Fireplace in your home?

[FLnavywf]

Again thank you all for the replies. You've been very helpful! Just an update: after some time talking about the pros and cons, the fireplace didn't really give us many pros, just a potential headache (furniture placement), and even though it would be nice to look at, we really can live without it. So my hubby and I have decided to just have the lanai screened in instead of having the fireplace. The benefits of having a screened in lanai outweighs the aesthetic looks of the fireplace i.e. no worries about bugs, mosquitoes, etc. coming in and also a playroom for our little dogs. I think the cost for the fireplace is the same as getting the lanai screened in from what my realtor had said. We also made sure to ask if there's plenty of electrical outlets all throughout the house and even the outside front and back of the house (for lawn mowing, christmas lights, etc.). Also inquired about cable outlets and phone jacks... things that we ALMOST forgot to ask about.. We'll find out for sure tomorrow. I really hope not having a fireplace won't affect our house value. But I guess we'll have to deal with it since it's our house and have to live in it...so gotta decide what's best for US now. Thanks again y'all!

[stevep]

Make sure you have an electrical outlet where there is a cable outlet and also a phone outlet (the base of a cordless phone needs an outlet). Also, if you planning on putting any of your tvs close to the ceiling (or higher on the wall), make sure the electrical outlet is also positioned higher on the wall.

Some companies run both a phone and cable line in each cable and phone jack. It's really useful, because if you have the phone jack on one side of the room and the cable jack on the other side, you won't have to run cords around the room if you re-arrange your furniture. All you'd have to do is switch the connector in the box from one to the other which costs approx $1-$2.

[Magnolia Bloom]

I think that you made the right decision. I think a fireplace is a plus, not a deal breaker. And what has been said about wall space of TV/entertainment system is very true. I have a 42 inch TV, not big by today's standards, but big for me, and there is no place that it fits. I even thought about pulling the fireplace out and sticking the TV in its place.

A screened lanai you will use much more anyway. Not just when you are sitting in it, but when you have the windows open, you can throw open the glass doors and BC it is a screened room instead of a screen door, it gives a larger feel to the room. And if you have a dog- he/she will love it.

[wb3690]

we also skipped the fireplace.......personally I don't think we'd get much use out of it. We're also going with the screened lanai.......we love outdoor living and both decided we'd use it much more than a fireplace.

[Dappleganger]

Leave out the fireplace--you'll only miss on Christmas Eve when you want to hang up stockings. We hang ours on some bookcases, lol. I'm glad our house doesn't have one because we needed the extra space and really you don't need one here at all. Usually you can count those colder nights on two hands, if that. I mean REAL cold.

[FLnavywf]

The switch has been done! No more fireplace and will have a screened lanai instead. Thanks for posting your opinions!