Plastering around fireplace

lagi

Currently redecorating a room and removed the old 70's style fireplace which used to (not by me) house a dog grate and an open fire.

I have started to get the room ready for plastering and not sure what to ask the plasterer what to do with the fireplace.

After removing the fireplace, a solid reinforced concreted tiled thing, i am back to brick from the floor to about a third up the wall.

Fireplace opening is 18.5 inches wide and either side all the way down about half a brick has been chopped facing inwards. So its slightly wider outside sloping inwards. This must have been done to sit the fireplace into.

I would like to fit an inset gas fire and new fireplace surround at some stage.

So in terms of the plasterer, do i get him to leave that exposed and plaster above or get him to plaster the front? If so what about the sloping sides?

Unfortunately i do not have the funds at the moment to get fireplace and surround, so hopefully this is a standard sort of problem.

Bexm

Hi

Thought I'd give my 2 pence as no one replied!

If it's back to brick I think you'll have to render first (we did on our fire place, but then we chipped off all the plaster and everything to make a bigger opening). Your plaster would be able to tell you though.
As for the sloping bit I don't know.. maybe get your plaster in and explain what you intend doing and he should be able to advise!

Bex

lagi

Appreciate the reply, plasterer has already seen it but to be honest hes a plasterer/tiler not a fireplace man so he only does what the customer wants.

If nobody comes up with a definitive answer, i may get the room skimmed and leave this as is, then when fire/fireplace is sourced at a later date it could be touched up, even by myself as it would only be a small part as fireplace i would guess would cover most of it.