1930's Semi with no chimney breast?

Michelle_Louise

Hi

Im in the middle of purchasing a 1930's 3 bed semi, I love the house but there is one non deal breaking niggle i have is that none of the rooms have a chimney breast. After looking on rightmove at houses sold in the same street most don't seem to have one either. There is a chimney stack and a store cupboard in the back bedroom into what would be an alcove but apart from that it seems as though there isn't one. From experience has anyone ever come across this and been able to knock back the brick and create one? This isn't the house but one from the road with pictures..http://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=23515211&sale=12427991&country=england

Thanks

Kiran

Do you mean that there is a stack but no opening for a fire place?

MX5huggy

Typically the chimney breast is removed, not as I think your thinking the alcoves filled in. So you can't "knock back" you would have to build one.

If it was just for show it would be cheap and easy to build a stud frame and cover it plasterboard.

If you wanted a proper chimney for a fire then it would be more complicated.

A bigger concern would be what is holding up any chimney breast in the 1st floor or the chimney in the loft? get your surveyor to specifically address this point.

Michelle_Louise

The back bedroom would suggest it is possible though as there are fireplaces in situ but its all just flush with the wall. The back bedroom has a door where one of the alcoves would normally be in house and its a little alcove space that houses the boiler so that wouldn't suggest its been removed?

Kiran

Ah ok, I see what you mean. If its just a plasterboard wall then it could be removed. Some 1930s properties have the alcoves filled in to give a flat wall to put a bed against. If you go back to the property, tap the walls, if they sound hollow either side of the chimney breast then it is just a stud partition filling in the space

beaker141

I've spent the last few years trying to remove the chimneys from my 1930's semi!

I see no function in having them and I'd rather have the floorspace and flat walls for flexibility.

Our house had a chimney in the usual space int he front room, ie on the party wall, the second chimney was within the middle wall of the house, between the back room and the kitchen and the bedroom and the bathroom.

Interestingly, you could see once it was dismantled that the ground floor fireplace used to be open on both sides, to the lounge and the kitchen/breakfast area.

Michelle_Louise

From the last visit we had to the house we gave the walls a knock and they felt like brick which would sound about right if the rest of the road has the same design.

The reason for wanting the chimney breast is just a character feature for me really. Its a 30's house and has other typical features with it which ive always wanted apart from this so i just feel a little cheated ;-)

Kiran

If its just the feature then the suggestion above about stud construction is spot on for what you are after.

Michelle_Louise

Not sure this would work with a log burner being installed?

Gloomendoom

Michelle_Louise wrote: »

Not sure this would work with a log burner being installed?

Quite apart from the chimney breast, that house looks like it is in a smoke control area so you could burn smokeless fuel but not logs unless in DEFRA approved stove.

http://www.wirral.gov.uk/downloads/927
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olly300

I currently live in a 1950s property which has no chimney breasts but did have fireplaces until I covered them up.

The fire places were built into the middle of the walls of the room. In the front room there are no alcoves in the front room either side. The walls are definitely not plasterboard.

In the master bedroom there are alcoves which has a fitted wardrobe on one-side and shelving on the other.

If it wasn't for the air bricks in the walls you wouldn't know fireplaces had been there.

I also live in a smoke control area so decided there was no point having fireplaces especially as the previous vendors had ripped out the original ones and left monstrosities.

One of my neighbours has the originals but they are purely decorative.