Want to redo fireplace, can it be complete open?

[MariaDingbat]

I hate the builders fireplace that came with our new build. It's a hulking dark mass in the living room, huge reconstituted stone surround, black metal insert and black granite hearth. Would it be possible to remove the metal grate and surround and have a big brick lined opening with a grate in it? Possible have a hearth flush with the floor in a lighter stone or tile? Is that allowed in the UK? I've only really seen it in really old cottages or US interior design pictures. I've attached an image of what i would love the fireplace to look like.

Your black metal insert may be there because it’s more efficient at heat transfer than an open fire such as you have pictured. An open fire loses more than 90% of its heat straight up the chimney/10% to you. And because the chimney is wide open to let the smoke and heat up, the draught through the house is massive so any other heat from your rads etc will also go straight up the chimney.

Your insert (which you haven’t shown) may have an efficiency of 20-30% up the chimney/70-80% to you. A good stove has an efficiency of 90+% to you and, in the event of no power, you can cook on it, too.

Are you intending to use it for a real fire? I think the main things are that you cannot set fire to floorboards, wall surfaces or trim around the fire and you have a proper chimney, use appropriate fuel and adhere to smoke regulations, what you do for the aesthetics is pretty much up to you. I'm sure there are regulations somewhere you could look up, or go into a fireplace shop to ask.

We wanted an open fire, speaking to the local fireplace shop we found there were LOTS of regulations, some very good reasons to avoid and they were very, very reluctant to put one in. We now have a lovely very efficient highly rated stove for when we need it.

I didn't even think of the drafts, thanks for raising that. The house is drafty enough, I don't need to add another massive one! There might be a reason it's mostly houses in the US I've seen it in, it's probably in warmer states. Back to the drawing board then. Any ideas on nicer looking inserts? Our current one is really bog standard black arched with a bronze trim. Aesthetic it is not.

The existing fireplace looks like this one.

being a new build doubt the chimney would be upto taking an open fire

If it’s a new build are you sure that’s a working fireplace op and the chimneys good? Thays your first question.

if so you can rip the insert out, redo the fireplace itself and install a wood burner, which is more efficient.

if it’s not snd it’s just cosmetic, my firing is in a new build and hers is cosmetic, then you can do as you wish with it,

Go into a fireplace shop, explain what you want and ask them to come and have a look at your set up and advise what can be done. In theory you should be able to change what you have. If you're worried about draughts that can be sorted with a chimney balloon.

Here is a couple of ideas, but again you need to know what you’re dealing with. The surround itself can be whatever size you wisb,

This is with an electric wood burner if your chimney doesn’t work fully

Insert stove is probably the way to go.
they would leave the cream surrounded but replace the black so you could get a plain one ( the curved detail is very busy).

The chimney will need to be lined so it’s not cheap but it’s fantastic for heat and keeping soot off the floors.

You can contact a wood stove/fireplace installer they can advise you and do a site survey.

That’s either an open fire or imitating one. Stick your head in with a torch and look up. Do you have a chimney?

If it is able to be used, ie is wide open, get a chimney sheep first thing and shove it up. That will greatly reduce the draught you say you have already.

Then go and have a chat with a fireplace shop. Start here https://www.hetas.co.uk to find your local.

How has your builder not told you what type of fireplace this is? My bet would be gas?
Hearths in the UK can’t be flush with the ground, but dont need to be as high as what you currently have. Check out Document J of the Building Regulations (if in England & Wales). They are freely available online.

The Building Control Completion Certificate , which your solicitor will have made sure is available, should also include certification of the fireplace.

The fire is an open fire and fully lined. We've used it for a couple of years so I'm happy enough with how it works, it's just really, really ugly!

I'll have a look at a chimney sheep for when it's not in use, and thanks for the link!