Rebuilding chimney breasts

[Lindyboo]

We're about to move to a property where the chimney breasts and chimneys were entirely removed during an ill-thought out renovation of 20 years ago. We'd like to restore the open fires, so does anyone know 1) how difficult and/or expensive it will be to rebuild a chimney breast complete with chimney stack? 2) can a chimney breast with open fire be fitted only to a masonry wall, ie, not in front of stud partition walls?

Thanks

 

[Penners]

Building a new fireplace and chimney is not much different from any other brickwork job. And in theory a chimney could be built against any type of wall - if it's against a studwork wall it will simply have to be a four-sided structure.

Are you going to rebuild the chimney exactly as it was, or start from scratch?

If you're going to rebuild it as it was, the size of the task will depend on what remains of the old foundation, and how much rebuilding was done to the floors and roof above. If it was just patched up and the patching is quite easily removable, then it shouldn't be too huge a job.

If you're starting afresh, it's going to be a great deal easier (and cheaper) to build an external chimney against a gable end wall - and break through the existing wall at the bottom for the firehole - than it is to build an internal chimney. The latter would involve digging up floors for foundations, and would have to be cut through all the floors and the roof structure. The former has no such obstacles, other than tying into the existing building, plus a slight adjustment to the roof verges.

As regards the cost - your best bet is to get a few builders in to quote. Try to get recommendations from neighbours, to ensure you only get quotes from reliable builders with experience of your type of property.

I suspect you'll need building regs consent for this, and if your house is listed you'll definitely need listed building consent.

 

[Lindyboo]

Thanks Penners. I'd certainly hope to rebuild as the originals were. Only one fireplace would be on an external wall. The others, alas, are all internal, but the house has a solid floor which presumably(?) would get round the problem of adequate foundations.

Cheers

 

[Penners]

Sorry Lindyboo - I decided to edit my reply, and you replied to me while I was doing it!

I'm not an expert, but I doubt whether you can just build a chimney stack straight on to the floor of your house. I reckon foundations would have to be dug.

Hopefully others with more expert knowledge will comment.

 

[Lindyboo]

Ta Penners.

It occurs to me that an alternative might be to use cast iron stoves instead, but I envisage that, despite presumably needing a narrower fireproof enclosure for the flue pipes where they go through the upstairs rooms and loft space, the aesthetics of the roof would be rather spoiled by metal flues poking out the top.

Anyone out there got experience of this sort of thing?

Thanks

 

[middi]

Like Penners I am not a chimney regulation expert and the chimneys you are proposing are technically new build which SHOULD be built under the juristiction of building regs.

If you know what you are doing, the neighbours keep their trap shut and you dont tell anybody, it will probably all be fine an nobody will ever know.

Is it worth the risk just for the sake of a few quid to get permission.

 

[Lindyboo]

Thanks for raising a good point, Middi. I would certainly not wish to be in breach of any regulations and would make the necessary enquiries/payments. Not worth the worry to do it any other way, methinks.

Cheers