Widening opening in Chimney Breast

[Alex573]

Hello all,

I’m a new member but looking for advice.

I live in a 1900(ish) farm workers cottage (was two knocked into one). In the kitchen we have a chimney breast which houses a cooker. The opening is 95cm at the moment. It runs up through the bedroom above and out through the loft above that.

We can fit a 90cm standard range in, but we want an Everhot 110 so would need to widen the chimney by around 50mm each side to fit one in.

I did some investigation yesterday and found the bricks are two thick. The bottom face 12 to 6 (if you imagine it as a clock face) the bricks above are 9-3 and this looks to continue up.

It seems as though it buts up to the wall rather than keying into it which is slightly odd.

My question is could I safely remove a layer of bricks each side (meaning it would now only be one layer thick on each side) up to around 1600mm? Obviously I would put in a new lintel too but this would sit on the remaining bricks.

Any thoughts or advise would be really welcome here!

Many thanks.

Alex

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

you need to get some pictures up.

 

[bobasd]

Whats the total width of the chimney breast?
How do you know that the chimney breast butts up to the back wall?
If it does butt up, there still might be the occasional tie-in brick?

Have you read the Related Threads below?

 

[stuart45]

Are you saying that you want to reduce the jambs to 4 inch from 9 inch?

 

[Alex573]

Hi thanks for the replies.

Bobasd yes I’ve read them but doing as much research as I can. I had a look and there are gaps where clearly the bricks are not tied in. Some might be though as you say.

Stuart45 yes that’s it. I’m thinking I’ll need some kind of steels in to support as taking such an amount out would obviously cause a structural issue. In my mind something which supports the brick above those taken out and stands out the current cement base?

Thanks all!

 

[bobasd]

OP,
You want to get a few pics posted before doing anything else.

 

[Alex573]

Here are some to start...

The brick work you can see is purely decorative on the front.

 

[bobasd]

What you show looks to be potentially shaky - but then i'm not on site.

My rough calculation using a 1090mmW Everhot 110 dont work out for you.
I'd need the total width of the chimney breast to be accurate?

Its difficult to tell from the pics if you still have the old lintel installed - i cant see one?
I guess that your familiar with the Regs dimensions for what you are doing?
Have you isolated your gas and elec feeds?

 

[Alex573]

Hi bobasd,

Thank you for getting back to me. Of course; the overall width is 1550mm, but I do know the plaster board I am taking the measurement from is dot and dab so that is adding some to this.

im going to chase out some of the plaster to see if I can find a lintel. There is a small wooden one by the look of it, you can just see it in the picture. But it’s not very thick maybe 60mm.

We’ve only been here 6 years so I don’t know much of the history of previous work. I know in the 80s the two Cottages were put as one house.

So to sum up;
Current opening is 950
The Everhot is 1090
There needs to be 10 wriggle room to get it in
Plus I want to plaster to make good.
The overall width with dot and dab is 1550.
I need to go up to around 1700 high.

is it basically impossible? I’m very happy to put some steel supports in as well as a new lintel.

Thanks again.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

op. from the pics, there seems to be only a single skin of facing on the left side as it doesnt return, so behind there will be some mighty stones, which your not going to be able to remove set amounts off. it’s a whole stone or nothing really.
I don’t see it happening, unless you can get the whole amount from the right side , which will leave it not central.

 

[Alex573]

Hi,

I’m not sure what you mean “mighty stones.” There’s just brick in the chimney.

The external brick you can see on the front is purely decorative and was added in the 80s.

The actual stack is just brick two layers thick.

 

[dontbelieveawordofit]

my apologies , i assumed there would be stone behind , from the age of the cottage, and thought i could see stone in the top left corner. my apologies!

 

[Alex573]

Not a problem at all! I appreciate you having a look!!

All thoughts are welcome

 

[bobasd]

Measuring from the D&D is useless - the face of the original fireplace, brick corner to brick corner is needed.
Perhaps you can measure a comparison in the bedroom above - thats if the c/breast Keeps it shape?

Have you considered stripping everything off to reveal the original c/breast?

Its all very well putting in steel but what will be supporting the steel, cannot at present, be seen?

 

[Alex573]

Hello all. Just to update on this (sorry it’s been a while various things going on..).

So, the actual width is 1470mm wide. The current opening is 950mm wide and we have revised the idea to an Everhot 100i so I’d need to open up to 1000mm.

This means I need to find 50mm. How possible do you think this is if I am to lift the height to 1700?

Many thanks.
Alex