Loft conversions & chimney breast removal. Is it impossible?

[cinnabunbun]

I get the feeling that loft conversion companies just like making things easy for themselves (understandably!) so I'm hoping for advice on whether this is a legit rationale or if I'm asking for something very risky/expensive/impossible

I live in a 1910 end of terrace house with chimney only on the non-party wall. Is it really expensive or difficult to remove the chimney breasts in the loft? I've just had a loft conversion company come around to quote to make a dormer loft and I mentioned that I'd like to remove all the chimney breasts to gain a little more space. He said it wasn't possible in lofts because the wall would be left unsupported. Was he just trying to save himself work or is it really just not a possibility?

The plan was to remove all the chimney breasts throughout the house as part of a larger project as we have no plans for fireplaces.

Why would I be able to remove chimney breasts elsewhere but not in the loft?

You'd need a structural engineer to tell you but in most cases, yes it's difficult and expensive, but it's possible. We're taking out the full chimney stack at the moment to enable a loft conversion.

As my structural engineer said "everything is possible with enough steel and cash".

End terraces of that kind of age and construction have a tendency to bow outwards on the flank wall - the chimney breasts act as a brace along the height of the wall and are usually better left in situ, especially if you're adding the extra load of a loft conversion Not saying it's impossible to remove them but get specialist advice from a qualified structural engineer, not just the loft company.

Ah good to know. Thanks @Ecthelion and @ThePreviewPoster