I’ve just had the chimney removed from the living room and a small portion from one of the bedrooms- Only part left is in the loft, builder couldn’t use Gallows brackets as stack was in the centre of the loft. I was away for a few days whilst the work was carried out and came back to this-
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I’ve googled it but nothing definitive, any experienced builders shed any light whether this is correct? My my untrained eye it looks like a complete bodge, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by Rob153; 12th January 2020 at 13:36.
Building reg's approval is needed for that kind of work - does the local inspector have a view?
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Apparently it wasn’t needed- I’ve known the Builder for a number of years and I’m beginning to wonder......Originally Posted by Chris_in_the_UK
Sorry to sound dim but is that 6x2 meant to be holding up the existing stack?
No expert but shouldn’t chimneys be removed from the top down ?
looks like a lot of weight above your head not adequately supported.
A five second google search throws up this link;
https://resi.co.uk/advice/building-r...himney-removal
Your photographs aren’t clear enough to see much beyond some 4x2 framing around the chimney breast. Please tell me that your builder hasn’t removed the brickwork below and has supported the remainder on the timber framing?
Thats how Im reading it!
Cheers..
Jase
Yes timber frame into the stack itself, then just screwed into the roof supporting joists( hasn’t even used hangers) by the sound of it serves me right for trusting him!
Had this work done a few Months ago- hadn’t had to go into the loft until now, naively I didn’t go straight away to check his work, put trust in a mate etc...
OMG what a mess you have as i see it two main problems
1 get the work done properly
2 sort out the regs as if nothing else if you ever decide to sell without them you will have a major headache
I FEEL LIKE I'M DIAGONALLY PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE
https://resi.co.uk/advice/building-r...himney-removal
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
I would suggest your builder installs some acrow props underneath the remaining chimney to buy you some time until either the rest of the chimney is taken down or a permanent support solution designed and installed.
This will not be pretty as the acrows will need to be founded on something solid but at least will provide the necessary temporary support and keep things safe and stable in the short term.
Your builder should be capable of doing this if not get another builder to provide.
It will buy you the time you need, if done properly.
Good luck
Thanks everyone again- scary haw Blaise he was/is- spoken to a couple of friends ( not associated with the builder) been put in touch with a structural Engineer who’ll come and inspect. At least then I’ll have a plan of action so to speak.
When the chimney on my house was removed it came down from the top to bottom,the pictures seems to show the structure is being supported by a 4x2 frame.If it is ,keep well away.
It looks like the weight of the chimney is being supported by the screws which go through the wooden beams into the actual chimney??? Recipe for disaster if that's the case. As said, remove chimney from top down and patch the roof, or adequately support the chimney from underneath if it has to be left in place. A ton or so of chimney on a few screws and friction???
Points all taken, thanks- I pride myself on being pretty savvy, trust has been my problem this time.
Anyone know how it should of been done? Can’t use Gallow brackets etc... as the stack is in the centre of the loft.
I would make sure Building Control are involved in the final solution - as Mart has already alluded to.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Take the bit above roof down complete (and the remaining bit in the loft), insert some felt and battens then tile over it. Sorted !!
How is that even supported? Unless there’s something behind the frame going into the stack that we can’t see?
Nothing supporting the frame- screwed through the frame into the stack.
Dont pay them. that a right balls up, in no way complies,is adequate or safe.I’ve just had the chimney removed from the living room and a small portion from one of the bedrooms- Only part left is in the loft, builder couldn’t use Gallows brackets as stack was in the centre of the loft. I was away for a few days whilst the work was carried out and came back to this-
[IMG]
I’ve googled it but nothing definitive, any experienced builders shed any light whether this is correct? My my untrained eye it looks like a complete bodge, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Already been paid- only did it upfront as he is/was supposedly a good friend.
Again thanks for the replies- I’ll def get Building Control involves and see what they have to say.
Good news! Hopefully, he sticks to his word in a timely manner.
TBH- I didn't know how the conversation was going to go, I've known him a long time but he still could of 'washed his hands of it' so to speak, no BS he just came clean- Mistakes do happen, its inevitable in any business, just how you deal with it hat counts.
O dear, for the removal of chimney stack means must be demonstrated on how to support any remaining structure and calculated to the satisfaction of the local authority Building control and submitted for there approval and inspection will be carried out to ensure that the works are of the correct execution and to the proposed specification.
This is to protect customers from unscrupulous contractors or unqualified part timers earning a few quid cash on the side.
He is either
Unqualified
A thickoid
Or not your mate
Last edited by MCFastybloke; 12th January 2020 at 18:04.
Prob all three at the moment!
I'd think you'd be looking at a steel beam, no? I think that is often what is required if gallows brackets cannot be used. Perhaps I'm being dramatic, but I'm not sure I'd even want to be in the house until that work had been assessed by building regs.
Don't forget unless you're in a detached house you will probably need (have needed) a party wall agreement.
Shame that it seems like you've been done over but better to find out on a chimney breast than a double height rear extension etc. At least you know now and it's only this although not ideal.
Thing is I have seen first hand, new builds, big extensions that he’s carried out and all been first rate builds. I’m know thinking has he just subbed out the job and got someone else in to do it. As he was a friend he had the keys and got the job done, I was always at work etc... so didn’t even get to see the builders.
He’s coming over next week to go through it so we’ll see.
Good news indeed.
I have had chimneys removed in past where the stack says on the roof outside and part of the stack in the loft. But it does need a solid support which yours perhaps doesn't have.
Having said that there must be some support or it would have fell on your head by now!
Building control the way to go. You can get the approval retrospectively and I believe it is called a regularisation certificate. May cost about £300.
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Thanks for the heads up.
The only support I can see is the supports screwed into the roof joists either end by screws and screws going into the stack direct.
Why wasn't the whole stack removed?
Probably because of planning / local conservation regs etc the chimney stack must still be visible from the outside.
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There is a fair bit of weight, held up by not much.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
That’s a cowboy job and a half!! I’d be getting your ‘mate’ back ASAP to get that all taken down!
He may think it’s fine, but imagine you have a small fire in your house, that chimney is coming crashing down on top of the firefighters heads! Such a lazy ass job!!!
Again thanks for all the comments- I guessed half as much when I looked at it, more annoying/upsetting it’s a mate that supposedly done the work for me, we live and learn.......
The chimney stack seems to continue down below the new wooden supports by at least a couple of feet, what is holding this up or is there some part of the Chimney still left in the rooms below? It looks like the new supports are designed to stabilise the chimney to stop it from toppling over, rather that to carry the full weight.
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It does- I had the breast removed from the living room and then a portion from one of the bedrooms. Not actually sure what the Breast is now sitting on.
If the chimney masonry is unsupported, then you have an issue which needs to be sorted.
If the timber frame is not required for the structural support of the vertical load from the chimney, then it may not be as bad as those photos initially imply.
I was under the impression from the photos that everything below the loft level had been removed, so the timber was supporting the remainder of the chimney masonry, so my apologies if I have misunderstood.
Just had a conversation with him and he reckons that only part of the chimney has been removed below loft level but won't commit to anything else- Questioned him about the frame around the breast, one minute its supporting the whole lot then changed his tune to its only helping stabilize it. He's now coming round tomorrow or Wednesday to go through it all. Got a funny feeling i'm getting buls';tted to...
I think you will have to get a second opinion from a structural engineer by the sounds of it, who will naturally err on the side of caution and say it needs sorting.
Cheers..
Jase
Regardless of the changing story, building control should have been informed prior to any works (they would want evidence of structural calcs.). It will not be a problem getting them involved now - just let them know the builder advised it was not needed. Interestingly I got fairly friendly with one of our building control guys during our big refurb and he often used to tell stories about different builders in the area - some were trusted to crack on, others needed watching closely.
Best of luck getting sorted.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Was any additional supports/lintels added in the living room to support the stack above??
You can see.from the pictures that the chimney continues below the framework.
It looks like the framework is bracing part of the chimney and if done correctly will take some of the load into the framework.
What we need to see is where the chimney has been removed, how it has been done, that may answer a few questions.
Main ways to remove chimneys
1. Remove the complete stack and make good the roof.
2. Gallow brackets
3. Steel RSJs resting on padstones on the original brickwork.
Any more pics OP?
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I believe the OP has already established that none of those have been done.
Yes none of the these have been done.
He’s coming around tonight so time for some answers
I hope you get some good answers out of him, mostly that he will put it right.
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