Chimney breasts removed but not up to current B.Regs

[rle106]

I am buying a 1940's mid terrace property in Essex. The survey says, as an urgent item of work, the chimney breasts need to be sorted out (although it isn't a condition of the mortgage). I've quoted from the report below.

I wonder:

1. We want to be sensible and safe but is this work really necessary just because Building Regs have changed since they did the work (the house is in VGC overall).
2. How much is it likely to cost (ball park is great as I just have no idea how much we need to set aside for this).

Thank you for any help you can give.

Rebecca

Report -
Chimney breasts have been removed throughout the property and supported within the roof space on brick corbals and steel plates. This is no longer considered to be a suitable method of support for chimney breasts and I would recommend that all chimney breasts where removed should be supported in accordance with current Building Regulations standards.

 

[dhutch]

When I was looking at houses I found a couple that had some fairly outrageous supports for removed or part-removed chimneys, but equally while I am no builder I see no reason to change for changes sake.

Have you spoken to the surveyor? Mind way quite open to talk about what he had reported on, why he had, and what practically was reasonable to do/assume/or not.


Daniel

 

[CambridgeBrummie]

I don't understand the comment from your surveyor. There is nothing within the Building Regulations which state how chimneys shall be supported if the chimney breasts are removed below. The only bit is that all structural work shall be done safely and be capable of transmitting the forces to the remaining structure.

What you have described with brick corbels and steel plates sounds reasonable. What is not liked is a couple of timber lintels supporting the brickwork!

So in my Structural Engineering opinion it sounds fine. You could get a friendly engineer to have a look and advice if you are worried.

As the work to remove the chimney breasts internally is a structural alteration then this should have required Building Regulation Approval and I suggest you ask the vendor for the approval certificate.

 

[ree]

In my limited experience, most every local Council Building Department in England has Regulations specifying in detail how chimney breasts are to be supported.
Many post diagrams of what they require.

Its structural work , and it can enter Party Wall Act territory. Any historic paperwork must be revealed during conveyancing disclosure.

Brick corbelling is definitely frowned upon by some Council's and their BCO's. The mortgage Surveyor presumably has local knowledge of what will fly and what wont fly.

If its not a condition of the mortgage then its not a retention item, hence its difficult to see how it could be "urgent"?

How can a price be given when we dont know whats involved?

There's lots of info. on this forum if you search.

 

[tony1851]

+1 to the above three posts, except that I personally would not ask for a certificate or have any contact at all with Building Control - you could be opening an expensive can of worms to no good purpose.

As has been pointed out, it's not a case of regulations changing, it has always been down to what is structurally safe. From what you say, it could well be a reasonbly sound job, so why not leave things as they are?

 

[rle106]

Hi all

Thank you so much for your help. I'll try to respond to all your queries.

Unfortunately the surveyor won't answer follow up questions.

I wouldn't want (or be able to afford) to do work for the sake of it or just as regs have changed (that doesn't make sense otherwise all houses would need work constantly!) but I took notice of this as the surveyor marked it out as an urgent item. From what you've said, it seems that it can be left as it is.

Nothing has been revealed from a PWA basis or through the conveyancing/local search which would help but it was done over 10 years ago.

Thanks again

Rebecca

 

[tony1851]

it was done over 10 years ago.

then stop worrying and forget about it!