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Chimney Support Needed
Options
joebloggs09
Posts: 78 Forumite
HI All
Selling our property on the buyers survey it has come up with the point the chimney needs support, the property is a semi detached so makes matters abit more difficult & I do not see eye to eye with next door we are joint onto, but sure I will have to find out what the position is on their chimney, if their chimney breast has been taken out etc.
Contacted the local Council but abit vague over the phone when asking about building regs, they did state I would need a structural engineer and then council building officer would have to double check the work.
Not heard back from buyer as yet but just trying to get some info, I will have to see what the buyer & their solicitor comes back with.
Sorry for the long Read any advice would be super.
Many thanks
Selling our property on the buyers survey it has come up with the point the chimney needs support, the property is a semi detached so makes matters abit more difficult & I do not see eye to eye with next door we are joint onto, but sure I will have to find out what the position is on their chimney, if their chimney breast has been taken out etc.
Contacted the local Council but abit vague over the phone when asking about building regs, they did state I would need a structural engineer and then council building officer would have to double check the work.
Not heard back from buyer as yet but just trying to get some info, I will have to see what the buyer & their solicitor comes back with.
Sorry for the long Read any advice would be super.
Many thanks
0
Comments
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Even if you do not see eye to eye with your neighbour with whom you share a party wall and have discovered that the chimney is not adequately supported, it would be in both yourself and your neighbours to get this fixed. An unsupported chimney is an unsafe chimney for both sides of the party wall.
You generally have 3 possible options when it comes to unsupported a chimneys:
1. Use gallows brackets support. Most councils allow the use of gallows brackets however there are certain conditions which must be met including: the condition of the brickwork. whether or not gallows brackets have been used on the other side of the party wall and more..
2. Use RSJ support. This may cost a little more than gallows brackets support but is the only option in some cases.
3. Remove the entire chimney. (of course, this is only an option if you are not sharing a chimney or if your neighbour agrees to remove the chimney)
With regards to building regulations. You should always get approval from the council before doing any work and should also have the work inspection upon completion the ensure that the support meets the local councils building regulations.
Failing to support a chimney or get the work inspected could lead to problems if you plan on selling your house in the future.0 -
Whatever your relationship wih next door, you'll need to become familiar with the Party Wall Act.0
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Did you remove the chimney breast? If not and it was done by a previous owner how long have you been in residence? If the house is quite old it is possible the (chimney) breast was removed at a time before inspections and Building Regs approval was needed.
This is quite a common thing in older properties. The usual response would be the chimney breast was not in place in when we purchased the property in (insert date) we have no knowledge as to when it was removed. Over that time we have had no problems with it (provided this is truthful of course). If the buyer wishes to make further enquiries then they should instruct their own structural surveyor.
To be honest mate to try and get retrospective buildings approval for something like this you are opening a can of worms.0 -
Silly Me. Just noticed this thread has been resurrected from 2 years ago by what looks like a vested interest.
Anyway to counter what has been suggested I hope my info proves useful to someone in the future in a similar situation.0
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