Removal of external chimney breast

Chickereeeee

Has anybody had an 'external chimney breast' (I.e. one that sticks out of an external wall, interior wall is flat) removed?

I have one which narrows the adjacent drive, and it would be easier if it was not there. Chimney stack  has been removed to loft level.

I am just seeking cost estimates, problems/issues/things to concider. Also, of it is a thing often done.

gwynlas

You would need a structural engineers survy as depending on how it knits into the house what removal would mean to the integrity of the wall. It might be acting as a buttress

stuart45

How old is the house? Has it got cavity or solid.walls, and are they face brickwork or rendered?

Chickereeeee

stuart45 said:

How old is the house? Has it got cavity or solid.walls, and are they face brickwork or rendered?

1926, cavity, rendered. I may add ewi to the wall if I do this anyway.

I very much doubt it is acting as a buttress, due to construction, but worth keeping in mind.

There are two flues in the breastwork, serving ground and first floors.

stuart45

I've built external and internal chimneys, and removed internal ones, but never removed an external one. I don't see why it probably can't be done. 
You might have to dig a new foundation for the new walls at the base.
Your chimney possibly starts off as the first diagram, and changes to the second as it goes up. The layout is a bit more complex having another fireplace above.

ThisIsWeird

Is it an original feature, Chickie? Other similar houses  in the 'hood have them?

Chickereeeee

ThisIsWeird said:

Is it an original feature, Chickie? Other similar houses  in the 'hood have them?

Yes and yes.

Chickereeeee

stuart45 said:

I've built external and internal chimneys, and removed internal ones, but never removed an external one. I don't see why it probably can't be done. 
You might have to dig a new foundation for the new walls at the base.
Your chimney possibly starts off as the first diagram, and changes to the second as it goes up. The layout is a bit more complex having another fireplace above.

No, the cavity stops either side of the breastwork, on ground and first floors.

N.B. if anybody can tell me what the proper name for the construction within which the flues run up the outside of a house, I would be grateful (I have called it an 'external chimney breast', above). Is it just part of the chimney stack?

stuart45

It's an external chimney breast as you've correctly called it. The stack is the part of the chimney that is above the roof line. The chimney breast, stack and flue are all parts of the chimney.