Opening up a fireplace in a Victorian cottage to fit a range

Hi everyone, this is my first time posting, but I've been nosying around on here for ages when I've been doing my refurb - thanks to everyone for all the help so far

I'm opening up the fireplace in my 1900's cottage to fit in a range - it had a nasty gas fireplace with surround. I've ripped that out, and started on the brickwork behind.

I've hopefully attached some photos, which show things better than I can describe them!

I've stripped the plaster/lath back to about 2m in height, and haven't found a lintel yet, but there appears to be an arch built in brick, which looks original.

Excuse my ignorance, but I take it this would be in lieu of a lintel, and if that's the case, then all of the brickwork below it can safely be removed, without the use of Acroprops and strongboys yet?

I think the last picture shows the end of the arch, as it goes into the main course of brick.

My plan is to get rid of as much brick as possible prior to fitting two strongboys/acroprops approx. 2m in height, fit the new lintel, and then remove the brick below.

We won't be using the chimney, so we had planned on closing it over, leaving a vent to allow air flow.

I think the sides of the original fireplace (builders opening?) are just about visible in the photos - they are approx. 1100mm. The range is 1100, so I'll need to take a wee bit off the sides as well.

Would an angle grinder be okay to shave off approx. 30mm from each vertical side of brick?

Thanks in advance for any replies,
Davy

Hello there

You could put your lintel in first then remove the bricks below it. Getting the 30mm off could be a nightmare because of how far you need to go back.

op, your photos are not much good, they are out of focus or somethin.
is this an outside wall with an outside chimney breast?
is the wallson either side brick or somethin else?

you have to work to mfr's dimensions so can you
stand back in the room an photo the opening an show where the chimney breast actuly ends - the full width. an show the outline dimensions, width an height, needed by the mfr?

if you install a range you'l need a extractor which will change the dimensions.

Thanks for the replies

I've never worked with brick before, having spent some time today removing the old bricks, I now fully appreciate how mental it would be to 'shave' off 30mm from each side - that's not happening now!!!

If I have to, I'll remove a full brick on each side and install a wider lintel, and then make up the difference in stud wall or try to lay some bricks.

I've removed some of the bricks under the arch, I have now found the original builders opening and am working at clearing out to it.

This is an outside wall, however the chimney breast is inside - if that makes sense. I've taken a photo to show the layout. The remaining walls on either side are brick with a layer of plaster/lath - approx. 60mm deep, from the brick.

It's a Smeg range, 1100mm wide by approx. 900mm high. It's actually only going to sit approx. 200mm inside the opening, with the remaining 400mm bit of the oven sticking out into the room, such that it will be in line with some 380mm deep wall carcasses, which I will fit as base carcasses tight on either side of it.

I was going to build a drywall 'chimney' down from the ceiling for the extractor, sitting proud of the wall, which would end up in line with the front edge of the cooker - approx. 400mm from the wall. I hadn't thought about utilising the existing chimney for the extractor - would build up of the grease enriched air become a fire risk over the years, as it solidified over the years inside the chimney breast?

I've uploaded some more photos which hopefully show things in a clearer light than I can describe

In the photos, I hope you can make out the sloping brick behind the arch on the left and right upper corners, which disappear up into the chimney breast, and actually make the walls of the breast as it rises on the inside.

If I install a lintel in the front course of brick, remove the bricks below and the arch, can I also safely remove these sloping bricks as well inside the chimney breast, or would I have to install another interior lintel to accommodate the rest of the interior bricks inside the chimney breast? Hopefully this makes sense, and apologies if I'm just muddying my waters with my evident lack of knowledge

Thanks very much for your replies and advice, much appreciated

the dimensions youve given are presumably for the actual range. what you need to work to are the install dimensions which will be different.
when you get the install dimensions mark them on a photo.also mark where the flue or flues seem to go.ther should only be one flue.why not photo up the flue.

keep it simple an forget about stud walls an drywall false chimneys.stay with bricks an mortar.
brickwork from the opening sides can be removed cut to size an mortared back in to give the correct width. no shaving needed.
the extractor can be ducted to the outside a little way up the flue after the flue has been swept an the fire opening wire brushed.

That's me cleared out the entire builders opening, including many runs to the tip later , and I've taken a photo up the flue.

It slants off to the side, heading to the living room next door, which also has a fireplace. I take it the two flues will meet up, and vent out into the one chimney on the roof?

I've checked the manufacturers info, and will need an extra 50mm each side of the range to allow for heat dissipation, and there will be enough height between the extractor and the oven

My one nagging concern is still about the lintel - if I put a lintel in the exterior course of bricks at the height and width I need, I'm then good to take away all the bricks below it, including into the depth of the fireplace.

What stops the bricks in the top of the flue from falling down, when I remove the ones underneath? The ones that make up the depth of the chimney breast? Or, would I need to put another lintel in the interior of the breast - spanning across the width of flue walls?

Sorry if I'm not being clear, and here's hoping it's just me over-thinking things

Thanks again!

no, flues never meet up unless somethins gone well wrong. each flue goes to its own individual pot on the chimney stack. it vents the fumes from each seperate fire place or burner etc.

if the present lintel is at a correct height for your new range then leave it alone.
typicly you can remove all the infill bricks to the original surrounds and back wall.
but ther could be issues like wheres the extractor goin to be fixed, an maybe other issues with the brickwork.

you could call in a hetas for a paid visit . have questions ready an take down what they tell you.

Mine has a stone lintel at the front and a steel at the back.

I need to bodge an extractor through into. A cupboard at the side.

This has been a major education I didn't have a clue about brickworks at all, never appreciated how much was actually involved!!

I'll be phoning the Hetas folk and see what they say - I'm planning on putting in two lintels, as H has, and then bodging in my extractor somehow into the space I have left. This way I'll be sure it's not going to fall down - the missus would never let me hear the end of that

Unfortunately, I won't be getting to this for ages, as I have the living room still to do - parquet flooring, curved drywall, sash & case windows - I opened up the fireplace as I was waiting for other tradesmen and can't sit still!!

You've both been very helpful, thanks very much for all your replies, and I'll definitely be back when (not if!) I need help again

Ta,
Davy.

I don’t think you want Hetas for a cooker extractor.

I’ll post a pic of mine when I get home. Bring me, i ****ed it up, I wrongly thought I could route the extractor through the ceiling but later found out there was no easy way out.

Mines a 900mm Smeg in a 94cm opening.

dcjdw6177 said:

This way I'll be sure it's not going to fall down - the missus would never let me hear the end of that

Click to expand...

But on the plus side, she won’t ask you to do anything else!! My missus’ latest ‘dig the trampoline in’. It’s 14ft!!!!!!

That’s mine, stone at the front, steel at the back.



I’m going to have to remove that 1/2 brick


And mount the fan in the cupboard on the left

"Ok, who dented the fridge?"

Good work Ian, your misses must be very pleased.

Andy

Sorry for the late reply, been away for a wee break, back in the saddle now!

If I can get mine looking half as good as yours, I’ll be well chuffed, it looks great!

Thanks again for all your help, it’s given me the confidence and instruction to get it done

In the living room, I’ve got the parquet flooring done, sash & case windows to follow, then painting - then I’m onto the range

a HETAS would give a view on more than just an extractor - they could suggest best way of goin about the job an any safety bits.
they could also say if a lintel is needed at the back - IME thats not the usual way of goin about it.
the extractor could discharge up the flue in a SS liner or if its on an outside wall go up a bit an then out.
the HETAS would now these things