Chimney Breast Removal

[idevilkz]

Hi,
New to this forum so apologies if posting a question straight away.

We are in the process of buying a new semi detached house. The wife has got her brain fixed on getting the chimney breasts in the living room as well as upstairs removed.

I am wanting to know

+ Whether I need to make a building reg application for this work
+ What do I need to look for in the right company to do the job
+ Will it affect the building structure / cause any issues in future
+ What are cost implications
+ At later stage, we are planning to have a lean to conservatory outside so have this work done and then a conservatory, would this have any effect etc on the building.
+ also from house insurance point of view, do I need to tell them about this work ?

Obviously, as you can see, I am not wanting to get it done but if it shuts her up then I might have to.

thank you in advance.

 

[Cricritherenovator]

Hi.
You will need an application to the building regs and if you are doing more work in the house which will involve the building reg (drainage, load bearing wall removal) apply all together it will save you money.

If your chimney is on a party wall find out if your neighbour has removed his chimney using gallow bracket. As it will limitate you with the technical options to remove yours.

It is structural I would advise to contact a structural engineer to give the specification of the job to be done (rsj or gallow bracket or removing the full stack). Cost ~£150 - £200. Again if you more structural work get him to do it at the same time it will save you money.

Then find a builder. Better work on recommendation. Make your research and ask questions to find if he is not a chancer. Understand exactly what he will do. For example to cap the chimney stack. To make the wall good without soot coming through the plaster after few months. To make good the ground floor with the hearth. To make good the flooring and skirting. The skip hire. The plastering and redecoration of the wall and ceiling. The electrics if any involved. Basically make sure you get everything you need quoted. Make also sure he has got a liability insurance as it is a structural work. Be aware it is very dusty business (dust and soot). Cover and empty the rooms as much as you can. As you can see there is a lot involved which will increase the cost depending on what you are happy and able to do yourself.

You will also need a party wall agreement with your neighbour if the chimney is on a party wall. It needs to be signed I think 30 days prior starting the work unless he agrees for you to start earlier.

Cost wise I got quoted £2600 to remove mine from the loft to the ground floor with gallow brackets, self levelling the hearth and replaster the wall and patch-up the ceiling. At the end I did it myself and it costed me £400 max and our time without the plastering work. But get your quote in writing with everything detailed to avoid any surprise.

Removing a chimney doesn't gain you a lot of space compare to the price you spend. Us we did it for the layout of our kitchen only as it wasn't working out with the chimney but not really for the space.

You can contact your insurance not really for the building work itself as it is your builder liability insurance which will take over in case of any issues related. Your insurance will just be interested regarding the work just for the thief as your uilder have to leave the door open to go in and out. That is what my insurance told me.

That is it I think I hope I didn't put you off

 

[idevilkz]

Hi mate, your answer is brilliant and with a very good explanation.
I already sent an email to my local council too and they confirmed the same.
On top of that, I had a guy drill a 110mm hole in the kitchen for the extractor fan and the mess it made has put the wife off

We went to our new house yesterday and the room where she wanted to remove the chimney breast is massive so to gain a couple of feet of space seemed waste of 3k so we have decided against it.
This also begs a question as I know quite of lot of people who bought houses recently and the first thing they did was to get chimney breasts removed and their answer was literally it took a day or two, I am sure I can easily conclude that they haven't told building regs about it and gone about getting it done which to me is pretty bad as it can cause issues with building structure in the future if its done by a mickey mouse builder.

thank you anyway, appreciated

 

[SpecialK]

Get a woodburner? Or turn it into a nice feature...

 

[idevilkz]

most probably will do that, although it looks great the way it is

 

[frutbunn]

I am sure I can easily conclude that they haven't told building regs

Along with wall removals and loft conversions this is probably the most common work carried out without B regs, though they usually get picked up on the sale of the property and come crying to the LA wanting a Regularisation Certificate ASAP!

 

[idevilkz]

Along with wall removals and loft conversions this is probably the most common work carried out without B regs, though they usually get picked up on the sale of the property and come crying to the LA wanting a Regularisation Certificate ASAP!

unbelievable but heho there are daft people all around