Removing a chimney breast from an older property is a common request we receive from homeowners who plan renovation works in their houses. However, care must be taken when planning to remove the stack and adequate support specified in the wall.
You may want to remove chimney breast from a ground floor room and this will mean that steel beam may be required. The chimney stack supporting beam may sit on an internal load-bearing wall to help transfer the weight down to the house’s foundations.
Problems can arise when the wall is too slender or not long enough to allow for an effective load spread onto the footing. However, as a team of experienced structural engineers we ensure that all aspects related to the chimney removal works are covered in our calculation report. This is to ensure structural integrity of the wall remains uncompromised once the stack has been gone.
Complying with Building Regulations
Chimney removal and support installation will need a Building Control approval. Once the structural design part is complete, a notice is served with local authority so that Building Control Officer can come and inspect that the on-site works execution has been performed in accordance with design documentation and in compliance with Building Regulations.
To ensure that your supporting plans pass inspection the first time, it can help bring in a professional team member from GL Design Services to help out and get the design work down in a timely manner.
Appointing a structural engineer
For more complex building refurbishment work that includes removing load-bearing walls, you will need to appoint a highly experienced structural engineer to assist you with your building project. Our team at GL Design Services can help with that!
It is not uncommon for Building Control to ask for a structural engineers calculation report. You will need this report to ensure your proposed building alterations will be safe and comply with the current set of Building Regulations.