I come out and look at it with you
I look at every job myself, so the person pricing your fireplace is the one who answers for it. I started this business in Yakima in 2023 after years of laying brick and block for a big commercial outfit.
Fireplace installation in Yakima WA - the right fit for how you heat your home
An old fireplace that sends the heat up the chimney, or no fireplace at all? We'll help you pick the setup that fits your house.
What does it take to put in a fireplace in Yakima?
Fireplace installation in Yakima means one of three things: a brick or stone fireplace our crew builds on site, a factory-made unit we set in place, or an insert that fits inside the firebox you already have. Premier Yakima Concrete and Masonry works out of Yakima and takes jobs in the cities around it.
Most calls start one of two ways. You've got an old open fireplace that looks nice and does little for the room, or you've got a wall where you'd like a fire and nothing there yet. The right answer depends on what's in the house now, what fuel you want and whether you want the fire mainly to heat the room or mainly to look good.
Price mostly comes down to which kind you pick, because a fireplace built brick by brick takes a lot more labor and material than setting a unit or an insert. It also depends on what's already there, like a sound chimney or a gas line. The schedule turns on the same things, plus the permit and any gas piping or electrical work that has to go in first. When I come out, the estimate tells you what I'd do at your house and what it costs.
What happens after you call about a fireplace?
Here's who does what, from the first call to the last walk-through.
You get a straight estimate
I tell you what I see and what I'd do, and if an insert gets you what you want, I'll say so before I price a full rebuild. If your old fireplace is fine as it is and the job can wait, you'll hear that too.
We handle permits, build it and walk it with you
If you go ahead, we check with the city or county office for your address and take care of any permit paperwork with you, and then the crew builds while I stay involved. When it's done, I walk the finished fireplace with you. We're fully licensed and insured.
How we approach fireplace installation
First we figure out what you have now and what you want from it, whether that's a mason-built fireplace, a factory unit or an insert. I'll be honest about the heat, because most traditional open fireplaces send over 90 percent of the fire's heat up the chimney and pull the room's warm air out with it. If you want the room warmer, an open fireplace is the wrong pick. Low mass fireplaces, the lighter units made in a factory, cost less than a mason-built one and are widely used in new homes across the country, so they're worth pricing first if you're working to a budget. If you want gas, plan on a vented model, since the EPA doesn't support unvented ones because of indoor air quality and some places don't allow them to be installed.
Most fireplaces need work around them too. We often finish the face and hearth with stone veneer installation, thin stone that gives the look of a full stone wall without the weight. A mason-built fireplace or chimney chase usually goes up on concrete block walls behind the brick or stone.
- A look at your current fireplace, chimney and fuel before anything gets priced
- Brick and stone fireplaces built on site, firebox to mantel
- Factory-made units and inserts set and fitted to the opening
- Hearths and surrounds in brick, block or stone
- Cleanup of the room and work area when we're done
How the build goes
Once you've picked the type, the work runs in this order.
Protect the room
We cover floors and furniture and close off the work area before we touch the old firebox, because masonry dust gets everywhere if you let it.
Check what it ties into
We look over the chimney and the existing firebox, since an insert or a new unit is only as good as what it's tied into. If the chimney needs chimney repair first, you hear about it before we go on.
Build or set the fireplace
Our crew lays the firebox and face for a mason-built fireplace, or sets the unit or insert to the maker's instructions. I check the work as it goes up, the same way it got checked on commercial jobs.
Finish and clean up
We finish the hearth and surround, clean the room and haul off the debris. Then it's ready for the walk-through.
Get a fireplace estimate at your house
Send the form or call (509) 452-1015, and we'll get back to you within one business day. I'll set a time to come out, look at your fireplace or the spot you have in mind, and give you a free estimate with no obligation.
(509) 452-1015Fireplace questions from Yakima homeowners
How much does a fireplace insert cost in Yakima?
Across the US, a fireplace insert with labor usually costs about $700 to $6,500 per job. Where yours lands depends mostly on the type of insert, the fuel it burns and how much labor the install takes. That's a national figure, so the estimate I give you at your house is the number to plan around.
Do I need a permit to install a wood-burning fireplace in Yakima?
Plan on one, since the city issues permits for woodstoves and other wood-burning devices. You apply and pay through the city's online permit portal, and there's no plan review to wait on. The state's ecology department doesn't regulate how wood stoves go in and sends you to your local permit office, which is why we check with the city before we start.
Can I put an insert in my factory-built fireplace?
Yes, as long as the insert is designed and tested for that factory-built unit, which is also called a zero-clearance fireplace. Inserts also fit inside masonry fireplaces, so the first step is knowing which kind you have. I can tell you that on the first visit.
Does a burn ban stop me from using my fireplace in Yakima?
It can if you burn wood. Washington's ecology department usually calls air quality burn bans in the colder months, when wood smoke pollution gets unhealthy, and homes with no other source of heat are left out of them. If you plan to burn wood, count on some nights when the fire stays out.
Fireplace permits in Yakima and nearby
If you're going with gas and there's no line to the spot yet, the city wants a gas piping schematic for any new gas piping. That's a drawing that shows the size and length of the pipe from the meter to the appliance. The city sends electrical permits to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, which matters if your unit needs power. State rule also lets a factory-built fireplace be sold only if it meets EPA woodstove standards or an equal standard the state building code council sets, so check that before you buy a unit on your own.
We take fireplace jobs in Terrace Heights, Selah, Union Gap, Toppenish, Sunnyside, Ellensburg and Grandview, and in other cities around Yakima too, so call and ask if yours isn't listed. The rules can differ outside Yakima, so the office we check with is the one that covers your address. In these cities we see plenty of older brick houses with open fireplaces their owners want more heat from, and newer homes built around a factory unit.
Tell us what fireplace you have now
Call (509) 452-1015, email hello@yakimaconcreteandmasonry.com or use the contact form, and tell us the kind of fireplace you have, the fuel you want and whether gas is already piped in, so I show up knowing what to look at.
If you're not sure yet whether you need a new fireplace or just an insert, call and I'll give you a straight answer.
Tell us about your project