Removing ground floor chimney breast

[novicemike]

Hi,

I have a 3 storey Victorian semi and am modernising the kitchen. Want to remove the chimney breast (on the party wall) from the ground floor only. Chimney breast exists on 1st floor, but chimney top has been removed previously.

RSJ would have a span of 3750mm from internal load-bearing wall (220mm thick approx) to rear external wall (also 220 approx).

I'm aware that I need Building regs application & party wall agreement, but want to get a plan together before i go there!

Am thinking 300mm RSJ, but I'm guessing.

Questions:

If the RSJ supports the front wall of the chimney breast, what supports the shorter side walls? Short RSJ's bolted to the long RSJ? Gallows Brackets??? Any suggestions?

Presume both RSJ ends need a concrete pad under them; how big does this need to be? Are the existing walls thick enough to support it?

Appreciate any advice you have.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[ColJack]

if top is already off and the bottom is to come out, why not remove the middle too?
what you save on not having to buy and fit the RSJ you can spend on the removal...

it would save a lot of hassle getting engineers in to size up the pads and RSJ, and redices the risk of the chimney breast middle ending up in the kitchen at some point..

you would also gain space in whatever room the chimney breast middle is in..

 

[novicemike]

hmmm. see what you're saying.

I presume there is still some chimney in 3rd floor / loft space (3rd floor has 2 rooms centrally and currently inaccessible loft space front & back, so not quite sure what's in there) So would mean a lot more disruption all thru the house.

Also, would need to replace / insert joists on 1st & 2nd floors where the chimney had been?

but will think on...

 

[ColJack]

if you look at the other "chimney breast removal" thread there is discussion on there about what to do with the floor joists.. there should be blocking from the joist in front of the breast to the wall with the other joists at the sides fixed to this..
all you need to do is fill in the gap batween the blocking and then fit new floor boarding to fill the gap..


that's a lot of weight to support with an RSJ.. 2 floors worth...
gonna be a heafty beast which may need columns put in to support it..

removal of a chimney breast on a party wall may also weaken the party wall...

 

[novicemike]

(when i say 3rd floor, i mean 2nd. long day.)

 

[Static]

All chimneys add stability to the overal structure, which should be considered when removing one..