Penguin Fireplace

I purchased a Valor from Penguin Fireplace over a year ago. The fireplace was professionally installed by Penguin and I have not had any issue after two winters of use. Penguin worked with my contractor and handled the installation of the fireplace during the remodeling process. Penguin is not the cheapest place to buy a gas fireplace. But if you are looking to purchase a high-​end fireplace, and reliable and professional installation are important to you, this is the place to go.

I live in an 1894 house. The original brick fireplace and chimney came down in the 1989 earthquake. A cheap, wood-​burning insert was shoved into place and finally got replaced.
I chose Penguin based on reviews here and other social media sites. Gladys, Ulysses and Efrain were all great. I spent most of my time with Gladys, going over options. Efrain came out to my house to take measurements, the fee applied to my purchase. I got a recommendation for a plumber, Russ Casteel, and he was able to do his part by December 23^rd. Please see my review on Casteel Plumbing.
The installation took place yesterday, on the 30^th. Tony and Frank arrived about 9:30 and the job was done maybe about 1:30. It was hard work, which they did skillfully and carefully. I like to watch and ask questions, which they were perfectly fine with.
This was not an easy job. The first hiccup was the fact that my chimney should have been swept. That was the one point that was overlooked during my pre-​purchase discussions. But, Penguin came through! The necessary equipment was delivered by Efrain, the owner, and he also took time to confirm the installation with Tony and Frank.
The dismantling of the old unit was the most time-​consuming aspect of the job. The sawzall was put through its paces. All pieces were carefully removed from the house.
By the end of the day, I had a lovely new gas unit which is fantastic. Looking around my living room, you would NEVER know what all had taken place.
Bottom line is that they were trustworthy, dedicated to customer service and delivered what they promised. Fair price and great value! I have photos, which I will try to post.

Very impressed with the service from Penguin Fireplace! Called them to fix my broken fireplace and they sent a technician (Tony) who was here within hours of my call. (it was even his day off and he was covering for another employee). Would highly recommend!

Penguin Fireplace is GREAT!!! We decided to convert our fireplace to gas and we went over to Penguin to explore the idea just because they were close to our house. But when we talked to Big Al we decided to go ahead with the project because he was very informative and helpful and the choices were lovely. Penguin recommended a fantastic plumber who installed our gas line just a few days later and Penguin sent someone to measure that same day.
We thought we might have to wait a couple of weeks for the insert but it came right away. It was installed today about ten days from the day we first stepped foot in Penguin Fireplace. The installers were prompt, really knew what they were doing and they worked so clean that when they left you’d never know they had been here. Not only that, our house is very old so the standard frame was a teeny bit small, but somehow they made it look perfect.
Over the years, we’ve done lots of remodeling and home improvement. I don’t think I have EVER done any kind of household project that went as quickly and smoothly as this one.

We got a gas insert installed in our old fireplace. Gladys did a great job finding a gas insert to fit our oddly-​square fireplace, and Charles did a great job installing it. All in all, it was a great experience from ordering through install.

I ordered an electric fireplace on September 8, 2015. I was told by the sales person that it would arrive in 8 – 10 days and that he would confirm the timeline soon after I place the order. When I did not hear from them, I called back and was told that it would take another 3 weeks.
I was disappointed but realize that they don’t own the manufacturing process. They were fairly responsive after we spoke. They set a clear expectation of timelines, they let me know when the fireplace arrived, and they delivered it yesterday.
Despite the initial miscommunication, my overall experience has been positive. I would surely recommend them.

I shopped around quite a bit before I settled on Penguin Fireplace for my remodeling project. I am very happy that I took the time to get a number of bids from a variety of fireplace remodeling businesses. First of all, Penguin fireplace impressed me with their professionalism. They responded quickly to my request for an estimate. Efrain was very easy to talk to, and even though I only had an idea of the esthetic that I was going for, he was able to conceptualize the project and came up with a couple of options for the design. The timeline for the completion of the project was accurate and the project was completed in a very professional manner. The workers cleaned up before they left each day. The tile installation is flawless and the handcrafted mantle was custom designed to complement the style of the fireplace. The paint job on the mantle is beautiful. They taped off and put up plastic sheeting to keep the spray paint exactly where it was supposed to be. Nothing was ever rushed through. There definitely was a pride in the work that they were doing. The fireplace insert was also customized and when I didn’t think it fit just right, they took care of the problem to my 100% satisfaction. When you are doing a home remodeling project, you have to be able to talk to your contractor to make sure the end product is what you envision. This is one big reason why I am taking the time to write this review. They are very good at communication and my new fireplace is something that I enjoy seeing everyday and will for years to come.

We have had this insert in use for over a year and it works perfectly after burning it many nights during this past winter. The insert, a Mendota brand, is the best operating and looking insert that we have seen. We are very happy with our purchase and installation. There is no metal popping noise, the fire box looks real, the fan is virtually noiseless on a medium to low setting and the interior lighting enhances to looks. The insert device heats our family room with 19 foot ceiling in no time and our forced air heater for the whole home rarely comes on while operating the insert, saving us on utility bills. We would only buy a Mendota insert again and only use Penguin if we were still in their service area.

In January we decided to look at wood burning fireplace inserts for our 1938 house and we were lucky to find these guys. We had looked at a few other places and they had the best prices as well as the most helpful staff. We found an insert we liked and proceeded with the buying process. Now fast forward to now and the installation. The install was painless. The guys showed up at the house on time and did a great install. They made sure that everything was working before they left and cleaned up the work area. We didn’t have to do anything. We gotten a chance to use the insert and it’s amazing. So much better than what we had.
Thank you Penguin. You guys were great. I would highly recommend these guys.

I just want to start my review by saying this — these guys are AMAZING. They are true craftsmen. They can do it all — beautiful tile work, framing, drywall, wall texture, a new gas line, and even a custom mantel.
I wanted to remodel my fireplace, and figured putting in an insert was the best option, but honestly, the driver in doing this was really getting rid of the 1980’s tile and ugly design that was there.
I went into the store, and they had a nice display of options. I talked briefly with the lady that was working there, and set up an appointment to meet with Effrain, the owner, at my house so he could look at the fireplace and see if what I wanted done, could be done. They charge for this, but I think that is fair. and reasonable for taking the owners time.
When Effrain came out, I showed him a picture of how I wanted it to look and he said he could do it. I was kind of surprised, but I decided to trust him and go with it. He seemed great — knowledgable and honest. I ordered the insert and it took 3 weeks to arrive, so we didn’t start the demolition until it arrived.
Once the project got underway, I couldn’t believe how professional and skilled the crew was. They cleaned up every night, they asked great questions to make sure it looked the way I wanted and the fireplace turned out perfect.
I would recommend Penguin Fireplace to anyone — no matter how small or large your project is to update your fireplace.

Fireplace upgrade… from a old ugly fireplace to the brand new gas insert from Mendota. Efren the owner is wonderful. He followed up and promised to have it done by Thanksgiving day and it was. The team is hard working and attention to details. I would recommend them to anyone.

Still all good!!!
It’s super warm.
We inadvertently forgot to add on the blower fan. Efrain is setting us up on the schedule for this to get done. Penguin follows up and remembers the needs of their customers.
A++++++

Nothing but good things to say. I struggled with the email communications at this company, but when talking in person I had very good interactions. Everyone was extremely nice and helpful. The workers were great and very professional. They left my place clean and took care of my furniture and floor surrounding the fireplace. They worked quickly and had the job done in just over a day! I now wish I would have done this years ago!

I was among the first to have one installed, and now this winter I’ve needed support as it broke down. The support experience was a struggle because the manufacturer of the unit (Mendoza) initiated a recall in what you’d call a half-​assed way and jerked these guys around. It was a rough winter with a non functional fireplace. To do it again, I’d do more research on the brand of fireplace.

After our first winter in the San Jose area, we decided we needed 2 fireplace inserts to keep our living areas warm. After looking at Unilocal, we visited Penguin. Efren was there and gave us a demo on his products. Nice presentation on the different types and options.
After deciding on a Mendota, Efren later came to the house to measure and prepare his proposal. The price later emailed to us reflected running gas and electricity to both living and family rooms in areas where none existed. Very reasonable prices were proposed to us with a substantial discount for paying 50% by check when placing our order.
Gladys handled the order and billing logistics and could not have been more pleasant or efficient to deal with. Within a couple of weeks 2 employees were installing our fireplace inserts, including gas and electric routing. Efren was in and out ensuring the job was completed properly.
The results are outstanding. Not only am I impressed with the Mendota fireplaces and their several features and visual options, but the installation for both was completed in one day. They look beautiful and operate beyond our expectations with respect to practicality and efficiency.
I would certainly recommend Efren and team for any similar fireplace needs. They are honest and stand behind their product. This review would be five stars, but the trim pieces were not ordered properly, causing a week delay in the final product. These things happen and I would not be discouraged by an honest mistake. I would not hesitate to recommend Penguin to friends and relatives in the future. I have posted 2 photos for your reference.

Not happy with my experience. Paid large fee for initial call to figure out what was wrong with my fireplace. They said they needed to special order a part that took over a week to get. When tech. came to put it in, he discovered that part was not the problem, but another part was the issue. He fixed my fireplace with a work around. He gave me an invoice and I thought I had paid in full in cash. But later I received another bill in the mail with another ~200 bucks put on credit card. Weak. They didn’t even offer to take back the part that I didn’t need, but charged me full price. Not very professional and over priced for repairs.

Recommendation: Talk to them, especially if you have decided on a system they carry.
Loved Gladys! Very personable. We haven’t made a decision yet on what brand (s) of insert conversions we’ll be going with, but we haven’t ruled out the line they carry.

Penguin just converted our wood-​burning to a gas-​log fireplace, as well as refacing the old brick with stone, replacing the awkward brick hearth with a flat stone, and upgrading our mantel. We are both thrilled with the results.
We are also thrilled with the commitment and caring of all the Penguin employees. From the time we started working with them through the work phase they cared. They cared about making sure our tile order was correct, they cared about protecting our house from the dust, they cared about making the fireplace and mantel look incredible. Gladys and Efren were amazing, as were Tony and Enrique (these guys have an amazing work ethic).
Thanks so much, Penguin!

Disclaimer: This is from ¹¹⁄₂₀₁₀. Had this save and I’ve been wanting to post it but I haven’t signed in till now. Anyhow, hopefully things have change, but keep in mind– this is what I went through and it was not pleasant.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Stay away! I would LOVE to say positive things but I can’t and instead must write a warning to potential customers.
So, my wedding was coming up and we wanted to remodel our brick fireplace with a more modern look. We came here and met Ulysse, who end up being our rep. Our experience was very lame and unprofessional due to the following reasons:
1) Quoted price was inconsistent. They named a price. We agreed, then came back later with $ 200+ to our project.
2.) They contract work out to non English speaking workers. They had a guy who was the boss of the contract workers. He had a strong accent, but we can still understand him. It was when he left for a few hours, the workers and I couldn’t communicate. He was nice, but it was very hard to have a conversation when he and I had questions for each other.
3.) We paid a few hundred dollars to have the brick debris removed and the walls textured and repainted. The contract guys didn’t do it and after pointing out to Ulysse that we paid for this on the receipt, they agree to have the guys come back and do it. Well, this is where 5.) comes in. We kept waiting for them during our agreed time and they kept rescheduling.
4.) Their schedule was consistently unreliable. They say they will come by a date, and we wait. and wait. But they don’t come. Initially, before we agreed to be a customer I said, I need this done within a month because my wedding was 6 weeks away. They assured me no problem, we’ll be done before then. It took 5 weeks, close call since part of my wedding was in the living room.
5.) This is the worst part: Ulysse messed up our measurements! We ended up with our fireplace extended to the window frame. Our window frame had to be cut to compensate for the extra length of the fireplace frame. Now, whenever I look at my fireplace and see it as part of my window, I will always remember Penguin Fireplace :(.

I purchased a gas insert for my existing (but non-​functional) wood fireplace. Penguin also did the installation. It was a great experience.
Ulysses was very helpful in the showroom. I love that Penguin has so many floor models so you can see the different options and features available. My husband and I were immediately drawn to the Mendota FV44i. Ulysses quickly gave us a quote and answered all our questions. Later that week, we ordered the unit and a custom-​sized surround. The communication was great by phone and email — responsive but not pushy.
Ulysses was flexible and cooperative — since we ordered in the off season (May), we were able to negotiate some discounts. The price was near the top range of what I expected (so, not cheap!), but I knew if we were going to do this, I wasn’t going to do it halfway.
We also visited Bay Area Fireplace, but were turned off by their lack of floor models. They don’t carry Mendota, and their quote for what I thought was a comparable (but not quite as nice) unit was almost as much as Penguin. Plus all we had to go on was a picture in a catalog. It was a no brainer to go with Penguin.
A few weeks after we placed our order, Ulysses contacted us to schedule the installation. There was a bit of hiccup where he thought they had an opening in their schedule on Friday due to a cancellation, but then they weren’t available that day. Not a huge deal — he scheduled us for Tuesday. The crew was supposed to show up between 10 and 11am but didn’t arrive until 1pm. Again, not a big problem, but a little frustrating. There also was a mix-​up with our custom surround so they had to come back another time to install that once it arrived.
The installation was quick and painless. The crew extended our gas line to the fireplace and installed the vent kit. Our fireplace ended up being not quite deep enough for the unit, but since they had to come back with the surround anyway, Charles said it would be easy to knock out a couple of the bricks at the back at the same time.
The next week, Charles came back, and as promised, easily knocked out some bricks and installed the surround. Charles was very friendly and spent some time explaining how the remote worked, as well as how to remove the glass front and what all the dials and switches are for on the unit.
Now we finally have a fireplace in our living room that we can use. And what a good looking unit it is! I was very happy that Penguin came all the way to Berkeley (twice!) to install our unit. They were professional and receptive at every step. I would recommend them to anyone looking for a gas insert!
UPDATE: November 2012
We started having a problem with our fireplace with it randomly turning off. I emailed Ulysses about it and Efrain and Charles came to look at it. The air intake was open too much. They adjusted it and the problem was fixed! I really appreciate that they came out to fix it, especially since we’re so far away from their store. It was under warranty so we weren’t charged anything. The fireplace has been working perfectly since then. We use it all the time!