Chimney breast removal

salad17

Hey guys,

Attempting to remove the bulk of our chimney breast. Have pulled out fireplace and back boiler (see photo)

What I want is to leave the edges of the breast but clear out the middle back as far as the wall, and put shelving in between the 2 remaining edges. Does that make sense?

So essentially as if I'm digging out a massive fireplace, almost up to the ceiling but shelves are going in instead.

I'm assuming I would need to put in a new lintel or gallow braces by the top. Would leave about 10cm width of breast on each side.

Is this a job I can do myself with little experience?

How would I go about supporting the structure while adding new lintel?

Thanks!

antiskeptic

salad17 wrote: »

Hey guys,

Attempting to remove the bulk of our chimney breast. Have pulled out fireplace and back boiler (see photo)

What I want is to leave the edges of the breast but clear out the middle back as far as the wall, and put shelving in between the 2 remaining edges. Does that make sense?

So essentially as if I'm digging out a massive fireplace, almost up to the ceiling but shelves are going in instead.

I'm assuming I would need to put in a new lintel or gallow braces by the top. Would leave about 10cm width of breast on each side.

Is this a job I can do myself with little experience?

How would I go about supporting the structure while adding new lintel?

Thanks!

Its not really possible, on an online forum, to say whether it's safe to remove that amount of structure. Is it brick or mass concrete, whats the condition of the wall your planning on leaving behind (on which all will rest), what is the wall your planning on leaving behind standing on under the floor - is it sound?

You seem to be wanting to remove the face of the chimney breast (immediately to either side of the ope you've made). I'll assume this is also structural - it generally is.


As it is your & your neighbour's fireplace opes represent small, low opening in the rectangular structure making up your chimney stack (try visualise this simply as the stack alone, with no surrounding house attached to it). No issue there.

What you propose to do is to remove a large amount of the structure. There is a problem with the width of it, removing the face wall if structural. Another problem arises with the height of it. The higher this 100mm wall goes, as you chop away structure, the more spindly the leg on which all above rests. Long, spindly legs is not something you want tonnes of masonary resting on it

At least not without someone, who can properly assess things, having a looksee. They're called structural engineers and it'd prob cost you 450 odd quid to have them check it out and advice you on how to adequately support things - assuming that's possible.

Calahonda52

The most dangerous DIY idea I have come across on boards.

Thread needs to be closed IMO

Sleeper12

Calahonda52 wrote:

The most dangerous DIY idea I have come across on boards.

Would a structural engineer be required before any work carried out or would a good builder be good enough in your opinion?

delly

I'm closing this thread due to the nature of the query being well beyond what I consider casual DIY. I would hate for advice given here to result in a structural issue.