Chimney disaster - help!

[92lk]

So, the story begins thusly:

The previous owner had a hideous, decorative fireplace built around the chimney breast. We wanted rid of it. Problem is, once we started removing brickwork from the sides, we noticed that the flue and chimney were filled with sometimes-loose, sometimes-cemented brick bits of all shapes and sizes. Further investigation seems to suggest that the front part of the assumed-decorative chimney breast is actually half underneath where the original front face of the chimney was and is therefore loadbearing.

See the pics attached. Should I be worried, or really, really afraid?

 

[RussTaylor]

Can't see any pics ...

 

[stuart45]

Look on his profile.

 

[RussTaylor]

Interesting bodge!

I suppose the important bit we need to see is at the top, you say it's "half under" so you think the original front face of the stack was replaced with these newer red bricks, and they're half under the original bricks from upstairs at the top?

At the base, on the original brickwork at the back, there doesn't appear to be any bricks tieing in the sides/front, is that as it appears? The original constuction looks odd to me as well

 

[Steve]

Is it me or is that breast actually set out into the room? It looks like theres a space behind it to the left and right (where the cylinder is) - or has a wall been removed at some point, leaving the chimney in the middle of the room?

Also, the bricks look "shiny", is it the case that someone has actually tiled the bricks directly, or used brick slips?

I think it is normal for chimneys to actually be filled in with all kinds of rubbish once the outer breast wall and the inner flue have been constructed.

 

[92lk]

Hello all,

Thanks a lot for your comments - I've only just had a chance to log on again. I've done a quick and dirty drawing. Steve - you're right the original back wall is kind of inside the room. I'm not sure what you mean about shiny, the bit right around the fireplace was tiled (badly). Thanks for the point that it's normal to have junk around the flue - that really scared us initially!

Russ, I think you're right - they replace the old front with a new front half underneath the stack. In terms of the sides, the chimney is set out from the wall, so the sides are in front of the original brickwork rather than going back to the house wall (I hope). So what you see in the pics - that's all there is.

Hopefully, a brickie will be coming over tomorrow. Maybe he'll shed light on the whole affair. I'll let you know!

Do you have any ideas for how to salvage this mess? And hopefuly end up with a nice wood burner to heat up the place?