Bring these and save yourself a trip
None of it is required. All of it turns a two-visit conversation into a one-visit one.
A photo of the outside of the house
A picture is worth a thousand words. It shows us where a natural drafting chimney can go and how tall it has to be to clear the roof line properly. Stand out in the yard and take several angles.
Fireplace measurements
These are a must: height, width and depth of the inside of the opening, plus the height and depth of the hearth (the part of the fireplace outside the opening). Take a photo of the fireplace, and if you can, one of the chimney where it comes through the roof. A simple sketch with the measurements on it is just as good as a drawing.
A room drawing
Show each room with its doors, windows and dimensions, and do a layout for each floor. That way we can see where a chimney would penetrate each floor on its way up, and which rooms the heat has a path into.
The model number, if there is already something there
It is on the rating plate, usually inside the firebox or behind the lower door. If you are replacing or servicing rather than starting fresh, that one number saves an enormous amount of guessing.
An honest answer about the wood
How much are you actually willing to carry? There is no wrong answer, but it changes the recommendation completely. Somebody who will happily stack three cords wants a different appliance than somebody who wants a fire on Friday nights.
Send it ahead instead
You can also just email the photos and measurements over and we will have options ready before you drive out.
We sell it, install it, and come back.
One crew runs the Class A chimney, the relining, the gas line and the appliance itself, with 50 years of combined experience. When it needs a gasket in year seven, you call the same shop.