How your fireplace comes together

Start with the room

Most people begin in one of two ways. You can visit the showroom at Unit 6, Earlswood Garden & Landscape Centre, Forshaw Heath Road, Solihull, B94 5JU, or you can send photographs and measurements through the contact form. Both are useful. A showroom visit lets you stand in front of finished fireplaces, compare marble in daylight and see how different fires sit inside a surround. Photos help us understand the wall, the opening, the floor level and any details that may affect the work.

If you are measuring at home, do not worry about getting every number exact. For the first enquiry, rough sizes are enough. The useful measurements are the chimney breast width, the height available, the fireplace opening, the hearth depth and the ceiling height. Our measuring guide explains what to send.

Survey, design and stone choice

Once the rough direction is clear, we look at what the room can take. A period chimney breast, a flat new-build wall and a media wall all need different thinking. The surround must sit at the right scale, the hearth must suit the floor and the fire needs the right opening, flue or power route.

This is also where the material choice matters. Some rooms want a soft pale marble. Some need a darker stone to sit with the floor. Some projects use porcelain or quartz because the pattern or surface suits the way the room is used. You can compare the options on the colours and finishes page, request samples, or bring your own room photos into the showroom.

Made to measure in the workshop

When the design and sizes are agreed, the fireplace is made to measure in the Sontuoso Stone Midlands workshop. That means the surround and hearth are cut for your wall, not chosen from a fixed box of standard sizes. The workshop also means the stone choice and the fire choice can be treated as one job. The opening, hearth and surround all need to work together.

If the job includes an electric fire, gas fire or stove, we plan the stone around that product. For a gas fire, Lewis handles the gas work where required. He is Gas Safe registered, so the gas side is dealt with by the right person. For electric fires and stoves, the practical checks are different: wall depth, power, heat clearances, hearth requirements and how the finished piece will sit in the room.

What to expect on fitting day

Before fitting, clear the area around the fireplace wall and give the fitters a clear route from the door to the room. Stone is heavy and edges need protecting, so access matters. If there are tight corners, steps, low ceilings or fragile flooring, tell us early. It is much better to plan around those things than discover them on the day.

On the day, the old setup may need to be removed or prepared, depending on the job agreed. The hearth is set first, then the surround is positioned and fixed so it sits level and square. If a fire is part of the work, it is fitted into the opening planned for it. Gas work is commissioned by the Gas Safe registered fitter where relevant.

We will leave you with practical care advice. Marble and stone are strong, but they still need looking after. Avoid harsh cleaners, wipe spills rather than letting them sit, and ask us before using a product you are unsure about. The guarantee and aftercare page covers that in more detail.