Fireplace alterations

[boyesey]

I have a narrow (3') wide chimney breast in my dining room.
The fireplace is a dodgy affair consisting of two wonky brick walls about 4'6" apart with a thin steel beam between them that is supporting the chimney (up the above 3 storeys).

I would like to narrow the fireplace and put a reclaimed fire surround on the front. To do this I would need to build two new walls inside the existing ones and then demolish the existing walls. I have done a small amount of messing about with mortar and bricks before but nothing designed to support any weight.

Would anyone recommend this as a DIY job????

 

[masona]

Fireplace's have strict rules and regulations,best to get advice from your local fireplace shop.

 

[boyesey]

The fireplace is not going to be used. We are just putting a dummy fire surround on the front to make it look more of a feature rather than just a bare chimney breast. The chinmey is actually used by a log burner on the other side of the wall with the flue pipe coming through the wall higher up.

 

[masona]

I can't tell you without looking at it.I would strongly advise you to get a structure survey from a surveyor before you knock anything down.

 

[GwaiLo]

It is difficult to understand what you are proposing without seeing a drawing.

I think you are talking about taking the existing side walls of the chimney breast out and building a narrower chimney breast. If so you should not attempt it without getting professional advice from a building surveyor.

All structural alterations (and this sounds structural to me) require building regulations consent anyway, so unless you know how to do structural calculations you'll need some help.

If you live in a terraced or semi detached house and the chimney attaches to the party wall then the Party Wall Etc Act 1996 may also apply. So again you will need advice from a building surveyor.

Bottom line....get yourself a building surveyor.