Removing a chimney - urgent request

[sarah21]

I have a builder who has agreed to remove a chimney breast & stack (cost £1,500) and have also consulted my LA about Building Regs, but wondered if I need to do anything else to make the job legal & safe?

This job needs doing URGENTLY as the previous owner removed the breast at ground floor level but there is no support & the kitchen ceiling is seriously sagging (!) however my only concern is that this is an adjoining wall of our semi. Neighbours are happy for us to remove the shared stack as they don't use the fireplace but I don't want to do the job & then find we should have got a Party Wall Award or similar.

Any advice gratefully received.
Sarah

 

[masona]

Hi Sarah,

Neighbours are happy for us to remove the shared stack as they don't use the fireplace

If I were you, I would get this in writing.To be honest it doesn't matter if your neighbour will be happy or not,the new neighbour might move in then what are you going to do if they are not happy about it ? unless the drawing plan has been approved & passed by local planning,this is very important.

This job needs doing URGENTLY as the previous owner removed the breast at ground floor level but there is no support & the kitchen ceiling is seriously sagging

Something not quite right here, the previous owner obviously has done this without building approval,if so they could liable for costs to put it right, so it shouldn't cost you anything (you will need legal advice for this) get the builder to make it temporary safe for now and again you will need advice from a building surveyor on site and not a builder.

See this from previous post.