We have two supported chimney stacks either end of our house, which had their breasts removed when the house was renovated about 10 years ago. They’re not serving any purpose other than aesthetic, and i’m not happy about having so much weight sat at the top of the house, subjected to the high winds we get here (at the end of a valley). That and they’ll need pointing in a year or two anyway.

Is it an easy job to remove them? One is on a gable end with easy access (scaffolding), the other where our house butts up to the next (not a semi detached, more detached but built right up to next door). I can turn my hand to most DIY jobs, but is there anything l need to be particularly aware of? Also, i’d be getting a roofer in to replace the slates where the stacks are – what sort of costs might l be looking at?

Thanks!

I hired a genie (cherry picker type thing but even more fun) to take a chimney down DIY. Not the recommended way and I was scared shitless 95% of the time but I got the job done. Once inside the roof I was a lot happier.

My top tip…..start at the top!

This

like this

to this

Assuming they have been there for years why should the wind be a problem now?
If they are not supported that should be done. When I purchased the current house 2 breasts had been removed and the remainder in the loft just sat on a board across the ceiling joists! It had apparently been like that for over 20 years but it’s obviously not to regs so I got a structural engineer out who specced a RSJ going from the front to the back of the house for the remained of the chimney to sit on. Local builder got the RSJ made and fitted, cost all in was about £3k IIRC

Assuming they have been there for years why should the wind be a problem now?

Good point. I guess l just feel unhappy about them being there at all. They are supported with RSJs (the previous owner was a builder himself), but are very old (the house is about 200 years), and will need maintaining at some point. Couple that with the fact that some crows are nesting in one of them (buggers got in through the airbrick under the cap!), l am going to have to get up there anyway.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0L1WOnR2KBY[/video]

Like that ^

I had a roofer in to take two chimney stacks down and reslate the holes. They were on boards as per Cheers-drive’s and our bed was right beneath one of them!

He also did new facias, soffits and guttering and reseated / pointed all the ridge tiles with new tie bars (?).

Bill came to just over a grand (sorry cheers-drive!)

But if you take them down how are you going to run your STW Stove?

Twin wall flue of course 🙂

konaboy2275 – Member
I had a roofer in to take two chimney stacks down and reslate the holes. They were on boards as per Cheers-drive’s and our bed was right beneath one of them!

He also did new facias, soffits and guttering and reseated / pointed all the ridge tiles with new tie bars (?).

Bill came to just over a grand (sorry cheers-drive!)
Don’t worry – the previous owner paid. removing the stack wasn’t an option as it’s shared with next door.

Twin wall flue of course

Getting it for quoted as we speak! No way i’m going without one this time next year – brrr…

You do all/most of it yourself.
It’s quite expensive but just clips together and support brackets every so often, some on here might be able to help with more advice on that.
Would make sense to do it while you’ve got the scaffolding there for taking the stack down.

[bad taste] Do you know anyone with a helicopter? {/bad taste}