Hello,
I have a few queries around opening up our fireplace that I was hoping to get some feedback on. We live in a Victorian/Edwardian terraced house and I want to open up the fireplaces on the first floor to create some shelving/storage space in the kids rooms. Currently the openings seem quite small so I was hoping we'd we able to widen the opening.
I have had a few people around to quote for this work but I am getting mixed feedback on the scale of the job. One person doesn't want to touch it for fear of the chimney collapsing, one person things the existing lintel should be long enough that I can get a wider opening without needing to touch the lintel. The final person doesn't seem fussed and said they would install a new lintel if required in order to get a wider opening.
I've posted a few pics of the fireplace that is currently the most exposed, as well as a pic of its state when the bedroom was being renovated. Currently there is a v-shaped lintel with a solder course above it. I cannot see how far in the lintel goes on each side as this isn't visible. The opening as it stands is around 420mm. I was hoping to go for an opening of around 700-800mm.
I've read conflicting information that openings of under a metre don't strictly need lintels against seeing information that if you are not careful the whole chimney breast could collapse.
I'd like to get your thoughts on whether this is indeed an involved job or whether it should be straight forward to make the opening wider.
Happy to supply any further info.
Thanks in advance!
I have a few queries around opening up our fireplace that I was hoping to get some feedback on. We live in a Victorian/Edwardian terraced house and I want to open up the fireplaces on the first floor to create some shelving/storage space in the kids rooms. Currently the openings seem quite small so I was hoping we'd we able to widen the opening.
I have had a few people around to quote for this work but I am getting mixed feedback on the scale of the job. One person doesn't want to touch it for fear of the chimney collapsing, one person things the existing lintel should be long enough that I can get a wider opening without needing to touch the lintel. The final person doesn't seem fussed and said they would install a new lintel if required in order to get a wider opening.
I've posted a few pics of the fireplace that is currently the most exposed, as well as a pic of its state when the bedroom was being renovated. Currently there is a v-shaped lintel with a solder course above it. I cannot see how far in the lintel goes on each side as this isn't visible. The opening as it stands is around 420mm. I was hoping to go for an opening of around 700-800mm.
I've read conflicting information that openings of under a metre don't strictly need lintels against seeing information that if you are not careful the whole chimney breast could collapse.
I'd like to get your thoughts on whether this is indeed an involved job or whether it should be straight forward to make the opening wider.
Happy to supply any further info.
Thanks in advance!