Chimney breast / fireplace advice needed!

[Jamesyb86]

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• Jamesyb86
• 9 Jul 2015

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• Jamesyb86
• 9 Jul 2015

Hi, Hopefully one of you kind fellows can assist!

I wanted to open my fireplace back to its original size to put a log burning stove in. Before removing the existing fireplace I wanted to double check that there was a lintel / it was structurally sound.

Well, I ended up removing plaster up to about 6ft and finding a right mess of brickwork filling in gaps where original keyed bricks have been removed above the fireplace , no lintel and a lot of bricks that have not been keyed in. (Not to mention a live cable running through the middle!)

I need some advice as to what to do next!

The house is 1950s build and has an interesting arch design which joins the 2 ground floor breasts into a single central breast upstairs.

Can anyone offer advice on:
A) do I need a lintel and where a lintel should be placed
B) what I should do above the lintel to repair the bodged brickwork
C) why this might have been done in the first place?

Hope you can help

 

[ree]

OP, there's a mass of similar threads full of advice and pics if you search in this forum.

You must have appliance installation details and dimensions before doing anything else. eg the dimensions will tell you how wide and high to make the opening and hence the height of the lintel installation.

Do some searching, there's lots of stuff you must know as a DIY'er - you will also be best to have a heads up with a HETAS on site.

Come back here when you know more.