Some customers will find themselves unable to find a local mason willing and able to build a masonry heater. Our experience has taught us that established masons with a busy trade sometimes do not want to be bothered with the new technical challenge of a masonry heater. Constructing a heater will require learning new skills, using new materials and suspending a belief that smoke can only go up. Younger masons, full of enthusiasm, may lack the technical competence to build a heater. Ideally, one wants to find a mason who is both competent and enthusiastic. If you are unable to find such a mason, and do not have such skills yourself, the MWHCO can provide one or more masons and a helper. (Many clients choose to work with us as a laborer). When we travel, we usually stay with our customer, with the customer providing food and sleeping space. This arrangement, while sometimes cozy, allows us daily contact with our clients for trouble shooting, design decisions and friendship. A two person skilled crew can expect to build a simple brick heater and the first eight feet of a single flue chimney in seven days. This time frame does not include foundation work, benches, wood boxes, fancy stone trim, extra flues or the balance of the chimney work. Custom made stone veneered heaters, in contrast, can take several weeks to construct and are considerably more expensive than brick heaters. We will gladly share with you our files on a variety of brick and stone projects to give you an idea of the costs involved on the design you choose. We typically work on a "time and materials" basis. Clients who wish to have us build a heater specify the time frame ideal for the work, and commit to the non-refundable purchase of the "exotic" materials that we supply (core kit, castings, etc). We, in turn, before the job begins, will prepare a materials and labor estimate for the job, broken down into Foundation, Heater, Inside chimney, Above the roof chimney, Cleanup, Benches (optional) and any other appropriate headings. We prepare a proposal detailing the work and time frame and our clients sign the proposal, committing themselves to having us build. Our projects usually are completed at a cost very close to our written estimated costs. Sometimes the projects cost a bit more than the estimate. Sometimes they come in under the estimate. Our estimate is not a contractual bid with a profit margin figured in. We are paid weekly for labor while on the job and are paid in advance or on delivery for all materials used on the job. Persons wishing to contract with the MWHCO for our construction services should give us advance notice of approximately three months and payment in full for all MWHCO materials supplied to the job. This allows us to order and hold materials for each client and to create a workable reliable schedule several months in advance. Please contact us for our current construction rates.

Contact us: Maine Wood Heat Co., Inc. 254 Fr. Rasle Rd. Norridgewock, ME 04957 Phone: 207-696-5442 Fax: 207-696-5856 E-mail: mwhcoinc@prexar.com

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