Logburner Sign Off

After some OUTRAGEOUS quotes in London for installing a new wood burner (2 grand plus, for a simple, uncomplicated small wood burner install), i’m planning to get on with it and do it myself this weekend.

My understanding is that I need a HETAS engineer to sign off on the work, and perhaps rightly I can’t see many of them being that interested in the job.

Is there a way of getting the stove install signed off using a Building Control application?

Is it a criminal offence to do otherwise? I know plenty of people who’ve DIY’d or paid the likes of a chimney sweep to do it properly without certificate. Unless I’m warned otherwise, my intention is to follow the guidelines / regs and pay someone who knows what they’re doing, but I hadn’t intended bothering to get it ‘signed off’ (I’m not in London BTW)

I’ve just had a quote for a Chesney Salisbury 5kw woodburner installation that I’m going with. It is well above £2k. It also has a new gas fire in for the front but it has been broken down into parts such as chimney lining,hire of cherry picker,hearth and the rest.

I get my new stove on 23rd August. At the same-ish time I’m going to buy myself a new espresso maker. And finally go tubeless on my Trek.

I think you can’t get much STW-ish!

You either need a HETA’s engineer to install, or if you do it yourself building control to sign it off. I did mine myself after reading the reg’s and the Mrs made me go through building control. The chap came round, pointed out where my log burner was and then went into the garden and pointed up and said “that’s your chimney”. I tried to explain all that I’d done and he just wasn’t interested and said “I’m not sure why we come round to these” received my certificate in the post.. £120 for the privilege, although Mrs T’s mind was at rest..

Having watched the two guys who charged £3k to install 2 stoves in my house, they’re taking the piss to say you need to be qualified professional to do it. Making the blanking plate to fit the chimney breast was about as hard as it got. Main problem with wood burners is where people don’t use a flue-liner resulting in deposit build-up and chimney fires.

*ponders running up roof with 8m of liner*

*ponders running up roof with 8m of liner*

12m of 6″ flue in my case, the guy was willing to go up on a ladder, but I paid for scaffolding (3 storey house) cos I thought he was mad to contemplate ladders. justified it by getting chimney pointed, gutters spotless clean and drain pipe and window sills painted.

Main problem with wood burners is where people don’t use a flue-liner resulting in deposit build-up and chimney fires.undestand they are fitting a carbon monoxide generator

FTFY.

HETAS qualified here and a lot of local authority building control guys aren’t. The rules aren’t just tick boxes – they really can save your life. If you are sure you’ve done/can do it right, then go for it. If you have any doubt……..

Is there a way of getting the stove install signed off using a Building Control application?

Yes. You can do it via a Building Notice. Part J (I think) of building regulations are the guide to hearth thicknesses, ventilation and the rest. If you don’t think you can understand or comply with these, get someone in who can.

I did mine via BN. Was no problem – inspector came in to observe smoke test on the flue, then again to inspect before signing off.

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20151113141044/http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/br_pdf_adj_2010.pdf

Our was signed off by council building control week before last, only bothered as we are selling the house.
Building inspector didn’t have much of an idea, didn’t go in the roof where I had gone to the trouble of fitting a mesh box around the insulated flue at the correct dimensions.
I told him what the regs were as he didn’t seem to be aware. Or at least wanted to be sure I knew them…
Only thing he wanted to see was a carbon monoxide detector.

i intend to diy and get building control to sign off. (south london here….its not a high demand area for sweeps really is it, so even harder to get a decent one than a Polish builder will be to find in a year or two since the referendum.)

I did my own a couple of years ago. Using document J, online help and building control. We’ve a nice multi fuel stove.
I had to put in a concrete hearth first and then a liner. It’s a lot of graft but satisfying
Get some scaffolding though. I did it with just ladders. Scary. 😯

I feel it is one of these things that if you have to ask it does not sound like you have even read the building regulations, should you be doing it? Especially as you are I. London and hence a built up area and the local population caused.

feel it is one of these things that if you have to ask it does not sound like you have even read the building regulations, should you be doing it? Especially as you are I. London and hence a built up area and the local population caused.

Thanks. The regulations really aren’t that complicated and my install will by compliant. It really isn’t rocket science. BUT thanks for being patronising; it’s a great quality of being keyboard warrior.

Greenwich building control have just said they WON’T sign off the install, although one of the officers will call back this afternoon. Be interesting to hear what they have to say.

Is it a criminal offence to do otherwise?

Nope.

Greenwich building control have just said they WON’T sign off the install, although one of the officers will call back this afternoon. Be interesting to hear what they have to say.

If you put in a building notice, I can’t see that they’ve got much option.

I got some ridiculous quotes for HETAS installation.

In the end I got my builders to install it as part of a big house refurb, local council building control refused to come out to sign it off. I had quite a discussion with him on the phone.

The requirements for the install are very straight forward and easy to follow. Document J is very clear.

undestand they are fitting a carbon monoxide generator

The rules aren’t just tick boxes – they really can save your life. If you are sure you’ve done/can do it right, then go for it.

Sorry Smudger, the HETAS thing is a joke. The number of cowboy horror stories I have heard! The hardest thing for my install was going through the roof with the flue. How does a few days on a regulations training course teach you to do that properly.

If you are worried about CO then get an alarm.

Thanks. The regulations really aren’t that complicated and my install will by compliant. It really isn’t rocket science. BUT thanks for being patronising; it’s a great quality of being keyboard warrior

No keyboard warrior here. It was just as I stTed I. My post that from the questions you have not even read the regulations. Which is the first And simple place to start

Sorry for the thread hijack – we’ve also just been hit with a couple of quotes for installation that were pretty steep, before we abandon it does anyone know of a reasonably priced fitter in the WOS/Renfrewshire area? (no chimney, so need around 8m+ twin-wall flue & assorted fittings…)

Ta!
J

I’ve just had a quote for a Chesney Salisbury 5kw woodburner installation that I’m going with. It is well above £2k. It also has a new gas fire in for the front but it has been broken down into parts such as chimney lining,hire of cherry picker,hearth and the rest.

I get my new stove on 23rd August. At the same-ish time I’m going to buy myself a new best espresso machine[/url]. And finally go tubeless on my Trek.

I think you can’t get much STW-ish!

I agreed with your point here. They actually could not get much STW-ish

I did my own install, then got a local hetas chap to review the work and sign off..

Not sure that’s 100% legit, but he was happy with the install process.

Cough.

DrP

Cough, hack, sleepy….