When we plan to improve our house, there’s definitely a long list of work to be done and if you have that ugly fireplace in the living room, it could be one of your primary focuses. It is clear that a complete replacement of the fireplace can be time consuming and expensive, so you may need to choose more sensible options. If you have a really tight budget, you may simply paint the fireplace. Brick fireplace can be repolished and then stained to give your interior a rustic visual. If the fireplace looks faded, then improving the visual appearance should be a good thing to do. It is important to make sure that the new paint or stain will be able to withstand high temperature. In a more serious case, the damage may already be a bit more severe, as an example, if the tile hearth is already chipped. In this case, we will need to deal with more repair tasks. We may use natural clay plaster that can be applied on damaged areas of the fireplace.
If you have more flexible budget, it is a good idea to reface the fireplace and this will take the fireplace remodelling project to an entirely new level. Polished or textured concrete slabs can give you a modern look and marble slabs guarantee a high end elegant look. If you think that the fireplace occupies too much interior space, it is a good idea to add panelling or sheetrock to the exterior. Brick materials and veneer stone can be applied fairly easily, so your fireplace will have a relatively traditional look. It is also important to check the local code, when you reface the fireplace. The regulation often states that combustible objects, such as furniture, carpet, panelling and wood mantels should be kept at a specific distance. Sparks could potentially cause fire when they strike very dry and flammable material. A light to moderate fireplace improvement project may cost you anywhere from $200 to $5,000, depending on the extent of works requires and the type of materials used.
A complete remodelling project will be even more expensive and in some cases, you may move the fireplace to a different position in the living room. This will require a change in the structural and roofing system of the house. Regardless of the scope of the project, it is important that you are able to properly factor in any kind of changes that you plan to have in your living space. Your plan will decide on how the project will proceed, such as whether you only need to paint the fireplace or you need to buy new furniture to match the new look of your fireplace. You need to make sure whether the new design of the fireplace will be a good match to the existing design of the house. The fireplace should give your house an elegant or interesting accent, instead of becoming an oddity that can make your house becomes much less appealing.