Removing half chimney breast

project_c

Looking into my options for removing part of a chimney breast without having to remove the whole thing.

Our chimney is no longer in use, on one side we have a fireplace upstairs, and a kitchen below. The kitchen currently has a cupboard built into the chimney breast. I would like to get rid of cupboard, remove just the bottom half of the chimney breast in the kitchen and leave the top part alone (as well as leaving the whole upstairs alone), and then put an oven under it, and an extractor fan within the existing chimney breast. (see pic for an idea).

Does anyone know if I need a structural engineer and council permission for a job like this?

macman

It's structural work, so you'll need Building Regs approval from your LA. And a Party Wall Agreement if the chimney is on a party wall.
The remaining masonry must be adequately supported or it could come down, which would make a considerable hole in your nice new oven...

project_c

macman wrote: »

It's structural work, so you'll need Building Regs approval from your LA. And a Party Wall Agreement if the chimney is on a party wall.
The remaining masonry must be adequately supported or it could come down, which would make a considerable hole in your nice new oven...

Thanks for the reply - I knew this to be the case if we wanted to remove the whole chimney breast in the kitchen, but I was not sure if it still applied if we are just chopping the bottom bit off but essentially leaving most of it alone.

I know about the importance of installing adequate support either way - I would be much happier if my house didn't fall down for the sake of a pretty new oven...

EconomicsGirl

We had work done on a chimney breast and needed building regs approval from local council and party wall agreement as on wall with neighbours, believe you will need this even for part removal.

If you part remove it you will need it supported and needs to be done professionally as otherwise the rest of the chimney could come crashing down. We got a chimney building specialist.

The previous people in our house took out the chimney breast and didn't get it supported and then they couldn't sell the house to anyone but cash buyers. We bought it and got chimney and fireplace reinstated but it was very close as to the ceiling collapsing. Thankfully it didn't but we had a couple of nights in a hotel as the builders thought the kids bedroom might end up in the living room. Very exciting for kids but not recommended. :eek:

Wookey

There is most likely concrete lintels of some sort built into the chimney breast to span the opening, if you remove the brickwork below these then they are effectively carrying nothing and this is likely to lead to a lot of the chimney breast collapsing, this is turn can have a pulling effect on the wall that the chimney breast is located/tied in against. A simple phone call to your local planning or building control should let you know where you stand with regard to local authority controls/permission.

It should be possible to get steel columns/beam put in place of sufficient strength and size that can be hidden by some clever kitchen designing around the new oven/range. This would need sound foundation/footings in place.

-taff

In your picture, judging by the way the worktops are cut, thse pillars either side of the coooker at the top are the supports for the lintel and go all the way down.I don't think you need planning permission for that, it's essentially the same work that would have to be done to install a woodburner, except of course, yours is a cooker. [and emphasising that the supporting brickwork pillars reach the ground]

cyclonebri1

the 2 side walls of the original chimney are exposed, you are using them in your kitchen.

Above that, likely in the floor void under the upper storey, ther should be a lintel, steel or masonry that supports the top deck chim breast.

You can safely remove UP to that point, if the lintel is lower than the kitchen ceiling height it needs supporting to enable it to be raised higher.

Won't get into planning/building regs disc as I go my own way.