Advice on removing a shared chimney stack

[johndmf]

We are having a loft conversion done and would like to remove a chimney breast at ground, first and loft floor levels. The chimney stack is shared with our neighbour. They have already had a loft conversion done and had the chimney breast removed at ground and first floor levels. At loft floor level it appears their chimney breast is still there. They have a bathroom and there is a protrusion into the bathroom where the chimney breast would be. The wall is tiled in this area.

We have had a structural engineer round and he says we will need to put a cranked steel beam in to support our side of the chimney stack. Alternatively, I was thinking that if we can get our neighbours to agree, we could completely remove the chimney stack, so we wouldn't need to put in a steel.

Before going round to talk to our neighbours, I want to find out if this is possible to do without opening up the wall in their bathroom or damaging their bathroom, which I am sure they will not agree to! I am assuming it will not be too difficult to remove the stack on our side and also remove the stack on their side. I am also assuming we would need to put in rafters where their chimney stack currently is. Is it possible to do this with only roof access???

I am looking for practical building advice as to what it is possible to do. We would pay for all the work and make good any damage caused. I am thinking they may agree to this as long as it isn't an inconvenience, as if they then want the extra space in their bathroom at a later date, it would be easy for them to remove the remaining bit of chimney breast on their side.

Thanks

 

[dann09]

Bit of a bewildering post.

1. You wish to completely remove all your c/breasts and chimney stack?

2. The neighbours have a "protrusion", possibly a c/breast, in their bath room? How wide is this "protrusion"?

3. Is the neighbour's bathroom in their loft or first floor?
Have the neighbours had a loft conversion?

4. Do you have a Party Wall Agreement from your neighbours side - recent or historic?

5. Did the SE mention a PWA?

6. You say that there "appears" to be a c/breast in your neighbour's loft?

7. Have you and the SE actually visited, & eyeballed, all levels in your neighbour's house?

8. I'm afraid that its impossible to remove a c/breast the way you suggest.

9. What is supporting the remainder of the neighbour's chimney flue(s)?

 

[johndmf]

Ok, may be I haven't been clear enough.

1. We wish to remove all our chimney breast at ground, first and loft floor levels. If we don't remove the stack as well, we will have to support the stack with a steel beam at ceiling height in our loft floor level (i.e. just below our roof).

2, 3, 6, 7 & 9. The neighbours bathroom is at loft floor level. I have visited their house at all levels (the SE hasn't been in their house) and am reasonably sure they didn't remove the chimney breast at loft floor level because the protrusion/boxing in is where the chimney breast would be. My guess is that the chimney breast on their side is supported between the ceiling of the first floor and the floor of the loft level.

4 & 5. When they had their loft conversion done, we signed a very simple party wall agreement and there was no damage to our property. I know we will need a PWA with them but we are only at the stage of preparing plans for a full plans application to building control/preparing construction drawings. Once we have these, we will go out to tender to a builder and deal with the PWA.

What I am trying to find out is how the shared chimney stack could be removed (and so avoid having to put the steel beam in as there won't be any chimney stack to support). I am assuming I can't just remove my half of the shared chimney stack. I don't want to go round to them and suggest we remove the shared chimney stack if it means a builder will need to go into their bathroom and smash through their tiling to access the chimney breast at loft floor level so that their side of the stack can be removed. I'm trying to find out if it is possible to remove their side of the stack with access ONLY from the roof but I'm guessing from your comment at 8, that this is not possible.

Have I explained it any better or is it still as clear as mud

 

[catlad]

If you and your neighbour agree you can remove the chimney at roof level and slate/tile it over, you maybe able to unpick your side of the stack it will depend how you go about it but you will have to be delicate.

 

[johndmf]

Ok, thanks.

So is it also possible to put in new rafters, insulation, roof boarding, etc (to support the new roof tiles) where their side of the stack is, with ONLY access from the roof?

 

[catlad]

I don't see why not.