Insert vs. Fireview......help me convince my wife

Full disclosure: I am not shopping at this time, this is simply for the future argument I'm going to have a few years down the road .

My wife would like to add on to our house at some point (will probably have to as our kids get older). My only stipulation is that a wood stove will be installed on the main living level.

Tonight I showed her a picture of a Woodstock Fireview and told her that is what I want. She wants to build a fireplace/hearth and install an insert so she can decorate it. I like the hearth idea as that was also part of my plan. I mentioned placing a Fireview in an alcove. She said no.....

Give me the good, bad and ugly from all angles of this argument (this will be an ongoing thread as my plans develop over the next however many years this takes (house additions are )).

 

Update (from less than 10 minutes ago )

Blasphemy!!! She mentioned an electric fireplace!

Shots fired!!

 

Better find you a good lawyer!

A real fireplace would be a HUGE waste of money if running a stove...I agree with an alcove, or a nice stone hearth with stone going up the wall behind it (faux stone chimney) heck, you can even still put a mantel on it.

 

That's exactly what I'm picturing in my head. A nice fireplace/alcove look with a faux chimney and mantel.

 

Dennis, that's probably not high on her list of places to visit. A guy.....sure!

Poor Marvin seems you only get to have "one stipulation" and you bid a bit too low with it. Time to re-bid and up your ante. Let her know now that it'll be a wood stove.

 

These are all good points. I would love to visit the factory someday, especially with the wife in tow. From what I hear about the customer experience with Woodstock, I would hope that would help to 'sell' her.

 

Well I'm sure there will be more stipulations

That was the first one right out of the gate

 

Might have to compromise.
If you already have a freestanding stove, upgrade it to the one you want.

 

Dennis, I know that I would enjoy the factory visit.

It's just that you have to admit it......visiting a wood stove manufacturing facility is not high on any ladies list of fun ways to spend some time!

Kind of like tractor shopping......why drag the wife along? Or, on the same hand, it's like a woman shopping for shoes or clothing.........why drag the husband along?

 

Compromise and get a masonry heater!

 

See, you already screwed up...when she said fireplace you should have said "outdoor wood boiler" (read: $$$)...then after much debate, "settle" on a nice stove on the hearth, like you envision!

 

Building an actual masonry fireplace, in my opinion, would be foolish. Especially if you are then going to stuff an insert into it. I tore down a masonry fireplace with an insert to make way for a proper free standing stove and have zero regrets. You can have your raised hearth, your mantle, your stone going up the back wall, etc. with a good hearth but without a ridiculous fireplace/chimney.

Maybe figure out just what the difference is between the two in her eyes.

 

Spoken like a man that has been married longer than I and understands how to "negotiate"

 

We currently have a wood stove in the basement that does a good job of heating our home. She doesn't want the mess that she believes comes along with having a wood stove on the main floor. In fairness I don't keep the nc30 shined up because it's a basement stove. That won't be the case with a wood stove on the main floor.