Building a new home — should we frame for a direct-vent gas fireplace or a wood-burning fireplace with a chimney?

What each choice means at rough-in

A direct-vent gas fireplace is the light-footprint option: a modest framed chase, a sealed vent out the sidewall or up through the roof, and placement freedom that lets the fireplace go almost anywhere the design wants it — no chimney required. Wood is a structural commitment: a full chase carrying Class A chimney past the ridge, hearth clearances, and a roof penetration planned from day one. Cost reflects that — a fully vented gas or wood fireplace with a new fuel line and chimney runs $4,000–$12,000, with wood setting the top of the range.

The one-way door

Here's the piece to decide while the framers are still on site: a wood-ready chase keeps every option open. You can burn wood, drop in a gas log set, or add a sealed gas insert years later. A gas-only chase is gas forever — there's no retrofitting a chimney into a finished great room at any sane cost. If you're genuinely torn, frame for wood. You're buying flexibility, and after Helene left much of WNC dark for days, a hearth that burns with the grid down is worth taking seriously.

Getting the gas decision right for your lot

Fuel comes first: is the lot on natural gas along the Asheville or Hendersonville mains, or propane country out toward Fairview, Candler, or Brevard? Either works — we're a licensed gas contractor, and we coordinate propane tanks with your supplier. New builds are tight houses, which is exactly why sealed direct-vent combustion is the right match, and a unit like the Heatilator Novus nXt 36 is a solid first gas fireplace for new construction.

We coordinate with your builder at rough-in, run the line, pull the permit with your county, and meet the inspector. Call (828) 545-0525 early — framing week is the cheap time to decide.