If hydronic fireplaces, especially in new buildings, ever pay off at all. In my opinion, it is more of a hobby because you would have wood anyway. Additional costs for the fireplace, piping, control - you can heat conventionally for years with that. Not to mention the labor involved in preparing the wood and the low comfort of actually keeping it running. If you absolutely want to prepare and use the wood, have a cozy evening in front of the conventional fireplace and sell the rest. That should be much better for your wallet.