Grate Expectations, Fireplace Specialists

Grate Expectations, Fireplace Specialists Fireplace Specialists in London offering functional, efficient and stylish Gas, Electric and Wood Bu

Grate Expectations has been established and successfully running for over 25 years and remains the family business it once started as, offering a full service from Chimney lining to Fan Assisted solutions, complete fireplaces or Wood Burning Stove installations and reproduction or antique fireplaces. Grate Expectations continue to Specialise in antique period fireplaces taking great pride in our m

arble restoration & cast iron work, with our in house stone mason we can strip, repair & re-polish a period marble to its former glory.

Two British Fires British Fires | Electric Fireplaces installations in one South West London home. Downstairs, a New For...
09/09/2026

Two British Fires British Fires | Electric Fireplaces installations in one South West London home. Downstairs, a New Forest 650 electric inset fire sits within a bespoke Derry mantel — made to measure at 1075mm, finished in Little Greene “Loft White” with a black-painted MDF back panel behind the fire for a crisp, considered finish. Upstairs in the bedroom, the Sway brings the same clean black edition styling on a smaller scale, fitted with a bespoke infill plate below the inset for a neat, tailored look. Both fires run on realistic log-effect flames with no chimney or gas connection needed, making them a straightforward retrofit for period and modern rooms alike.

A limestone fireplace with real presence — this Belmonte 48” stone suite in Portuguese limestone by Capital Fireplaces ,...
09/09/2026

A limestone fireplace with real presence — this Belmonte 48” stone suite in Portuguese limestone by Capital Fireplaces , complete with matching slips and hearth, now anchors a living room in Wimbledon, London. At its heart, a Logic HE Designio2 steel gas fire by Stovax & Gazco with a conventional flue and remote control, its log-effect burner giving a genuinely convincing flame picture without the upkeep of a real wood burner. Clean lines, warm limestone tones and a fire that’s as easy to live with as it is to look at.


Fitting a new stove into an existing stone fireplace is often the best of both: the original surround stays, and the old...
06/09/2026

Fitting a new stove into an existing stone fireplace is often the best of both: the original surround stays, and the old open fire is replaced with something that actually heats the room. Here a Charnwood Aire 4 wood burning and multi-fuel stove Charnwood Stoves has been fitted in London, sitting neatly inside the customer’s existing stone surround.

The Aire 4 is a compact Ecodesign stove with a wide glass door, and this one was fitted with Charnwood’s external air kit, which draws combustion air from outside rather than from the room. A 6” flue liner runs the full height of the chimney to a pot hanger cowl, with new honed black granite front and back hearths finished flat at 20mm. The installation was HETAS commissioned and certified for Building Regulations.

Stove, hearths and flue system supplied by Grate Expectations, with installation arranged through one of our independent HETAS installers.

If you are thinking about a wood burning stove installation in South London or Surrey, come and see the Charnwood range in our Wimbledon showroom.

A gas stove that gives you the look of a wood burner without the logs, the ash or the sweeping. This Chesterfield 5 conv...
05/09/2026

A gas stove that gives you the look of a wood burner without the logs, the ash or the sweeping. This Chesterfield 5 conventional flue gas stove by Stovax & Gazco was installed in London, running on natural gas with a 5” gas flue liner fitted through the existing chimney.

The stove sits in a smooth matt black chamber, framed by our Hersham mantel in Aegean limestone. The limestone is paired with honed black granite for the front hearth, back hearth, slips and headers, so the dark chamber, granite and stove read as one, with the pale surround doing the rest.

Full supply and installation by Grate Expectations, including the flue liner, closure plate and a CO alarm.

Thinking about a gas stove installation in London or Surrey? Visit our Wimbledon fireplace showroom or send us a message.

Ofgem has just confirmed a 4% increase in the energy price cap from October.Energy bills are rising and your heating cho...
03/09/2026

Ofgem has just confirmed a 4% increase in the energy price cap from October.

Energy bills are rising and your heating choices matter.
A modern Charnwood Stoves wood burning stove offers something increasingly valuable: choice, flexibility and resilience.

1) Heat the room you’re actually using.

2) Reduce reliance on your central heating.

3) Have another dependable source of warmth when you need it.

Modern Ecodesign stoves, burning properly seasoned wood, deliver efficient, controlled heat with the comfort and atmosphere only a real fire can bring.

It’s not about replacing your primary heating system. It’s about having another option. One that is sustainable, renewable and can be sourced locally.

Warmth matters, choice matters and resilience matters.

Drop into our showroom to discover more about our range of British made Charnwood stoves.

A Chesterfield CF Gas Stove installation, combining Steel Noir slips and headers with honed black granite hearths and a ...
02/09/2026

A Chesterfield CF Gas Stove installation, combining Steel Noir slips and headers with honed black granite hearths and a smooth chamber finish.

The installation also included a new flue system and chimney pot, resulting in a clean, traditional stove installation with a contemporary finish.

Appliance: Chesterfield CF Gas Stove Stovax & Gazco
Fuel: Gas
Location: Merton, London
Hearth: Honed black granite
Slips & headers: Steel Noir

Supplied and installed by Grate Expectations.

There’s a reason we still believe in a proper showroom. 🔥Grate Expectations has been a family-run fireplace business sin...
27/08/2026

There’s a reason we still believe in a proper showroom. 🔥

Grate Expectations has been a family-run fireplace business since 1984, and more than 40 years later, we still believe choosing a fireplace is something worth seeing in person.

Visit our showroom and you’ll find far more than fireplaces on display. You’ll find a team who can help with the whole process, from choosing the right fire, stove or surround for your home, through to technical advice, surveys, bespoke options and professional installation.

We work with some of the industry’s leading brands, but what we’re most proud of is the service that comes with them. Much of our business continues to come from recommendations, returning customers and word of mouth, and after four decades, that means a lot to us.

No hard sell. Just a family business with years of experience, honest advice and a team that genuinely cares about getting it right.

Come and visit our showroom, have a look around and talk us through what you’re trying to create.

When exceptional design, materials and craftsmanship come together. 🔥A fireplace should never feel like an addition to a...
19/08/2026

When exceptional design, materials and craftsmanship come together. 🔥

A fireplace should never feel like an addition to a room. When it’s done properly, it becomes part of the architecture.

For this beautiful Berkshire home, we worked alongside Andrea Palmer Interiors, an award-winning luxury interior design studio known for creating exceptional residential interiors across London, the South-East and internationally.

At the heart of Andrea’s design sits a DRU Metro 130XT/2 gas fire, expertly installed by our Grate Expectations team. The right-hand corner configuration creates an uninterrupted view of the flames from different areas of the room, while the brown log fuel bed and Clear View glass give the fire an incredibly natural presence.

Our involvement went far beyond installing the appliance. We supplied and installed the fire and balanced flue system, constructed the bespoke 2.91m Promafour chimney breast and base, incorporated the recessed television detail and completed the gas connection and commissioning.

The fireplace was then beautifully finished in Dekton Kira Matt, supplied by Sonic Stone. Its subtle grey-brown tones and natural-looking veining work perfectly against the warmth of the flames and the simplicity of the surrounding architecture. Sonic Stone specialise in premium surfaces and bespoke stone solutions, working closely with architects and interior designers to turn detailed design concepts into beautifully executed finishes.

Three areas of expertise. One beautifully resolved space.

Interior Design: Andrea Palmer Interiors
Stone: SonicStone
Fireplace & Installation: 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔

A brilliant example of what can be achieved when the fireplace is considered as part of the interior from the very beginning.

Where the glow lingers, the flames dance, and every detail invites you to slow down. 🔥✨ From the rich glowing embers to ...
28/07/2026

Where the glow lingers, the flames dance, and every detail invites you to slow down. 🔥✨ From the rich glowing embers to the beautifully lifelike logs and mesmerising flames, a gas fire creates more than warmth. It transforms the mood, adds depth to your space, and becomes the heart of the room, whatever the season.

Not just a fireplace. This is what “designed around the fire” actually looks like.🔥 Real flame, linear gas fire — full g...
23/07/2026

Not just a fireplace. This is what “designed around the fire” actually looks like.

🔥 Real flame, linear gas fire — full glass front, log-effect burner 🔥 Fitted flush into a bespoke wood veneer media wall for a seamless, tailored finish 🔥 Instant ambience with remote-controlled ignition — no smoke, no mess, no waiting 🔥 Warms the whole room while doubling as the visual centrepiece the rest of the space is built around 🔥 Sits below the TV, framed by full-height shelving — proof a fire and a media wall can share the spotlight

We supply and install gas, wood and electric fireplaces across London and Wimbledon, covering the South East. The joinery is down to your designer — the fire is down to us.

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Address

London
SW208JT

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 5pm
Wednesday 10am - 5pm
Thursday 10am - 5pm
Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm

Telephone

+442085408387

Website

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