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Bringing the showroom to you – Free, no obligation on site survey. Free in-home consultation across Berkshire

0118 959 4646
Berkshire Fireplace Centre
0118 959 4646 Book a survey

Free · within 20 miles of Reading

In-home consultation and site survey

We visit your property to assess the space, the chimney and the style of your home, bringing detailed brochures and fireplace samples — so you can choose the design, fuel and installation that suit it.

What the consultation is

Since our Oxford Road showroom closed on 31 March 2026, we come to you instead. A consultation is a visit to your home, free of charge and with no obligation, anywhere within 20 miles of Reading.

We bring detailed brochures and fireplace samples, so you can see materials and finishes against your own walls and floor, in your own light. At the same visit we look at the space, the chimney and the style of the house, and talk through fuel types and heating needs.

Then the technical survey

Once you have decided what you would like, we carry out a free technical survey to make sure everything fits and can be installed safely by our Gas Safe and HETAS registered engineers. You then receive a quote for the installation work, and the chance to ask anything before you decide.

How to prepare

  • A rough idea of budget, and how often you expect to use the fire
  • Whether you have a working chimney, and when it was last used or swept
  • Photos of the room and the current fireplace, if you are booking by phone
  • Anything you have seen and liked — we can often source it

What the survey checks

Six things settled before anything is ordered

These are the points that turn a straightforward installation into an expensive surprise if nobody looks.

Check 01 The flue Whether there is one, whether it draws, what it is lined with and what condition the lining is in. A chimney that has not been used for years is not automatically usable — if it needs lining, you should know at the start.
Check 02 The opening Width, height and depth, and whether it is square — older openings rarely are. This decides which surrounds and fires will physically fit.
Check 03 The hearth Constructional hearths have minimum dimensions under the Building Regulations, and solid fuel needs more than gas. A hearth that is too small has to be extended, which can change the floor level and the choice of surround.
Check 04 The wall build-up Especially for hole-in-the-wall fires and media walls: what is behind the plaster, whether the wall is structural, and whether it can carry the appliance.
Check 05 Ventilation Some appliances need a dedicated air supply, and a well-sealed modern home can change the requirement. It is checked before an appliance is recommended.
Check 06 Access and services Where the gas supply runs, whether there is power for an electric fire, and how a heavy stone or marble surround will get from the van to the room.

From first call to certificate

What happens, in order

01

A call, and a few questions

What room, what fuel, whether there's a working chimney, and roughly what you have in mind. A short call tells us whether we can help before anyone books anything.

02

We come to you

A visit to your home with detailed brochures and fireplace samples. We look at the space, the chimney and the style of the house, measure the opening and check the hearth.

03

Your quote

A quote for the appliance and the installation work, based on what the survey found — with the chance to ask anything before you decide.

04

Installation

We contact you when your fireplace arrives and arrange a convenient date. Our engineers take responsibility for the whole installation, and leave the room clean and tidy.

05

Certificate

When the job is complete you receive a certificate — Gas Safe for gas, HETAS for solid fuel — confirming the installation meets the regulations. Keep it safe for when you sell.

Before you book

Common questions

You've closed the showroom — how do I see anything?

We bring the showroom to you. We visit your home with detailed brochures and fireplace samples, look at the space, the chimney and the style of the house, and help you choose the design, fuel and installation that suit it. Seeing samples against your own walls and floor, in your own light, is a far better guide than a showroom.

How can I be sure that a new fireplace can be installed in my home?

After you have chosen your new fireplace we will carry out a free home visit where our experienced surveyor will check that the fireplace is suitable for your chimney, and at the same time assess the work involved in the installation. They will give you a quote for the installation work and answer any questions you have about the process.

Do you do a free survey?

Yes. Once you’ve decided what you want us to put in, we’ll carry out a technical survey to make sure everything fits and can be installed safely by our qualified Gas Safe and HETAS engineers.

Can you install a fireplace that I have purchased from somewhere else?

Yes. We are happy to arrange for one of our installers to help with a fire or fireplace bought elsewhere. Tell us what you need, and we will discuss the installation with you.

All FAQs

No showroom. We come to you.

Book your free consultation

Tell us the room and the rough idea, and we will bring the rest — anywhere within 20 miles of Reading.

Book a survey Or call us 0118 959 4646