
Use these as a starting point for talking about surrounds, hearths, stone and brick facings, and how a gas unit sits in the wall.
Fireplace and insert questions we hear
These are the questions Chino homeowners usually ask while deciding between a gas insert and a new direct-vent fireplace.
How much does it cost to install a gas fireplace insert?
Installing a gas insert or a direct-vent gas fireplace, labor included, usually costs about $2,500 to $11,000 per job across the US. A direct-vent fireplace costs more than an insert because it needs a whole new vent setup. That's a national figure, so I'll give you one for your house when I come out.
Can I add a fireplace in Chino if my house has no chimney?
Yes. A direct-vent gas fireplace exhausts through a pipe out a wall or the roof, so it doesn't need a masonry chimney at all. If you do have a chimney, an insert puts it back to work with a new liner run down through it, which is often the simpler way to go.
Can any fireplace insert go in a factory-built fireplace?
No. Federal EPA guidance says a factory-built fireplace, also called zero-clearance, needs an insert designed and tested for that particular unit. The matched insert runs more efficiently and pollutes less, so knowing which kind of fireplace you have comes before picking anything.
Is a vent-free gas fireplace a good idea?
The EPA doesn't support gas stoves made without outside venting, because of concerns about the air inside your house, and some places make installing them illegal. Its guidance points owners toward a vented model instead, either a direct-vent unit or an insert that vents up your chimney.
How long does it take to install a gas fireplace insert?
Most fireplace projects take one to three days, going by national figures, and an insert set into a sound existing fireplace sits at the short end. New framing, new venting and surround work stretch it out, so a fireplace going into a wall that never had one usually takes longer.
Will a gas fireplace still work if the power goes out?
Usually, yes, if it has a standing pilot and millivolt valve, a small flame and valve that run without electricity. Electronic ignition models need power, though many come with a battery backup. Either way the blower stops, so during an outage you get radiant heat only.
Book a look at your fireplace
Getting the estimate done before the cold nights settle in leaves time to pick a unit, so call (909) 479-6261 or send the form.