Building Regulations Needed?

sho_me_da_money

Hi MSE members,
I am having my chimney stack and both breasts (first and ground floor) being removed and the contractor has advised me that I do not require building regulations as 1) The Chimney is standalone and independent and does not share the structure down a party wall and 2) The entire top-to-bottom is being removed and when the whole Chimney is going, regs are not needed.

Can anyone advise the accuracy of this please?

FreeBear

sho_me_da_money said:

Hi MSE members,
I am having my chimney stack and both breasts (first and ground floor) being removed and the contractor has advised me that I do not require building regulations as 1) The Chimney is standalone and independent and does not share the structure down a party wall and 2) The entire top-to-bottom is being removed and when the whole Chimney is going, regs are not needed.

Can anyone advise the accuracy of this please?

It is a material change to the structure of the building. A chimney stack could be providing lateral support to the walls and be an integral part of the structure. It is your responsibility to ensure any work carried out is compliant, and you should not be trusting any contractor that says otherwise - It is you the council will prosecute if things go pear shaped - Find yourself a reputable building firm and a structural engineer.

Soot2006

I was advised the same and I went ahead with the job. When I sold the house, 8 or 9 years later, I quickly found out that the job DID require BC. Thankfully our buyers accepted their surveyor's opinion (+ an indemnity policy that wouldn't have helped if the ceiling fell on them/floor disappeared from under them), but my lesson was learned!

sho_me_da_money

Can the work be done and the BC/BR be sought after completion?

FreeBear

sho_me_da_money said: Can the work be done and the BC/BR be sought after completion?

No. You need to involve Building Control before starting any work. They will advise as to what structural engineers reports are required (if any).

WaywardDriver

Post-work you can apply for BC regularisation with the risk that additional work is required.
But better pre-work as BC is effectively on your side and will ensure the builder doesn't take shortcuts. 

Ectophile

sho_me_da_money said:

Hi MSE members,
I am having my chimney stack and both breasts (first and ground floor) being removed and the contractor has advised me that I do not require building regulations as 1) The Chimney is standalone and independent and does not share the structure down a party wall and 2) The entire top-to-bottom is being removed and when the whole Chimney is going, regs are not needed.

Can anyone advise the accuracy of this please?

I think what they really mean is that they don't want Building Control looking at what they are doing.

sho_me_da_money

Soot2006 said:

I was advised the same and I went ahead with the job. When I sold the house, 8 or 9 years later, I quickly found out that the job DID require BC. Thankfully our buyers accepted their surveyor's opinion (+ an indemnity policy that wouldn't have helped if the ceiling fell on them/floor disappeared from under them), but my lesson was learned!

Hi Soot, what work did you have done in your property? Did you remove the Chimney stack only or go right from the top all the way to the bottom?

I spoke to the contractor yesterday and he is telling me that I am being misguided here. He said he has been doing this for over 20.years and that Building Regulations are NOT required when removing the entire thing top to to bottom (chimney stack, breast 1 on top floor and breast 2 on ground floor). 

He mentioned that if this was a partial removal i.e. Chimney stack ONLY or Breast 1/2 ONLY then building regs would be needed with a structural engineer but because it's the entire thing top to bottom. He said not needed.

Really confused now but Soot your feedback from the question I posed would help.

Thank you

ElephantBoy57

sho_me_da_money said:

I spoke to the contractor yesterday and he is telling me that I am being misguided here. He said he has been doing this for over 20.years and that Building Regulations are NOT required when removing the entire thing top to to bottom (chimney stack, breast 1 on top floor and breast 2 on ground floor).
Really confused now but Soot your feedback from the question I posed would help.

You could just get in contact with your local council and ask them?

It may cost you an extra £400/£500 on top of the building work.

troffasky

At least one LA agrees with your builder:

https://www.thurrock.gov.uk/building-control-for-residential-alterations/internal-alterations

"Total removal of chimney breast and stack: No"

but as others have said, the chimney breast might be providing needed lateral restraint to the wall.

https://www.labc.co.uk/news/how-to-get-it-right-removing-chimney-right-way-video-showing-wrong-way

"If the entire chimney is removed it is essential to take professional advice to determine the structural implications"

Presumably your builder is the professional in this instance. If in doubt, separately employ a structural engineer to give an opinion.

Soot2006

sho_me_da_money said:

Soot2006 said:

I was advised the same and I went ahead with the job. When I sold the house, 8 or 9 years later, I quickly found out that the job DID require BC. Thankfully our buyers accepted their surveyor's opinion (+ an indemnity policy that wouldn't have helped if the ceiling fell on them/floor disappeared from under them), but my lesson was learned!

Hi Soot, what work did you have done in your property? Did you remove the Chimney stack only or go right from the top all the way to the bottom?

I spoke to the contractor yesterday and he is telling me that I am being misguided here. He said he has been doing this for over 20.years and that Building Regulations are NOT required when removing the entire thing top to to bottom (chimney stack, breast 1 on top floor and breast 2 on ground floor). 

He mentioned that if this was a partial removal i.e. Chimney stack ONLY or Breast 1/2 ONLY then building regs would be needed with a structural engineer but because it's the entire thing top to bottom. He said not needed.

Really confused now but Soot your feedback from the question I posed would help.

Thank you

I had the whole thing removed from the middle of my house.     It was pre-easy Internet days and I didn't do my research so I believed my builder. My council does require building regulations even for removal of the whole thing.  Maybe it depends on the area?

ETA: I see from later replies it does seem to depend on where you are, so worth a call to the council or a trawl through their webpages.