First, what are your reasons for the fireplace? Are you looking for a heat source, or a mantle for your flat screen TV? Are you looking for wood, or gas?

Fireplaces are actually heat losers, so if you're looking for heat, forget it. However, there are some excellent manufactured fireplaces that are actually heaters too. They're airtight and very efficient. And clean burning. They meet EPA standards for emissions.

So tell us what you're looking for and we can help.

i want to know too! i'm planning a traditional looking kitchen fireplace but with efficient heating design and a cooking oven above. i have been researching rumford ovens and will be discussing my project with a man in southern vermont who builds them. i'll let you know when i have more details...

Just out of curiosity, I live in Southern Vermont. Who is the guy who is building them?

Wow! That's expensive. But, maybe that's for a huge fireplace.

I want a traditional colonial looking fireplace for its looks, not heating. My house is 170 years old and has 7 fireplaces in it, but not one I trust because we moved the house and I know the chimnies both have cracks in them. Not big enough to be stuctual problems, but enough that I don't want to build a fire in any of the fireplaces. I am adding on to the house and want to put a fireplace I can use in the new living room.

I read in another thread that a chimney built from block and covered with brick around the firebox and above the roof line ran about $8000 a few years ago.

I think you can only get a very general idea of pricing in the abstract. You do need to get a dealer/installer to size up your particular situation. Make sure you get someone with a good track record on this, because it is a speciality that can give you a lot of buyer's remorse if it's not done right.