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Chimney breast

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Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 12:39

Hi Guys,
We have two rooms both sharing a chimney stack in our bungalow. The stack had been removed just below roof slates before we moved in. I would like to take the stacks down but ideally one side at a time.

The attached sketch shows roughly what I can see from the loft - what do you think? Will it have a full brick separating the two sides? Will it bring the wall down?

I've done it before but they were corner breasts against a party wall so a bit different to this.

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Dave
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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Mike G » 02 Dec 2014, 13:41

It's really difficult to know what I'm looking at here. From your drawing, a wall seems to terminate at a trimmer some distance away from the chimney. That surely can't be the case. How about a few photos, or a bit of a pencil sketch?
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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 14:17

Sorry Mike - I have added a couple of pictures below and amended the sketch

Room A
Image
Room B
Image

The wall on the right of room A is a passage and the left hand wall is the exterior wall with windows for both rooms.

Does that make more sense? ;)

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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 14:29

I assume the top of the breasts are capped of and then stepped up into the smaller stack. It's not to scale just a quick jot in MS Paint :lol:
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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Mike G » 02 Dec 2014, 14:39

OK, that improved sketch helps.

From what you have shown, you can certainly take the stack down in the loft without affecting anything. The question of going below that is a bit more complicated. Often in bungalows there are long external walls, which rely on cross walls for their bracing. If you remove a chunk out of that cross wall, particularly close to the external wall as this appears to be, then you can weaken the major wall which is obviously supporting the roof. For those who thought that internal walls only had structural purpose if they are load-bearing, this could be a classic case of a little knowledge being dangerous.

So, I'm afraid that non-answer leads to the inevitable advice: get a structural engineer (or architect, maybe even a surveyor) to have a look, on site. Don't start bashing until they have given you the all-clear.

Sorry i can't be more helpful than that.
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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 14:53

Thanks Mike - that's what I was unsure of, if needs be could we still take them out and have the wall beefed up. Don't worry I ain't going to start knocking it about until I am completely sure.

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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Mike G » 02 Dec 2014, 15:32

Dave, there is almost always a way to achieve the desired result. I have no doubt you'll do this really easily here, but it is important to assess exactly what that wall is doing before you reach for a big hammer.
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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 15:44

Thanks Mike. Sound advise as always ;)

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Re: Chimney breast

Postby 9fingers » 02 Dec 2014, 20:06

I reckon it would be perfectly safe to take the stack down in the loft down to ceiling level and then you would possibly see more and any advice you get from a structural engineer should be all the better for giving them the best view you can.

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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 02 Dec 2014, 20:28

I was thinking the same Bob. The skirting area is a bit damp even though there are vents so I would like to take it to ceiling level and insulate if nothing else ;)

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Re: Chimney breast

Postby Daven » 16 Jan 2015, 12:36

Just an update - had a surveyor in to check this and he say yes :)

So looks like I need to get some new filters for the dust mask :lol:

Thanks guys

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