Removing chimney breast

2 years ago

Hi, looking for some advice please,
We would like to remove the large 1.5m chimney breast in the living room. We've been told this will require a steel beam.
The chimney also runs through our master bedroom (creating an alcove) then obviously up into loft. The half of breast not containing flue creates a skinny linen cupboard on the landing.
Would you just remove the ground floor as desired for living room design. Or would you remove the whole stack through all floors and loft, then recreate breast in bedroom with plasterboard thus allowing the full width to be used to create larger linen cupboard on landing? Is there any chance removing the whole lot and making good on both floors and loft/roof would work out cheaper than putting in the beam required to support upper of stack if we only remove the ground floor portion? Anyone have any experience of such a project?
Thanks

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Comments (6)

Ruth House
Original Author
2 years ago
Should have said, chimney runs through centre of detached house so no impact on neighbours etc.
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Ruth House
Original Author
2 years ago
Or I guess another option is to remove from inside house, but put the steel beam in loft floor to hold up the rest of stack? I'm guessing that would mean no scaffolding required as would be leaving stack in loft and outside roof alone.
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We've inherited a post-war ex local authority house and we're going to totally modernize it throughout. Our question is: Since the living room is not wide enough, 3.5 meters approx., the length being about 7 meters, should we remove the chimney breast to add more width or leave it as it is. I should add that the protrusion into the living room is further enhanced as the adjoining kitchen wall steals some of the width of the living room. Your advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Thanks for the responses all. Yes I think we may opt for rebuilding the chimney breast and leave a larger fireplace opening so that we can put things there. Sarah - our builder suggested making a media unit but we aren't that keen on TV's too! Thanks Ed - yeah I think you are right re the cottage look. Rinq - we would have loved to remove the breast all the way to the ceiling, but it was removed 30 years ago and its not inline with regulations to do it that way now. So building control wouldn't let us disturb what remains and instead instructed us to install the gallows brackets that you see in the photo
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Hello, The party wall act 1996 in my opinion does not apply to the proposal to remove the chimney. If you intend to remove the chimney from ground floor to underside of the roof plane then you will not need an RSJ. If however you only removed the ground floor chimney breast then you will need to support the remaining chimney on a structural support designed by a structural engineer. Building control will need to be informed to ensure that the proposed design is robust and complies with the regulations and to oversee the building work. I would strongly recommend that a structural engineer is consulted prior to carrying out any of the proposed work. You may find that the external wall will require structural supports when the chimney is removed. An structural engineer will be able to provide you with this detail if required. Kind regards Andrew
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No way of knowing for sure until the fireplace is removed
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Sarah M
2 years ago
Hi, we're about to take out a chimney breast from our living room as part of a bigger renovation. Ours is about 1.5m in the living room as well but narrows quite quickly to about 50cm on the first floor. We didn't get detailed quotes but both our architect and builder said they'd estimate it would end up costing about the same to either remove on ground floor only or remove everything. We decided the upheaval in the upstairs rooms wasn't worth it for an extra 50cm x 50cm of space. Hope that helps!
Ruth House
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you Sarah, that is really helpful info, I appreciate you're reply. Good luck with your renovations
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ali270
2 years ago
Our chimney breast was a similar size to yours . It was in the middle of our house and went through our bedroom , where it took up the same amount of space . We removed it right to the roof . Absolutely no regrets . The space we gained made the rooms look so much larger and easier to arrange furniture. Dust ….yes but otherwise less hassle than putting in a beam .
Ruth House
Original Author
2 years ago
Thank you ali270 , do you know how much the job cost? Did they need scaffolding to roof, I've heard that is the expensive bit.
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Removing chimney breast

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Removing chimney breast

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