Will removing my fireplace devalue the house?

hethmar

Why cant you leave the fire in and just put the tv up where you want?

blizeH

Hmm, well a 50" or above TV would look a bit silly cramped in either side of the fire place I think

Norma_Desmond

Looking at your photo. the fireplace doesn't seem that big or intrusive.
If it makes you feel any better both my fireplaces are 10 foot wide solid stone

Seriously tho' yours seems low enough to hang a TV above as it stands if that's what you want?

blizeH

10 foot wide stone fireplace! Nice!

But yeah I was thinking of hanging the TV above it, but it's a bit too high maybe, I don't really like when a TV is so high you have to tilt your head up a lot to see it.

I'm also not sure you could ever use a fireplace, with a TV right above it? The heat etc?

Thinking MAYBE of getting one of those 'low profile' (god knows if that's the right term) fireplaces where it is now, and a big (50" or above) TV where it is in that picture, on the same angle, and it wouldn't look so silly?

goggle

I think the fireplace is reallynice and makes a lovely focal point to the room - a house with no fireplace but a stupidly sized TV on the wall wouldn't appeal to me at all. If that's what you want to do, be aware that you may need to replace the fireplace to sell the house (and of course check that the wall is strong enough to support your humongous tv!)

blizeH

Thanks goggle, I think you're right! Just to many decisions with a house, but this living room is giving me the most grief. Even if I decide to keep a fire place I have to chose whether to keep that one, or get another, argh! Maybe I could try painting it, god knows

wallbash

Sorry , but after looking at photo , its not 'really' a fire place , i,e one with a chimney breast etc. Its a gas fire . With a cheap surround .

Sorry this is starting like an insult ( please don't take it personally)

There is a problem , ref , floor if hearth is removed , but I cant really think that the capping off of the gas, ripping out mantle piece and surround ( that bit do your self)
Small piece of plaster work going to be expensive.

House is 12 years old . Any one expecting roaring wood fires is going to be dissapointed

hethmar

I cant see why you are now worrying about heat from the gas fire when you obviously wasnt going to use it if you were removing it were you?

You are getting too wound up by something which really has a simple solution. A tv can be removed much easier than a fireplace.


Gawd, I just looked at your photo again and that is one small room isnt it! Are you sure the tv you plan isnt going to be too big for the room anyway and how far can you sit back from it - wont you get a headache that near to such a large screen?

wallbash

Has blizeH stated the size of new screen ? I know the height ( not high ) was mentioned .

Slightly OT , i was thinking of a new tv , but I have a room 13 ft wide , looking at 40/42 inch
I have a chimney breast, but its an exterior one. allowing a flat ( interior ) wall.
So my plan is to hang the tv fairly low , underneath would have recessed shelf for the
cable Box and dvd box.

Some where there is a formula for optimum viewing distance.

blizeH

The room is about 17' by 12', it is small for a living room but for a first time buyer at 24, it's enough for me :P

To be fair my parents have two living rooms, one about the same size as mine, and the other is huge, but the smaller one gets a lot more use as it's 'cosier'. So it didn't put me off the house!

wallbash I don't think there is an optimum. I have 2x24" monitors sat next to each other and considering how far away I sit at my desk, it's fine, not a problem at all - even in a small living room, you can pull off a huge TV. My mate's living room is a lot smaller than mine and he had a 56" TV! Anyone who says the TV is too big is probably old and will have different views to yourself.