Possible Unsupported Chimney

Brightom

Hi All

I am looking at purchasing a property Reading UK and our surveyor has raised some concerns with the support of a removed chimney stack. The property is a typical Victorian mid terrace house where the original main chimney split in the loft space, with half proceeding through the main bedroom and the living room with the second half of the chimney running through the corner of the bathroom and the kitchen. At some point the corner chimney in the bathroom and kitchen has been removed and the surveyor is unable to see how the chimney is being supported, he also can not see any movement in the chimney structure to prove that it isn't supported. I have had a builder to look at it and he has said the same that he can’t prove it is supported and can’t say it isn’t. I feel quite happy that its going to be okay but what happens when I come to sell, is there any way I can get some one to say in writing that its okay. Is it quite normal to leave corner chimneys unsupported in older properties?

Many Thanks for any replies in advance.

olias

What have the current owners said?

Olias

Brightom

We are still waiting on infomation from the current onwners but they seem completley un awear of the missing chimney.

ormus

if it is unsupported and has been for the last 10/20/30 yrs then itll last another 50 yrs.
but no engineer is going to sign a bit of paper to say that.
any future buyer will have the same problem as you. unless you actually rip up the floor/ceiling to find out. and fix if required.

wallbash

Many years ago , removal of the chimney breasts was an easier job :eek:
The bricks are 'corbelled ' back into the wall .

Then we started to use supports , gallow brackets , now have fallen out of favour ,
now its the trusty RSJ .
I bet there are many unsupported chimney stacks around the country .
( to be honest ... I know there is at least one )
ormus sums it up well , now you have found a problem ? someone has to fix , even if its just for the paperwork.
Get a quote , use it as a bargaining tool to reduce purchase price.
Look on the bright side, if you had failed to spot the problem. bought the house
It would have been your problem .

iamcornholio

Brightom wrote: »

I feel quite happy that its going to be okay but what happens when I come to sell, is there any way I can get some one to say in writing that its okay.

At sale time, you will be exactly the same position which you are in now - ie someone like yourself may just accept it, or they may want the price reduced by a few £000 for the risk, or someone else may require a certificate from building control at the council to say that the work has been done properly - in which case you will need to apply and get this 'regularised' before they buy it

A structural engineer is the person to comment on whether the chimney is OK (via a report), but you are unlikely to get the OK unless there is proper support in place

phill99

My chimney has been removed only at ground level in the kitchen. It is unsupported and I have lived here 20 yaers and no sign of movement. I guess ir was done years ago. Its unlikely to move. We are now in a society where we are obsesssed with bits of paper and passing the buck and not wanting to accept responsibility.

Maybe just accept that if it was going to come down it would have done so by now. Is there a risk if you buy it? Yeah. is it a big risk? No. Would I lose sleep over it if I was you? No.