Page 2 | Remove chimney breast in middle of house

Mollyeyes · 2020-11-29T18:50:38+00:00

Hello Anyone done this or know how much it cost to remove chimney breast downstairs and upstairs in between rooms? Is it a big job? Removing between lounge and dining room and upstairs between two main bedrooms. Thank you

PresentingPercy · 01/12/2020 17:29

You don’t need pp. you need building regs approval I think.

The lintel or beam must be large enough to deflect the weight of the remaining chimney above into the ground. Usually this should be calculated accurately and a beam installed appropriately as you would if you took a wall down. It’s no different.

DH has also advised on houses where more and more chimney stacks have been added over the decades and actually weigh too much for the supporting structure. Chimneys are a world of their own and do need expert advice if they, or part of them, are removed or altered.

titchy · 01/12/2020 17:33

@Mollyeyes

Thank you everyone for your advice and sharing your experiences, the cost, mess and structural problems we may encounter scares me!!I think would be wise we won’t go ahead. We won’t buy this house.

Why not buy the house and leave them in - fireplaces and alcoves either side are lovely features to have - don't take them away!

TheSandman · 01/12/2020 18:01

@PresentingPercy

You don’t need pp. you need building regs approval I think.

The lintel or beam must be large enough to deflect the weight of the remaining chimney above into the ground. Usually this should be calculated accurately and a beam installed appropriately as you would if you took a wall down. It’s no different.

DH has also advised on houses where more and more chimney stacks have been added over the decades and actually weigh too much for the supporting structure. Chimneys are a world of their own and do need expert advice if they, or part of them, are removed or altered.

Not sure Building Regs really concerned with the outward appearance of a building only that any work was done to standard. I know I'd need planning permission to add more than 10% (last time I looked) of my roof over to Veluxes but I would need building regs for ANY I put in. Ripping off a substantial chimney from one of the oldest existing building in my village without even asking planning was a bit naughty.

Fantasisa · 01/12/2020 18:12

We looked at this but it was so expensive (I think around £10k) that we ended up boxing the chimney breast in instead. Shame as it would have bought us more space but we just couldn't afford to do it.

Scarby9 · 01/12/2020 18:18

Also part of larger renovation here, so no separate costings, I'm afraid.
We completely removed a wall containing two chimneys, putting two massive steels in to support the remaining chimney in the loft and the stack. It was messy, but the whole upstairs was a building site at the time so it made very little difference.
It did come as a bit of a shock to the builders, who were expecting one chimney and a very thick wall around rather than two chimneys, but after a bit of yelling, all was well.

PresentingPercy · 01/12/2020 18:27

Building regs are concerned with the structural integrity of a building. Removing a chimney obviously can affect the structure of a building. In a listed house or in a conservation area it certainly would matter if a chimney was removed.

TheSandman · 01/12/2020 22:53

In a listed house or in a conservation area it certainly would matter if a chimney was removed.

Luckily it was neither. Mind you, if it had been either I wouldn't have touched the place with a barge pole, let alone bought it.

ruby4ever · 02/12/2020 11:02

@TheSandman
Yes we just took the front off. 3 of the fireplaces don't have the rectangular void, it's a flat wall, with a small rectangular(approx 4x15cm) vent in the middle, that has now been covered up which is why the plasterer put the vent at the bottom. I get paranoid about things potential coming through the vent tho!
2 of the fireplaces do have the void, I'll attach photo, the picture am attaching, that one currently still has the fireplace which will be ripped out when that room gets plastered. So at the moment we've put a board over the gap. When we remove that fireplace, will we have to keep it as a rectangular void or can be covered up, so it's one seamless wall? Thank you for taking your time to reply 😊

Remove chimney breast in middle of house

AwkwardPaws27 · 02/12/2020 11:43

ruby4ever that fireplaces is a beautiful feature. Are you covering it due to drafts? If so, you could try a chimney balloon or chimney sheep 🐑 so you can keep the feature without it being chilly.

TheSandman · 02/12/2020 22:54

@AwkwardPaws27

ruby4ever that fireplaces is a beautiful feature. Are you covering it due to drafts? If so, you could try a chimney balloon or chimney sheep 🐑 so you can keep the feature without it being chilly.

Oh - that's rather a nice fireplace and surround. Is it original to the house? 1930's? I would be tempted to keep it. The fireplaces I removed were much latter additions to the building they were in. Big ugly, tiled, concrete brutes with built in raised hearths, and NO redeeming features whatsoever.

Like this monster:
i.pinimg.com/originals/f4/f7/52/f4f752a5a7ced3def78c7ffd0908661a.jpg

What you've got there is rather elegant.

ruby4ever · 03/12/2020 09:28

Thank you, it was a hideous brown, with brown tiles. Original to the house. I painted it white, and the tiles I painted grey. The cover board on it, is also grey now, so blends in very well.