oh wrote:
Hello,

apologies for a rather non-DIY question but this is unfortunately a tad
above my knock-down-and-reconstruct-walls competence :-( ...

We have a three-year old bog-standard two-storey four-bedroom Persimmon
house without a chimney, and now we're looking at the possibility of
adding a multifuel stove in the livingroom, which of course will mean
we'll need a proper chimney, probably with an external chimney breast.

I'd like to appear to be educated before approaching the contractors,
and any thoughts about what I need to look out for would be highly
appreciated.

My requirement is quite simple: I want a contemporary-style multifuel
stove in livingroom, capable of being connected to the central heating
system. It should be a nice and modern focalpoint, and heat the house :-) .

From there it gets complicated: I've read up on the various options
which seems to leave pumice liner or double-skin liner for the flue,
with pumice liner "better" but more expensive to install. A brick or
block chimney breast "attached" to the external wall should not cause
any headaches (the roof ridge is horizontal all the way and the gable
end is exactly where the chimney would rise, and is the highest part of
the wall/roof).

I've also picked up the BR Part J, and ordered a hopefully-relevant
Amazon book:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fireplaces-C.../dp/1861267460


Plus the usual Google searches and some useful info/"questions to ask
the installer" from he
http://www.ourproperty.co.uk/guides/...repairers.html

I also intend to contact some of the chimney product manufacturers such
as www.schiedel.co.uk, www.topstakchimneys.co.uk

So, questions:

1) How much would the construction of an external chimney itself
typically cost, would it normally be of the order of £5k, £10k or £15k,
if done completely by a contractor/builder?
2) What parts of this are within the reach of a capable DIY-er? Anything
or would the potential savings/risks not be worth it?
3) What should I do/be aware of in order to keep the costs down, but not
compromise on the safety and performance of the chimney?
4) Any other hints/thoughts...?

Thanks in advance!!!


Right. Now I HAD planning for the chimney, and we made it out of
concrete block, apart from where it poked through the roof but the BCO
STILL insisted on a double skinned stainless insualated flue inside it.

'But I could have poked that through the ruddy roof: whats the point of
the chimney?' 'In your case, pure decoration' he replied..

So by all means make a brick stack up the side, for decorative purposes,
but the BCO will likely insist that the flue itself for a multifuel
boiler is double insulated stainless...

What I would do, is knock a hole in the wall, come out horizontally and
put a 'sweeping eye' on and then go straight up clipping the stainless
to the wall as you go, and then get a bricklayer to dig some foundations
out and brick round it all the way up. with a little door at the bottom
for sweeping purposes. Pop a nice pot on the top, and Robert is a relative.

Sweeping will have the soot outside the house..a better place for it.

The Natural Philosopher wrote:

What I would do, is knock a hole in the wall, come out horizontally and
put a 'sweeping eye' on and then go straight up clipping the stainless
to the wall as you go, and then get a bricklayer to dig some foundations
out and brick round it all the way up. with a little door at the bottom
for sweeping purposes. Pop a nice pot on the top, and Robert is a
relative.

It would be an interesting exercise to compare the cost of a brick chimney
with liner and ss rigigid insulated sections plus all the fixings, offset
at the eaves and cowl.

Poujolat do a mock brick chimney to disguise the ss sections. In fact the
flue could go up inside the house and still look ok in a contemporary
design.

The liner will be about 400 quid in 150mm and the sections are around 100
quid/metre.

Sweeping will have the soot outside the house..a better place for it.

Too true

AJH

andrew wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

What I would do, is knock a hole in the wall, come out horizontally and
put a 'sweeping eye' on and then go straight up clipping the stainless
to the wall as you go, and then get a bricklayer to dig some foundations
out and brick round it all the way up. with a little door at the bottom
for sweeping purposes. Pop a nice pot on the top, and Robert is a
relative.

It would be an interesting exercise to compare the cost of a brick chimney
with liner and ss rigigid insulated sections plus all the fixings, offset
at the eaves and cowl.

I am not sure that a brick chimeny with liners is legal for a stove
these days. Be interesting to hear.

I eem to remember that the double insulated thing is required to keep
flue temps up and reduce soot/tar etc build up.



Poujolat do a mock brick chimney to disguise the ss sections. In fact the
flue could go up inside the house and still look ok in a contemporary
design.

The liner will be about 400 quid in 150mm and the sections are around 100
quid/metre.
Sweeping will have the soot outside the house..a better place for it.

Too true

AJH