What is Chimney Breast Removal?
Chimney breast removal is the process of dismantling the part of the chimney that projects outwards from the wall, encompassing the fireplace and flues.
Homeowners often opt for this procedure to free up valuable space, enhance the external appearance of their roof, or modernize their living spaces. Whether it’s on the ground floor or the first floor, removing a chimney breast can significantly alter the layout and aesthetics of a room.
Definition of Chimney Breast Removal
Chimney breast removal involves taking down the brickwork structure that forms the chimney breast. This can be done on the ground floor, first floor, or both, depending on the homeowner’s needs.
The process may also include the removal of the chimney stack, which is the external part of the chimney that extends above the roofline and channels smoke out of the home through the chimney flue.
Importance of Removing a Chimney Breast
Removing a chimney breast can offer several benefits. For one, it can create additional space within a home, making rooms feel larger and more open. This extra space can be utilized for various purposes, such as additional storage or new design elements.
Additionally, removing a chimney breast can improve the external appearance of a property by eliminating an old or unsightly chimney stack. Moreover, it can reduce the risk of structural damage, as aging or damaged chimneys can pose a collapse hazard.
How Much to Remove a Chimney Breast?
What’s the average cost of removing a chimney breast in the UK?
In 2024, the average chimney breast removal costs between £1,455 – £2,120.
The cost of removing a chimney breast on the ground floor is about £1,455 – £2,010, but the cost of chimney breast removals on the first floor tends to be a little higher, at around £1,570 – £2,120.
Chimney breasts and fireplaces are often removed to help free up space inside a property and facilitate more modern room designs.
Understanding the full scope of chimney removal cost is crucial. Factors such as the type of chimney being removed, associated labour costs, and the specifics of the project can significantly affect the overall expense.
But what about the cost of removing an entire chimney?
The cost to remove a chimney system would be between £2,880 – £3,925. This price includes the removal of the entire chimney breast and the chimney stack.
If you leave the chimney stack intact and only remove the chimney breast system, the cost would drop to about £2,290 – £2,770.
By itself, the average chimney stack removal cost is between £925 – £1,670.
What impacts how much chimney breast removal costs?
The price of chimney breast removal work varies depending on the specifics of the job, the size and type of chimney you’re removing, how many tradespeople are involved, accessibility of the chimney system, and where you’re located in the UK.
If you're looking to get a more accurate price for a chimney breast removal, we can help connect you with local tradespeople.
How much can you expect to pay for labour?
While labour charges are generally lower than the national average in areas like the north of England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, you will find prices to be higher in the southeast of England.
The most expensive region in the country is London. In fact, labourers generally charge about £30 – £70 extra per day in the capital than in the north of England.
Obtaining accurate quotes for chimney removal costs is essential. Variations in pricing can depend on the type of chimney work required and the specific property.
Always consider factors like location and the extent of the removal needed to get a comprehensive understanding of the costs involved. Removal of a chimney breast is no small task. It needs serious thought and planning but does offer big improvements as a result.
Chimney Breast Removal Prices
| Job Description | Labour | Supplies | Waste | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Removing a Chimney Stack | £200 – £450 | £525 – £940 | £200 – £280 | £925 – £1,670 |
| Removing a Ground Floor Chimney Breast | £550 – £900 | £675 – £790 | £230 – £320 | £1,455 – £2,010 |
| Removing a First Floor Chimney Breast | £550 – £900 | £790 – £900 | £230 – £320 | £1,570 – £2,120 |
| Remove Entire Chimney Breast but Leave Stack | £800 – £1,300 | £990 – £1,080 | £300 – £390 | £2,290 – £2,770 |
| Remove Entire Chimney Breast and Stack | £1,100 – £1,800 | £1,350 – £1,575 | £430 – £550 | £2,880 – £3,925 |
| External Chimney Stack Removal | £300 – £600 | £700 – £1,000 | £250 – £350 | £1,250 – £1,950 |
- What is Chimney Breast Removal?
- How Much to Remove a Chimney Breast?
- What are the Supply Costs of Removing a Chimney Breast?
- Additional Chimney Breast Removal Costs
- Tradesmen Costs for Removing a Chimney Breast
- Building Regulations and Planning Permission
- How Long Does It Take to Remove a Chimney Breast?
- Chimney Breast Removal Benefits
- FAQs
- Sources
What are the Supply Costs of Removing a Chimney Breast?
The material costs of removing a chimney breast are separate from the labour fees. This section will look at how the supply costs would likely be for the same range of jobs discussed in the previous section.
The supply costs will account for about 40-50% of the overall costs, with the labour costs making up approximately 40% of your bill and about 10-20% is dedicated to waste removal expenses.
The supply costs involved in only removing a chimney stack will be around £525 – £940~. To remove a ground-floor chimney breast, expect a supply cost range of £675 – £790 and for the removal of a first-floor chimney breast, £790 – £900.
The supply costs for removing an internal chimney breast can vary significantly due to the complexity and preparation required. The material costs of having a full chimney breast removed but leaving the stack in place are about £990 – £1,080 and for the same job but with the stack also being removed, expect to pay around £1,350 – £1,575 in supply costs.
Removing Chimney Breast Supply Costs
| Job Description | Supply Costs |
|---|---|
| Removing a Chimney Stack | £525 – £940 |
| Removing a Ground Floor Chimney Breast | £675 – £790 |
| Removing a First Floor Chimney Breast | £790 – £900 |
| Remove Entire Chimney Breast but Leave Stack | £990 – £1,080 |
| Remove Entire Chimney Breast and Stack | £1,350 – £1,575 |
Additional Chimney Breast Removal Costs
When having a chimney breast removed, there are a variety of added costs that may appear on your bill. Let's break down some common examples.
Minimum Fee
Some builders/companies will set a minimum charge that you will incur regardless of how long the work lasts.
This may be a set minimum fee that will be added to all other labour, supply, and waste removal costs. On the other hand, it may come in the form of a set labour charge, such as a daily fee.
So, for example, let's say you have a first-floor chimney breast removed, and it takes a day and a half. If daily labour charges apply, then you'd pay for two days of labour.
Type of Chimney
Some chimney breasts (and/or stacks) will be easier to remove than others based on the chimney type. The material they are made of and the design will influence how much it costs to remove a given type of chimney.
Size of Chimney
The size of your chimney will impact chimney breast removal costs. After all, the larger the chimney is, the more work will be involved in the removal process. This, in turn, will increase labour costs (and possibly supply costs too).
Scaffolding Hire
Whether or not scaffolding is required will also play a role in determining your overall bill.
Typically, scaffolding hire costs around £300 – £400 for chimney breast removal jobs.
Skip Hire
Some labourers will deal with waste removal on their own accord. But if you need to handle this, then you will need to hire a skip.
The average cost of skip hire is between £100 – £300. The size of the skip required will be dependent on how much of the chimney system you're removing.
Number of Tradespeople
Chimney breast removal is most often completed by a team of two people — but some portions of the work may be undertaken by one labourer.
The more tradespeople there are, the higher the total hourly or daily labour costs that you'll have to pay. However, having two tradespeople working on a job should mean that it takes them less time to complete the job. But whether this is the case — or it's just an extra expense — will depend on how well they work together.
Some tradespeople might prefer to work in larger teams (3+) when removing a chimney breast, but this isn't common and likely won't significantly speed up the removal process.
Duration
One of the biggest factors in determining the cost of removing a chimney breast or other elements of a chimney is how long the job takes.
For example, removing just a chimney stack will likely take less than a day, but removing the entire chimney breast as well as the stack could take three to four days.
This leads to a significant difference in the labour costs of these two jobs.
If there are issues with ease of access or certain additional work is required before or after, you can expect a higher labour cost.
Tradesmen Costs for Removing a Chimney Breast
Let's take a look at the labour costs more closely. This excludes the supply costs. This section will examine how much a range of relevant jobs to remove a chimney breast would cost in labour expenses. We are assuming that two builders will be on the task.
The average labour cost of removing just a chimney stack is £200 – £450.
The tradesmen costs will be around £550 – £900 to remove either a ground floor or first-floor chimney breast, £800 – £1,300 to entirely remove a chimney breast but not the stack, or £1,100 – £1,800 to remove both the full chimney breast and stack.
The labour costs may vary depending on the number of labourers, size and type of chimney, ease of access, and where in the country you live.
Building Regulations and Planning Permission
When planning to remove a chimney breast, it’s crucial to adhere to building regulations and, in some cases, obtain planning permission. These steps ensure that the removal process is safe and compliant with local laws.
Building Regulations for Removing a Chimney Breast
Compliance with building regulations is essential when removing a chimney breast to maintain the structural integrity of the home. Specifically, Part A of the building regulations must be followed.
This involves notifying the local authority, which will send a building control officer to survey the work and issue a compliance certificate. The notification fee is typically around £200. Alternatively, hiring an approved inspector can expedite the process, though it may be more costly.
If the removal affects party structures, a party wall notice must be served to the adjoining property owners. In such cases, a party wall surveyor may be required, with costs averaging around £800.
Additionally, consulting a structural engineer is advisable to determine how to support the remaining chimney stack after the breast is removed. The cost for a structural engineer’s services is approximately £200 per hour.
In some instances, planning permission may be necessary, particularly if the property is listed or situated in a conservation area. It’s essential to contact the local authority before commencing work to ascertain whether planning permission is required.
Generally, internal alterations to a chimney breast do not need planning permission unless the property is listed. External works, such as chimney stack removal, are usually considered permitted development and automatically have planning permission.
However, it’s always best to verify with the local authority to confirm the specific requirements for your property.
How Long Does It Take to Remove a Chimney Breast?
We'll now lay out the timeframes of removing a chimney breast. In this section, we'll also consider the various factors that may influence the time it takes to perform such work.
Again, we are assuming that two builders are performing the job. If one labourer performed this work, it would take about twice the time.
It takes, on average, about 4 – 8 hours to remove just a chimney stack and between 1 – 2 days to remove a chimney breast — whether on the ground floor or first floor.
If you want to remove an entire chimney breast but leave the chimney stack intact, then it'll take between 2 – 3 days. But if you want the entire chimney breast removed, as well as the chimney stack, then it'll take about 3 – 4 days.
The duration will depend on the number of tradespeople hired, ease of access, the size and type of the chimney, and whether any additional work is required.
Chimney Breast Removal Benefits
There are several key advantages to removing a chimney breast. Let's take a closer look at some of the top examples.
Frees Up Space
First and foremost, having a chimney breast removed can make for a more spacious environment. Also, removing the chimney stack can improve the external appearance of your roof.
Can Give Way to a More Modern Alternative
Leading on from the previous point, by removing a chimney stack or/and breast, you can give your home a more modern appearance.
In regards to removing the chimney breast, this process can bring the area of your living room with a chimney breast in line with the rest of the room's interior.
You may choose to convert this area into added room space or have a contemporary replacement introduced, such as an electric fireplace.
FAQs
Q: Can you remove a chimney breast yourself?
A: You can, but you should only do so if you have the necessary skills and knowledge. Removing a chimney breast is not a straightforward DIY job, and this work involves removing a load-bearing wall.
So it is vital that you know exactly what the work entails and take all of the necessary safety precautions.
It's also important to be aware of the building regulations and planning permission rules that apply for such work.
Planning approval probably won't be required unless, for instance, your home is a listed building or if you live in a conservation area.
Either way, you should contact your local council before hiring a team to remove your chimney. Please note that building regulations and planning permission rules can vary between Scotland/Northern Ireland and England/Wales.
Q: What can I replace a chimney breast with?
A: You could choose to leave the area as added room space or have a new fixture installed, such as an electric fireplace.
Q: How long does it take to remove just a chimney breast?
A: On average, it should take between a day and a half and three days if removed by a professional.
Q: How much will waste removal cost when getting rid of a chimney breast?
A: The waste removal expenses would come to about £200 – £280 to remove a ground floor chimney breast, £230 – £320 to remove a first-floor chimney breast, or £300 – £390 if you're looking to remove the entire chimney breast while keeping the stack.
To remove the whole chimney breast and stack, expect the waste disposal fees to be between £430 and £550.
Q: Will removing a chimney breast impact the value of my property?
A: Given that some homeowners will want a chimney and others won't or will be neutral, having a chimney breast is unlikely to have any meaningful effect, positively or negatively, on the value of your home.
Sources
- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/internal-walls/
- https://www.belvoir.co.uk/articles/how-to-remove-a-chimney-breast/
- https://www.zfn.co.uk/post/chimney-breast-removal
- https://www.lrbuilding.co.uk/chimney-breast-removal-additional-support/
