Hi, I have a typical 3 bed victorian terraced house in SW London. I want to
remove most of the chimney breasts. Once the chimney stack is support from
the attic upwards can I remove the breasts myself? If so, how easy is this
and how do I do it?
Thanks,
Jason

http://hcd2.bupa.co.uk/fact_sheets/h...reduction.html

Hi, I have a typical 3 bed victorian terraced house in SW London. I want
to
remove most of the chimney breasts. Once the chimney stack is support
from
the attic upwards can I remove the breasts myself? If so, how easy is
this
and how do I do it?

It is not always possible to remove the chimney breasts at all. It depends
on how the flues are arranged. Your neighbour's flues might intrude across
the centre line of the party wall.

From above:

Flue Pattern A Flue Pattern B
+-1-+-2-+
| | | +--+2-+--+-1+
---+---+---+---- ----+ | | | +---
| | | +-1+--+2-+--+
+-1-+-2-+

1 = fire opens on ground floor
2 = fire opens on 1st floor

From side:

Flue Pattern A

| | | |
| | | |
++ +++ ++
| | | roof
_____| | |_____
| | |
| / /|
| |##/ | 1st floor
____| |##__|_____
| \ |
|\ \ |
| \ \ |
| | | |
| |##| | ground floor
_____|__|##|_|_____

##
## = fire opening both sides, divided by straight party wall


Flue Pattern B

| | | | | roof
_____| | | | |_____
| | | | |
| | | | |
| |@@|##| | 1st floor
____| |@@|##| |_____
| \ / /|
|\ \ / / |
| \ | / |
| | | | |
| |##|@@| |ground floor
_____|__|##|@@|__|___

##
## = fire opening your side

@@
@@ = fire opening neighbour's side


In type A, the party wall is continuous, with 2 flues, one for each floor
(obviously the 2nd flue stops at that level). It might be possible to remove
your chimney breast, under the supervision of a structural engineer who can
determine if it will destabilise the wall/floor/neighbour's stack.

In type B, all the flues are adjacent, with your neighbour's flue
"intruding" into your property and your flues "intruding" in your
neighbour's. This design is common, as it gives a pleasing width to the
chimney breast (allowing grand fireplaces) and reduces the intrusion into
the room to half a flue depth instead of a full depth. This type may be
impossible to remove without also removing the neighbours stack.

Are you sure you have type A above?

Finally, removing the chimney breasts in some Victorian properties,
particularly from the main reception rooms may have a negative effect on
house valuation.

Christian.