Open Hearth Conversions
- Insert and cassette installation
- Existing chimney inspection
- Stainless chimney relining
- Register plate and sealing
- Plaster and trim finishing
- Original fireplace look retained
Closed-combustion fireplace installation across Cape Town. The same wood, three times the heat, because the fire is sealed and the air is controlled rather than disappearing up an open chimney.
An open fireplace sends the overwhelming majority of its heat straight up the chimney, along with the warm air already in your room. It looks wonderful and heats very little.
A closed-combustion unit seals the fire behind ceramic glass and controls the air supply. The fire burns hotter and more completely, the heat radiates into the room instead of escaping, and the same armful of wood lasts several times longer. For a Cape Town winter, where the problem is damp cold rather than extreme cold, that dry radiant heat is what actually makes a house comfortable.
Honest working ranges from recent jobs. Every project is different, so we quote the exact figure before anything starts.
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Installation labour (freestanding, single-storey, existing flue route) | R3,500 – R4,800 |
| Freestanding closed-combustion unit (unit only) | R7,490 – R45,000 |
| Insert / built-in installation including flue and builder work | R18,000 – R45,000 |
| Stainless chimney liner for an existing masonry chimney | from R8,500 |
| Complete project (mid-range unit, flue and installation) | R18,000 – R75,000 |
A double-storey installation typically adds R1,300 to R3,700 for scaffolding and the longer flue run. Send photos of the room and roofline for an exact figure.
Get my free quoteThis is the most common job we do. An insert or cassette unit fits into the existing opening, so you keep the look of the original fireplace and the chimney breast stays exactly as it is.
Real closed combustion installations from recent Cape Town jobs, photographed on site.
Tell us the room size and we will shortlist the right unit with an installed price.
Oversizing is the most common mistake. A unit that is too large for the room gets run slowed down and starved of air, which burns dirty, blackens the glass and coats the flue in creosote.
As a rough guide, a well-insulated 40 square metre living space is usually served by an 8kW unit, and larger open-plan areas by 10 to 14kW. Ceiling height, glazing and how open the plan is all matter, which is why we ask for room dimensions and a photo before recommending anything.
Double-sided units work well between a lounge and dining area, and freestanding units suit rooms with no existing chimney, using a twin-wall insulated flue through the roof.
An open fire loses most of its heat up the chimney and pulls warm room air with it. A closed-combustion unit seals the fire behind ceramic glass and controls the air supply, so it burns hotter and radiates the heat into the room. The same wood goes several times further.
Usually yes, and it is the most common job we do. An insert fits into the existing opening and the chimney breast stays as it is. Most older masonry chimneys need a stainless liner sized to the new unit, which is what makes the draw reliable.
A well-insulated 40 square metre living space is usually served by an 8kW unit, with 10 to 14kW for larger open-plan areas. Ceiling height and glazing matter too. Oversizing is the most common mistake, because an oversized unit gets run starved of air, which blackens the glass and coats the flue in creosote.
Yes. A twin-wall insulated flue system routes through the roof or an external wall, so nearly any home can take a freestanding closed-combustion fireplace without an existing chimney.
Installation labour for a freestanding unit on a single-storey home runs R3,500 to R4,800. A complete project including the unit, flue and installation typically lands between R18,000 and R75,000 depending on the unit and the flue route.
