Exposed Beams and fireplace

aylithuk

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137570963593049626/

I am thinking about putting on offer on a house. The link is to the current state of the living room

What is currently putting me off is

1, The dark exposed beams - think the larger beam is load bearing

2, the big fireplace and surround.

I am not looking for quote type of advice but I was wondering

a, can you over the exposed beams? to create a smooth ceiling?

b, Can someone take out the gas fireplace and tear down the surround thing that along the wall?


I'll go to rated people for quotes but if anyone has any rough ideas that would be great

Thanks

System

the link is to an ikea night stand!
but yes you can always cover up beams, just depends on whether you think the room can take a lower ceiling...

aylithuk

Opppsss

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137570963593049626/

New link lol

rustyboy21

The fireplace should be fairly straightforward to take down, It should only be facing blocks, maybe dabbed onto the wall in places. The fire itself, will need to be taken out by a qualified RG!, who works on fires. The wall will need plastering afterwards, so take the wallpaper off too.


The beams look artificial to me. They are most likely screwed into the wall and ceiling. You could try painting them the same colour as your ceiling, that will disguise them a lot, or take them out and replaster the ceiling too.


Word of warning about Rated people. My old boss advertises on there, he has all 5 star reviews. He went bust a few years ago and his shop closed down. He is working from Rated people requests. He is Hetas registered, but not gas safe. The reviews include a number of posters that have had gas fires fitted by him, even though he is not registered. He also fitted for one of my fellow fireplace shops over Christmas last year, fitting solid fuel stoves. Out of the 8 he did for them, they had to go back to 6 of them to sort them out, he refused after he was paid.


AllI am saying is do your homework first, don't just relay on a number of fake reviews on that site. Go visit your local fireplace shop. They will easily be able to take out the old fireplace, replace with a lovely new one and most likely do all the plastering for you at the same time. Don't just sit in front of a screen and think it will be the answer to all of your prayers, there are more con men on those sites than have their own physical businesses , as in shops/offices etc.

aylithuk

rustyboy21 wrote: »

The fireplace should be fairly straightforward to take down, It should only be facing blocks, maybe dabbed onto the wall in places. The fire itself, will need to be taken out by a qualified RG!, who works on fires. The wall will need plastering afterwards, so take the wallpaper off too.


The beams look artificial to me. They are most likely screwed into the wall and ceiling. You could try painting them the same colour as your ceiling, that will disguise them a lot, or take them out and replaster the ceiling too.


Word of warning about Rated people. My old boss advertises on there, he has all 5 star reviews. He went bust a few years ago and his shop closed down. He is working from Rated people requests. He is Hetas registered, but not gas safe. The reviews include a number of posters that have had gas fires fitted by him, even though he is not registered. He also fitted for one of my fellow fireplace shops over Christmas last year, fitting solid fuel stoves. Out of the 8 he did for them, they had to go back to 6 of them to sort them out, he refused after he was paid.


AllI am saying is do your homework first, don't just relay on a number of fake reviews on that site. Go visit your local fireplace shop. They will easily be able to take out the old fireplace, replace with a lovely new one and most likely do all the plastering for you at the same time. Don't just sit in front of a screen and think it will be the answer to all of your prayers, there are more con men on those sites than have their own physical businesses , as in shops/offices etc.

Thanks rustyboy21 - just what I wanted to hear

I might ask a few friends if they have any recommendations then.

Might be a silly question but would I employ a builder for most of the work expect for the fire and decorating bits?

wallbash

The beams look artificial to me. They are most likely screwed into the wall and ceiling.

Yes, and the larger beam has just been covered, likely to be a standard RSJ

Beams made of Polystyrene , stuck up with coving adhesive.

aylithuk

So if I am understanding you guys -

I could remove the smaller beams and maybe just 'box, in the standard RSJ - Kinda like this

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137570963592889261/

Or would the following be possible - boxing it in and creating an arch

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/137570963592017946/

System

why you'd ever want an arch is beyond me!! but yes, probably possible...
what age is the property? I'm not convinced that the big one is a cover up job, it would be a very strange place to have an rsj as they are usually put in where walls have been removed fairly recently, and can't see there being a wall halfway over the fire (unless the fire doesn't go into a chimney? - the others are likely to be decoration (if they were doing anything useful they'd be running perpendicular to the big beam)

aylithuk

the_r_sole wrote: »

why you'd ever want an arch is beyond me!! but yes, probably possible...
what age is the property? I'm not convinced that the big one is a cover up job, it would be a very strange place to have an rsj as they are usually put in where walls have been removed fairly recently, and can't see there being a wall halfway over the fire (unless the fire doesn't go into a chimney? - the others are likely to be decoration (if they were doing anything useful they'd be running perpendicular to the big beam)

Thanks for the information. Just throwing around ideas that if it turned out to be a RSJ (viewing is this week hopefully!) then I have a couple of options.

Its a mid terraced house

wallbash

and can't see there being a wall halfway over the fire (unless the fire doesn't go into a chimney?

Correct , the whole room is fake.
Fireplace just sits against an internal wall.
Guessing it was originally a 2 up 2 down and now has an addition to the back ( kitchen)
Rsj will be small , check up stairs , the bedrooms could be just divided by a plasterboard wall. The RSJ will be supporting the floor

OR I could be completely wrong.

rustyboy21

aylithuk wrote: »

Thanks rustyboy21 - just what I wanted to hear

I might ask a few friends if they have any recommendations then.

Might be a silly question but would I employ a builder for most of the work expect for the fire and decorating bits?

You can ask the fireplace shop, they might do the whole thing for you. One of my installers does plastering and general building work when we are not busy.


My mate, who also runs a fireplace shop in another town, also fits kitchens, CH, Bathrooms etc. He did my CH, Kitchen bathrooms and stairs for me, whilst I sodded off on holiday ! lol