Opening up fireplace - regs/planning?

[ellal]

We want to open up our fireplace to either put in a built in oven or a gas hob and built under oven.

Are there regs or planning required - either for the fireplace strengthening or putting in an oven/hob/extractor?

In addition it is a semi, and it is on the party wall. Do we need a party wall agreement if the only work is on the chimney breast itself not the actual party wall (apart from tiling)?

Measurements for the built in oven option:

View media item 81163
Measurements for the hob/oven option:

View media item 81164

 

[tony1851]

Planning is not an issue (assuming the house is not listed).

As it's a structural alteration, a Building Regs notification is required, but why bother - who's going to know?

Similar with the PWA; it would apply here, but don't get involved unless you want to spend £££ for a worthless bit of paper..

Just get on with the job and save yourself a shed load of money.

 

[ellal]

As it's a structural alteration, a Building Regs notification is required, but why bother - who's going to know?

What about at selling time?

 

[tony1851]

If you come to sell, you write on the solicitor's form that you did this structural alteration without bothering to get any statutory approvals, nor structural calculations or anything like that.
Also that you employed a cowboy builder, and that you hope it won't collapse on the new buyer..........

Alternatively, when filling in the form, you might by then have forgotten all about this minor alteration.

 

[jamesnewhere]

I think it's better to remove all of that chimney breast,it will give you more scope when installing your new appliances/units.
Worth spending the extra cash,believe me.

A job done correctly should increase your properties value.
A job done incorrectly will always devalue your property.

When you come to sell,well you will need to fill in this form.

Law society property information form AT6. find a specimen form via google.

Telling fib's on the above form is easy but be aware you have signed a legal document and could be sued for compensation.

But if the alteration was done before you moved in,well that's a different matter

 

[tony1851]

But if the alteration was done before you moved in,well that's a different matter

Precisely.

 

[saladdays]

The maximum possible width of the opening is likely to be 4 bricks or 914mm. This assumes that your chimney breast is 6 bricks or 1372mm wide.