A complete fireplace remodel

Ben asks:

How difficult would it be to completely remodel our fireplace? We have a natural fireplace in our living room that is directly over a gas fireplace in the basement. I would like to change the natural to gas, and lower the firebox considerably, and change the brickwork around it to something more modern. What types of contractors would I need to contact, and what could I expect to pay, short of the application of a modern look. 

Thanks! 

Ben

Jake's answer:

Ben,

“Difficult” is a relative term.  

Changing out fireplaces can get pretty involved.  The scope of work that you have described has been completed by our company.  You will need a plumber to run the gas line and a mason, that is well versed in fireplace construction, to modify the fireplaces.  

You did not mention the design part of the project – that is what will the new fireplace look like, who will design and draw it so the mason knows what to build.  You might consider hiring a general contractor to manage the project for you.  You will pay more, but you won’t have the hassles of dealing with the subs.  It’s difficult to put a price on something like this, not knowing the particulars of your project.  Taking a guess at it, I think you should expect to pay somewhere between $5000 and $10000.