DESIGN • SUPPLY • INSTALL
Whether you want a cost effective stove or something technically elaborate, we can design, supply and install it. We passionately believe every home should have a stove.
Free consultations and quotations
As a small personal business we're not salesmen, but engineers and experienced tradesmen. It makes sense to visit you at home when it suits you, talk through your options and ideas, and leave you brochures to look through in your own time.
There's no sales pitch and no obligation, just good advice, knowledge and expertise. After a thorough look at your existing fireplace we give you a written quotation and schedule, with cost comparisons, at a budget you are happy with.
Every chimney is different, so we always survey before we quote. If a job takes longer than expected or needs extra bits, we stick to our quoted price.
You tell us when you would like the job done. We work weekends and bank holidays, so there's no need to rearrange your schedule.
We earn our wage from installing, not supplying, so stoves and surrounds come to you at trade prices.
What we fit
We have no showrooms or fancy salesmen. We have a store room, sack trucks and first hand knowledge of most makes and models of woodburners. We are installers and stove owners alike, so we can guide you on style, output and budget, then deliver the stove and fit it ourselves.
Prefer to buy everything yourself? We can point you in the right direction so you don't fall foul of the sales waffle, and fit what you've chosen.
If you have an older leaky chimney, or want the peace of mind of a sealed flue, we fit a stainless steel flexible liner (316 or 904 grade DURAflue). It runs from the closure plate, a custom made steel plate that seals off the old chimney void at lintel height, right up to the stack, where it's fixed to a pot hanging bird guard and rain cap.
Bespoke hand carved surrounds in Bath, Portland, Doulting and Ham Stone, made to order to your specification and design. Engravings, carvings, patterns and embossed slate or stone slips: the choice is limited only by your imagination.
Focal Flames Ltd, 3 Drill Hall Lane, Shepton Mallet
HETAS is the official body recognised by Government to approve biomass and solid fuel heating appliances, fuels and services, including the registration of competent installers. We are kept up to date with the latest regulations with refreshers every few years. Our areas of work on the HETAS register:
Twin wall flue systems
So many newer homes have no chimney. With a modern insulated twin wall flue we can install a wood burner pretty much anywhere you like. The sectional system can run right up through your home, giving extra heat on the way, or go out through an external wall and up the side of the house if you're tight for space.
The flue can be powder coated in several colours to soften the look, and it's far cheaper than building a masonry chimney from the ground up. The stove is connected with vitreous enamel pipe, then tested and commissioned with any ventilation and CO detectors the regulations call for.
How we work in your home
We're used to working in fully furnished, clean homes, and we understand nobody wants sooty, dusty workmen traipsing through theirs. So we come prepared for the worst.
We ask you to take small items off the shelves. Then we cover the room in plastic sheet so no fine soot dust can get through, seal the carpets with sticky back carpet protector and even wrap the curtains. It lets us work efficiently, and we leave your home as clean and tidy as we found it.
Chimney repairs, bird guards and cowls
Water marks running down the chimney breast? Dark stains forming? A pot leaning or cracked, or sticks turning up in the fire? Stacks take far more punishment from weather and birds than we think. From reports to repairs and bird guards to pots, look up and check yours.
With over 7 years previous experience in tree surgery, we have adapted our ladders and climbing equipment to reach over 90% of chimneys. If that's just not possible, our own scaffolders can give you a fair and sensible quote.
A visual inspection of the whole stack for mortar erosion, flaunching, flashing and lead trays that may cause leaks or bad draw, with a written engineer's report and recommendations.
We take off the damaged pot and its flaunching and fit a new pot with fresh flaunching, like for like or a standard pot.
Old damaged cement flaunching removed, pots stabilised and the stack re-flaunched in lime or cement. Bird guards and lead capping can be done at the same time.
We organise the scaffold wrap and access, rake out loose pointing and worn flaunching, stabilise the pots and caps, then re-point and re-flaunch.
For older stacks with a missing or damaged lead tray where the flaunching is sound: flashing and stack re-sealed with a spray-on waterproofer. It won't cure every damp problem, and we'll tell you so.
Redundant flues and pots capped in lead to stop birds and rain getting in, with a small vent so the old flue can breathe.
Most chimney jobs can be priced from a photo of the stack and house taken from the ground. Send us one with your enquiry.
Our bird guards aren't just for birds: the cowls also stop rain running down into the flue. Chimney fires and over sweeping can damage the lead tray inside a stack, and then water soaks through into the walls.
C caps, or vented caps, seal the top of a redundant chimney while keeping air moving up the old flue. That gentle flow helps stop damp, mould and water marks, and cuts up to 95% of the heat lost up an open, unused chimney.
Birds' nests are perfect kindling for the carbon on the walls of a flue, and a nest can block a flue altogether. The old push-in guards aren't enough, and an eager sweep can knock them out onto your roof.
So don't bury your head in the sand: look up and check yours today.
Recent fires
Our own job photos, plus a few our customers have shared on Google. Many thanks to everyone who lets us show their fireplace.
What customers say
“Steve and one of his employees came out and installed our fireplace a few weeks ago and I cannot fault them or their services, they have made the best job we could have asked for and went out of their way to leave the house cleaned and how they found it. We got exactly what we asked for and everyone has commented on the quality of the wood burner . The wall was removed, fireplace and hearth installed all in one day and at a very reasonable cost. I would highly recommend them as a company.”
Jessica Wedmore, Google review
“Saw a woodburner advertised on Facebook Marketplace and enquired. Steve came back to me really quickly with a quote. Turned up when he said they would, did a fab job of removing our old flue and fitting the new woodburner and hearth. Really tidy job, they made sure to cover everything, clean up after themselves and the final invoice even came in a bit cheaper as it took them less time than anticipated. Would 100% recommend!”
Siân Bruce, Google review
“Steve and his team have been exceptional from our first contact. Clear fast responses and quote. Great comms on installation dates, reliable and friendly. He explained every stage, the house was respected and was left immaculate. Full explanation of how to get the best out of the new stove. We would highly recommend them. Really reasonably priced too especially for the level of service and quality. Many thanks!”
N Hodgson, Google review
“Steve was consummate professional. Great value for money. And the workmanship was 2nd to none. Would highly recommend him!”
Luke Hill, Google review
Fireplace and wood burner inspections
After any installation by a HETAS registered business you should receive a Certificate of Compliance. It shows the work was done by a competent installer, records it with your Local Authority Building Control, and matters for your building insurance.
No certificate, buying or selling a house, or just worried about a fire you already have? We can inspect it.
Inspection report
For home sellers and their buyers: we check an existing installation is compliant with HETAS and Building Regulations Approved Document J (ADJ), from the constructional hearth to the terminal. After smoke draw tests and draught flue gauge readings you get a written report of our findings and recommendations.
For anyone with a wood burner or open fire who is concerned about its safety or legality: water staining on the breast, leaning pots, smoke coming back into the room or down draught. We've seen many dangerous installations, so please get in touch if something doesn't feel right.
Check your carbon monoxide detector now. You can't see, taste or smell CO. Press the test button, then check its expiry date and that it meets BS EN 50291.
Where we work
Our base and store room is on Drill Hall Lane in Shepton Mallet. We don't run a showroom: we come to you, and regularly work in and around these towns.
3 Drill Hall Lane, Shepton Mallet BA4 5AR
Free, no obligation
Call or text, email, or send the form and we'll get back to you within 24 hours. Tell us a little about the room and fireplace and we'll arrange a visit when it suits you.