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Owain August 23rd 04 12:22 AM

"Matthew Durkin" wrote
| I'm willing to accept that my DIY skills are not up to removing a
| chimney breast - however I would like ot have one removed.
| The chimney has already been removed from downstairs, and I'd now
| like the bit upstairs removing also (small room, will make big
| space difference).
| It's about a foot deep and perhaps 3 feet wide. We live in a red
| brick terrace and this is on a wall adjoining the neighbours.
| Could someone let me know what will be involved and how big a job
| it is? How much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be
| removed? Are there any complications - i.e.could it be connected
| to next door in any way?

The chimney structure has to be properly supported in the roof space,
whether or not this was done when the ground floor chimney was taken out,
using beams or gallows brackets in the attic. The structural steelwork etc
required for this should be designed by a structural engineer who has
professional indemnity insurance and can sign off the calculations to the
satisfaction of Building Control. As the breast
is in a party wall then Party Wall Act provisions will apply.

When you appoint a builder you should make it a condition of the contract
that the work is carried out to the satisfaction of your StructE and have
the StructE inspect the work before paying the builder. You really need the
StructE before the builder, because the StructE can prepare working dwgs and
specs against which you can invite builders to quote.

If it's a front-facing room you might want to arrange all access to the
works to be via the room window and an access tower, and access to the attic
through the ceiling of this room (you will probably need a new ceiling
anyway) rather than having builders traipsing through the rest of the house.

Removing the chimney breast without supporting the stack above is probably
the most common cause of "I did some DIY and the house fell down" stories,
and builders cannot be relied upon to do the job properly on their own
initiative.

Owain



Matthew Durkin August 23rd 04 12:45 AM

Removing chimney breast...
 
Hi All,
I'm willing to accept that my DIY skills are not up to removing a chimney
breast - however I would like ot have one removed.
The chimney has already been removed from downstairs, and I'd now like the
bit upstairs removing also (small room, will make big space difference).
It's about a foot deep and perhaps 3 feet wide. We live in a red brick
terrace and this is on a wall adjoining the neighbours.
Could someone let me know what will be involved and how big a job it is? How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?

Thanks,
Matthew



Alex August 23rd 04 01:39 AM

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I'm willing to accept that my DIY skills are not up to removing a chimney
breast - however I would like ot have one removed.
The chimney has already been removed from downstairs, and I'd now like the
bit upstairs removing also (small room, will make big space difference).
It's about a foot deep and perhaps 3 feet wide. We live in a red brick
terrace and this is on a wall adjoining the neighbours.
Could someone let me know what will be involved and how big a job it is?

How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?

Thanks,
Matthew



You will need to serve a notice under the Party Wall Act, and will need
buildings regs approval. Things you need to consider are the (potentially)
unbalanced weight of next door's chimney, and if you floor joists are
supported by the breast at all.

You're looking at probably at least a day's work taking it out, another
making good, and of course disposal of a lot of waste. Best give a few local
builders a call, as the charge will vary depending on what is actually
there - does the stack still continue above the roof line?

Also, as your stack has already been removed downstairs, I would imagine
this will require some extra support during removal 'just in-case', although
I'm not sure.

HTH

Alex



Alex August 23rd 04 02:05 AM

"Alex" wrote in message
...


You will need to serve a notice under the Party Wall Act, and will need
buildings regs approval. Things you need to consider are the (potentially)
unbalanced weight of next door's chimney, and if you floor joists are
supported by the breast at all.

You're looking at probably at least a day's work taking it out, another
making good, and of course disposal of a lot of waste. Best give a few

local
builders a call, as the charge will vary depending on what is actually
there - does the stack still continue above the roof line?

Also, as your stack has already been removed downstairs, I would imagine
this will require some extra support during removal 'just in-case',

although
I'm not sure.

HTH

Alex



Sorry, completely forgot to mention the most important bit (too late in the
day I think) regarding support of the remaing stack in the attic space &
above the roof line.

Owain said it all in his post.

Alex



Julie August 23rd 04 07:37 PM

On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 22:45:25 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?


We've just been quoted £894 + VAT for the removal of a chimney. It's
entirely on our roof (not shared in any way with neighbours). That
includes removal of all rubbish and making good of our slate roof.
We're going to be removing the chimney breast (from the attic down)
ourselves.

--

Julie S

Matthew Durkin August 24th 04 12:39 AM

"Julie" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 22 Aug 2004 22:45:25 GMT, "Matthew Durkin"
wrote:

How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?


We've just been quoted £894 + VAT for the removal of a chimney. It's
entirely on our roof (not shared in any way with neighbours). That
includes removal of all rubbish and making good of our slate roof.
We're going to be removing the chimney breast (from the attic down)
ourselves.

--

Julie S


oh dear. That bad :O( And I'd then need to replaster the ceiling and wall.
Hmm. Maybe I'll leave it where it is. We're only planning to be in this
house another 5 years tops and I don't think £1K to remove the chimney will
add that to the house value. Maybe I'll ring round and get some local
quotes. There's no way I'd tackle a chimney!



David H-S August 27th 04 12:35 PM

Matthew Durkin wrote:

Hi All,
I'm willing to accept that my DIY skills are not up to removing a chimney
breast - however I would like ot have one removed.
The chimney has already been removed from downstairs, and I'd now like the
bit upstairs removing also (small room, will make big space difference).
It's about a foot deep and perhaps 3 feet wide. We live in a red brick
terrace and this is on a wall adjoining the neighbours.
Could someone let me know what will be involved and how big a job it is? How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?

Thanks,
Matthew


You imply that you have removed brickwork from downstairs.
So what is supporting the brick work at first floor and attic levels?
You also say you may move in a few years. What will a purchaser's
surveyor make of the structural integrity of the remaining chimney and
its effect on the party (?) wall?

There are ways of dealing with the problem - a qualified advisor can assist.

Matthew Durkin August 27th 04 11:09 PM

"David H-S" wrote in message
...
Matthew Durkin wrote:

Hi All,
I'm willing to accept that my DIY skills are not up to removing a chimney
breast - however I would like ot have one removed.
The chimney has already been removed from downstairs, and I'd now like
the bit upstairs removing also (small room, will make big space
difference).
It's about a foot deep and perhaps 3 feet wide. We live in a red brick
terrace and this is on a wall adjoining the neighbours.
Could someone let me know what will be involved and how big a job it is?
How much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there
any complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?

Thanks,
Matthew


You imply that you have removed brickwork from downstairs.
So what is supporting the brick work at first floor and attic levels?
You also say you may move in a few years. What will a purchaser's
surveyor make of the structural integrity of the remaining chimney and its
effect on the party (?) wall?

There are ways of dealing with the problem - a qualified advisor can
assist.

The downstairs chimney was removed before we moved in and the survey didn't
show anything of any concern up. I'm assuming it's been done properly! We're
just thinking about removing the rest!



N. Thornton August 29th 04 03:14 AM

"Matthew Durkin" wrote in message ...
"Julie" wrote in message
...


How
much would I expect to pay for the chimney to be removed? Are there any
complications - i.e.could it be connected to next door in any way?


We've just been quoted £894 + VAT for the removal of a chimney. It's
entirely on our roof (not shared in any way with neighbours). That
includes removal of all rubbish and making good of our slate roof.
We're going to be removing the chimney breast (from the attic down)
ourselves.


oh dear. That bad :O( And I'd then need to replaster the ceiling and wall.
Hmm. Maybe I'll leave it where it is. We're only planning to be in this
house another 5 years tops and I don't think £1K to remove the chimney will
add that to the house value. Maybe I'll ring round and get some local
quotes. There's no way I'd tackle a chimney!


it will cost you far more than that, since struc eng and party wall
legalities are involved. And if youre unlucky it may turn out to not
be doable, ie if the load is a balanced one.

NT


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