Any structural engineers about?- chimney breast removal

[LadyCurd]

Hello,
We live in a terrace on a gentle hill. The lower party wall on the terrace has chimney breasts in each room. In the master bedroom the chimney breast had been ripped out before we moved in, leaving the chimney breast in the small living room below bricked in (so is just a mass of bricks taking up room in a small space). We are getting our loft converted soon so the chimney on the roof will be properly sorted out with steel structural floor (so pinning things together) but we are pondering ripping out the chimney breast in front room.
DH is concerned that the chimney breasts offer a stiffening function to the walls especially as on a slope down, and if we rip the other half of the chimney breast out from the room below this could cause problems (no apparent problems caused by one removed from master bedroom which had been done for at least 30years judging by the hideous wardrobe built in its place). We would leave the chimney breast in the rear rooms (upstairs and downstairs) but then DH is worried forces might then have a distortion effect.

We have a quote of about £1k to rip it out and make good but pondering getting a structural engineer to have a look first- any ideas how much this might cost? Do we need building regs or anything?

Help!
Thanks
LadyC

We had something similar done a couple of years ago and we needed to get a structural engineer to do a couple of drawings. It cost us around £300 from my memory. And yes, we did need building regs from the council, though I think this varies from one area to another so worth checking it out with your local council. Our place wasn't on a slope though, so I've no idea how that affects things. I think it's probably worth gettting building regs for your own peace of mind and if you ever come to sell the house.

Unlikely to be stiffening the house. But personally i wouldnt be happy having the bottom section hacked out while the stack at roof level is unsupported.

Isn't the chimney stack already u nsupported as the breast in the bedroom has been removed? So the breast downstairs isn't attached to the chimney anymore?

I asked our builder years ago about knocking a chimney breast out and he said you had to work from the top down. So the chimney had to be removed first, only then could an upstairs chimney breast be removed and only after hat could a downstairs one be removed.

Isn't the chimney stack already unsupported as the breast in the bedroom has been removed

Yes. That's why it is dangerous!

Yep stack unsupported as knocked out of upstairs room but engineer has checked upstairs and has been tapered into wall correctly and as soon as we get loft conversion- additional steel in place so should be fine.

£300 for engineer is good to know. Found out we need building regs so will consider when best to do this, we're going to get it done at same time as loft but not sure we can face it so might delay a bit as is bigger job than anticipated.

Thanks for all the replies