We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Exposing original "Builders Opening" fireplace for stove - party wall issue?
geordiedave1981
Posts: 1 Newbie
Hi all,
Long time lurker, first time poster.
We are just about to complete on our first major house purchase (both previously owned flats) and so have never been involved in any significant building work before. There are a few things we want to do to the property so this site has been invaluable for information, but there is one thing I cannot seem to find a definitive answer for.
The house is a 1930s Semi-Detatched. The back room and front room sit alongside the party wall with the next-door neighbour. Both rooms have a large chimney breast leading to a shared chimney (separate flues). We are keen to install a high-efficiency DEFRA-exempt wood-burning stove in the back room. The chimney is patent and just needs a good scrub and clean out.
The fireplace is currently quite shallow and has a panel across it, but the current owner believes that there is only a small layer of bricks behind which the existing "Builders Opening" fireplace exists. However, we would have to have this knocked back and sideways into the chimney breast to expose this, and potentially have a new lintel laid. Not massive amounts, but certainly a good few bricks exposed and removed.
My query is this - as the chimney breast backs onto the party wall, do I need to get a party wall agreement to have this work undertaken? Obviously we will not be interfering with the wall itself, simply the chimney breast attached to it to reveal the original builders opening and nothing will be removed/attached/inserted to the actual party wall structure. But it appears unclear from what I read whether this infringe on party wall rights, given that the chimney breast is in my own home, but obviously interacts with the party wall.
We will of course discuss plans with our new neighbours before we do it, we just didn't want our first encounters with them to spook them with party wall agreements and surveys!
Any help greatly appreciated :-)
Long time lurker, first time poster.
We are just about to complete on our first major house purchase (both previously owned flats) and so have never been involved in any significant building work before. There are a few things we want to do to the property so this site has been invaluable for information, but there is one thing I cannot seem to find a definitive answer for.
The house is a 1930s Semi-Detatched. The back room and front room sit alongside the party wall with the next-door neighbour. Both rooms have a large chimney breast leading to a shared chimney (separate flues). We are keen to install a high-efficiency DEFRA-exempt wood-burning stove in the back room. The chimney is patent and just needs a good scrub and clean out.
The fireplace is currently quite shallow and has a panel across it, but the current owner believes that there is only a small layer of bricks behind which the existing "Builders Opening" fireplace exists. However, we would have to have this knocked back and sideways into the chimney breast to expose this, and potentially have a new lintel laid. Not massive amounts, but certainly a good few bricks exposed and removed.
My query is this - as the chimney breast backs onto the party wall, do I need to get a party wall agreement to have this work undertaken? Obviously we will not be interfering with the wall itself, simply the chimney breast attached to it to reveal the original builders opening and nothing will be removed/attached/inserted to the actual party wall structure. But it appears unclear from what I read whether this infringe on party wall rights, given that the chimney breast is in my own home, but obviously interacts with the party wall.
We will of course discuss plans with our new neighbours before we do it, we just didn't want our first encounters with them to spook them with party wall agreements and surveys!
Any help greatly appreciated :-)
0
Comments
-
I have done this, opened up the old fireplace to the builder opening. I didn't do anything around the party wall - however doesn't mean I wasn't supposed to.0
-
Not a party wall issue. Party wall is only applicable if adding to or chipping away from the actual party wall. You're not touching it.Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 351.8K Banking & Borrowing
- 253.4K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 454K Spending & Discounts
- 244.8K Work, Benefits & Business
- 600.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 177.3K Life & Family
- 258.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.2K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards