The utility ran the line to the house and installed the meter for free.

We recently installed an electric Rheem Marathon with a lifetime warranty, and a GE Geospring Hybrid which is freakishly energy efficient as it uses a heat pump.

Any thoughts on whether or not it's worth the cost of installing central air for roi I can get a unit for 1100 and we are in northern indiana? 

We did the hookups & absorbed the costs as she is a great tenant.However, on another property we installed a new high efficiency furnace & the tenants offered to pay for the addition of central air which we duly accepted.

Modern gas stoves and fireplace inserts are sealed (airtight) with respect to the living space (room) and vent their combustion air from outside - typically a separate pipe through the side of the building or a centre pipe within the exhaust flue (either through the side of the building or as a sleeve in an existing chimney.The cheapest way to stop air and heat from being drawn up your chimney is to decommission your fireplace; stuff insulation in the top of the firebox against the closed damper; then tape a sheet of 6mil poly (vapour barrier) under the insulation being certain to create a seal with the sides of the firebox all the way around the perimeter of the barrier.Since you still want to use your fireplace periodically, but do not wish to incur the expense of installing an airtight insert, you could still attempt to plug the top of the firebox when you are not using the fireplace.  

They are durable, light, fast to install, totally leak proof (if installed properly) and last considerably longer that asphalt, yet they are not being used for residential construction except in rural areas, why is this?

My next project is to install laminate in the hallway and master bedroom and cover up the paper bag floor.

I had a basement that would flood, so we dug down a foot around the house 10 ft out where most was coming from, installed some 6mm plastic and back-filled with a nice grade away from the house and haven't had a problem since.  2 guys digging for 6 hours.  

He asked me if I would be interested in having him install granite counter tops in the kitchen.

You can get a new one for $600 installed.