BW - You have hit the tipping point. A really good, really quality set of gas logs is going to cost around $1200. And they look real nice, but they don't put out measurable heat beyond a few feet, and they actually pull in cold air from other windows and doors. But if that is your budget, then so be it. However, if you see yourself spending that kind of cash, and then see the benefits of the full insert, you have a decision to make.
Yes, spending several grand on a fireplace insert isn't as sexy as doing a outdoor kitchen or finishing out a media room. But after you have spent the money and hit the next winter, you will be glad you did the insert every time a cold snap arrives.
I went even further. I yanked the entire woodburner out and put in a freaking bad ass direct vent fireplace, and then put stone all the way up the wall. It cost me a stinking fortune and as the project went over budget, I cursed the very ground I walked on. But now that we are over a year into it, I love it so much I can hardly stand it.
