Celabrating 20 years of retailing in fireplaces
In a few weeks time we will be celebrating our Twentieth year retailing fireplaces “what a mile stone”.
I will just repeat it 20 years amazing. Just shows you that there is fireplace shops selling mainly on the web like ourselves that have been here a long time and intend to be here a lot longer providing a superb product and service to our customers.
A bit of our fireplace history
It just seems like yesterday that I first bought a cast iron fireplace from a fireplace supplier, to resell on.
In the beginning I was buying and selling old Antique fireplaces and putting them with my own hand made pine fireplace mantels which I was making in the shed at the bottom of the garden. Because of our success in the first few years retailing and restoring our antique fireplaces we needed more quantities of original fireplaces. the problem in Lincolnshire is that it is rural. (not enough terraced houses) eventually the old fireplaces started to dry up and became harder to find in any great quantities, to sustain a proper income. So I made the decision to stop selling the antique fireplaces and concentrate on new reproduction fireplaces. so I went looking for a supplier of reproduction Victorian fireplaces. (more…)
Choosing the right Hearth
Choosing the right hearth for your fireplace is not only vital for the finished appearance but vital to ensure it’s compatible with your choice of fire.
We have a varierty of hearths available including – Granite, Tan Granite, Tiled, Limestone, Slate and Decorative Granite.
Why hearth for Which Fuel?
For solid fuel (real fires) we recommend that you use either Granite or Tiled hearths. Slate and Limestone is not recommended due to slate being to soft and scratching very easily and limestone being very porous for the cement under fill as it can seep through to the top surface. (more…)
Fireplace Delivery
About Us Fireplace Deliveries If you have ever read our about us section on our web pages, you might be forgiven for thinking does he really still do that any more – or is he sat behind a desk with his feet up. Well for the past nine weeks our regular van driver Eddie has been off work with a crushed hand, he was carrying a very large cast iron combination fireplace with another person and unfortunately fell, with the fireplace landing on his hand. He went to hospital and to cut a long story short he had an operation on his hand, and had some metal screws through his hand to hold his little finger back on. he is now back on the road to recovery and should be back in his van which I know he his missing. I hope! Any way back to the story. Over the last nine weeks I have been delivering all our fireplace deliveries, some of our customers might recognize me from when they come into the showroom to buy a fireplace. It is very interesting to see our end result and see where our fireplaces end up, and the type of house’s that they start their new life in. To give you an idea of my commitment to our delivery service and the type of deliveries we do here at Victorian fireplaces. Friday South Devon it was a timed drop, I was there for 6am then onto North Devon for before 8 am (just made it) Then on to Bristol for an am delivery got there at 10am. Then over the bridge (at a cost of £10.90 very expensive) into South Wales then up to Lydney, arrived at 11.50 am, all done before dinner time and all customers very happy. Saturday load van for Monday’s deliveries which happens to be a quick trip up to Aberdeen (every three to four weeks we have a trip up to Scotland) for a timed drop between 7am and 8 am. I set off at 12.30 am, and arrived at the customer at 7.30 am customer was very happy (read review). Then on to Huntley (read review) approx 1 hour 15 minutes out side Aberdeen arrived 9.30 am again customer was very pleased especially when he only ordered the fireplace the night before, amazing service. Now onto Bo’Ness Edinburgh arrived at 1.30 pm again customer very pleased. Last call Harwick arrived at 3.30 pm. what a day great achievement all customers are very pleased with the delivery service, now on my weary way back home, nice steady drive back. Arrived back at 8.30pm, I’m off to bed!
A week of deliveries at Victorian fireplaces
Van Deliveries
A Typical week of deliveries for Victorian fireplaces
Fireplaces
Van Deliveries
Monday
Just two deliveries today, first call to Cromwell near Newark Notts, with a fireplace then onto Deepcar, Sheffield with a fireplace. back to load up for Tuesday 3 hours 30 minutes driving time, 140 miles total.
Tuesday
Early start 4.15am off to Swansea south Wales, just two drops today both complete fireplaces, first one in Cwmllynfell Swansea, arrived at 8.52 am. Then onto Morriston Swansea, arrived at 9.50 am. back to load up for Wednesday 10 hours driving time, 546 miles total.
Wednesday
Early start 4.15 am off to Hythe Southampton, with a complete fireplace. Arrived at 8.30 am, Then on to Salisbury with some mantels. Then onto Chippenham with a fireplace, arrived at 11.17 am. Then onto Bromham Chippenham with a fireplace. arrived at 11.50 am. All done now back to base to load for tomorrow. 11 hours driving time 497 miles total.
Thursday
Another early start 4.46 am off to Northampton, with a complete fireplace, customer wanted an early delivery got there at 6.30 am, she was very pleased. Next drop in Barnet, the M25 is very busy this time of morning and this morning is no exception, got to customer in Barnet with there fireplace just before 8 am. Now onto SW London with four drops. Got to the first customer in SW11, took 2 hours driving just 15 miles from Barnet stop -start -stop -start the sort of thing we have to expect driving in London. When I arrived the builders were stuck on the stairs with a cast iron bath, so I promptly helped them up the the stairs with it, I always thought our fireplaces were heavy but a cast iron bath is something else. I put the fireplace where the customer wanted which happened to be up the stairs, not to worry customer was happy. Onto SW17 arrived at 10.50 am this customer was having a hearth only, nice and easy to deliver straight in and out. Then onto SW16 just round the corner this customer was having two Limestone fireplaces these take a little time to unload because we check each one meticulously as we uncreate them, the customer wanted them both in the dining room, customer very happy. Onto SW2 last delivery of the day arrived at 11.55 am, fireplace put into the front room ready for fitting. A very satisfying day’s deliveries all done before dinner Brill!! Back to Lincoln. 9 hours and 10 minutes Driving time 323 miles total.
Friday
Late start today 9.45 am off to Bradford this time with mantels two drops, then onto Manchester again with two drops both with mantels. 6 hours and 20 minutes Driving time 274 miles total.
Also this week
We crated up two fireplaces for shipping. one went to Jersey and one to the Isle of sky. We don’t ship many fireplaces overseas but it is nice to know some of our fireplaces have been sold to other countries. The furthest was to Santiago in Chile, then four in New york, recently we also sent two fireplaces to Italy.
Beware the Fireplace Cowboy…
As with most online retail industries there are those companies that just can’t be trusted or relied upon. We have been receiving a few reports recently where people have been let down hugely by fireplace companies and also of companies just disappearing into the wind without a trace. Unfortunately for those customers who trusted the businesses they have now been left out of pocket. This is very disheartening for us to hear and we just wanted to point out a few tips for when you are purchasing a fireplace – if you decide to go somewhere else that is 
1) Always check to make sure the company is established.
A good well established company will be able to provide you with all the support and answers you need when buying a fireplace. This advice will help you hugely as with most established companies they will have years of experience and will be able to offer you a wealth of knowledge to aid you.
2) Always check to make sure they are people.
Because when you are browsing on the internet you only see what somebody wants you to see it can be very easy to deceive you into thinking that they are a good reputable company.
- They can make their website look nice, with similar features/design, information and images as a good reputable company.
- They can also show feedback online which may not be true.
One very reliable and easy way of identifying a good company is to be able to visit their premises. Some companies who are online only do not have the security of a bricks and mortar business.
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