Well, in reality the spring or summer is actually the best time to buy a new fireplace or fireplace surround. The reason being that fireplaces can actually be a little trickier then they first appear. Let me explain.

In the old days it used to be the case that you had very little choice in fireplaces. Before the big DIY superstores if you wanted an original design that wasn't simply brickwork, or a glorified chimney, you would often have to travel large distances to find very niche (and expensive) specialist shops that could hand design a great fireplace for you.

The good news is that those days are long gone, and that whilst the expensive 'design it yourself' route will always be open to anyone that fancies themselves as a budding fireplace designer. There really is no need. Instead you can go to a plethora of locations and you will be able to find a bewildering array of options.

Here in lies the first of our 'problems', and a good starting point as to why the summer is actually a great time to go shopping for a new fireplace.

All that choice is confusing and time consuming!

You could literally spend months camped out in your local DIY store (ok. maybe not months. But you get my point ;)) and still not exhaust the array of choice they have.

So you really need to allocate a lot more time to your purchase from that standpoint then it may at first appear. You need to start by honing in on the style of fireplace that you are ideally looking for, as well as deciding on whether you want an electric, gas or natural fire. As deciding on each of these can make a fundamental difference in the options that you have available to you when it comes to choosing your fireplace from the home decorating catalogs.

The second reason why it is better to start earlier to shop for that fireplace is because getting it fitted may well take longer than you expect. You see, the job really is only half done when you choose exactly what type of fireplace you want. Then comes the technical part of actually getting it assembled and installed at your home.

Now, if you are really 'handy' you could do this yourself. But fires are dangerous, and things like gas leaks can kill you very quickly if you get it wrong. So you really need to get a trained professional to do it. Ok. Good so far. The only problem is that these guys (apologies to the ladies - but most of these folk are men!) are in high demand. So getting one to fit the fire may take several weeks or a month.

Now, that's no problem in the summer. Because it's warm. But try being without a fire in the winter for a month. And THEN see how good you feel by the time your fire fitter gets there.

Not very I would hasten to guess!

So, in conclusion, get it handled now. Take a leisurely pace. Sort out the style and type of fire you want, and take it from there whilst its still warm enough to make it a pleasant undertaking. (Oh yep... And because you can review the home decorating catalogs from the comfort of your living room. It really can be a pleasure!)