Partially opening chimney breast

[beatts]

Hi,

I want to install a decorative victorian fireplace and surround into my chimney breast. It's been bricked up so obviously needs opening up to accommodate the fire basket as this would protrude into the chimney cavity.

As the hole will be covered by the fireplace is there anything stopping me just knocking enough bricks out to accommodate the part of the fire place that doesnt sit flush with the wall. I don't see the point of opening it fully if that makes sense, but I might be missing something ?

Thanks for any input

 

[Alastairreid]

You may have to put a lintel in depending how much brick is left unsuported above the new opening.

 

[ree]

OP,
You could dry position the new surround against the chimney breast, & mark in pencil the fireplace opening on the chimney breast plaster?
Given a typical Victorian surround opening it would be safe to then open up the pencilled in area.
Once opened up you could investigate what might need doing next?

Why not post a pic of the present c/breast situation?

 

[beatts]

Hi, attached photos show the kind of inset fireplace I want in place. The chimney breast as it is now and the one in the front room which has already been opened up and has an electric fire in there

 

[ree]

OP,
Thats a small surround & fireplace - typically used in a bedroom.
You would have no need to open up the chimney breast like the large fireplace opening in the front room.
Given you have a brick arch in the front room then you will have a brick arch in the room in question.

After opening up have the flue swept, & check the stack for redundant flue ventilating cowls for both flue chimney pots?

In the meantime why not do as I suggested in my above post?

 

[beatts]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to give it a go myself.

I'd been quoted around £1000 just to open it up to accommodate a decorative fireplace which I thought was a bit steep