How To Remove A Chimney Stack for £800. Chimney breast removal from top to bottom.

I saved £2500 on my chimney breast removal. I received quotations ranging between £3000 and £4500 to remove the entire stack so decided to do it myself. Ended up spending £380 on the chimney scaffolding and £420 on a grabber lorry to remove over 1000 bricks!
In this video -
(00:01) Introduction on the roof
(00:53) Scaffolding
(01:36) Phase one - above the roof
(02:22) What came out
(02:30) Phase two - in the loft
(02:41) What came out
(02:48) Phase three - first floor
(04:33) What came out
(04:37) Phase four - ground floor
(06:04) Finished result
Anyone else taking on this challenge? It's hard work but so worth it!

[@michaeltreadwell777]

Brilliant Nick - what a HUGE amount of work - well done in doing it all by yourself ! I can see how removing it was the proper deecision, it will make a big difference. Thanks for sharing. Take care 🙂

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thanks!

[@nicolebourcierphotographer]

That is a really good price for scaffold. Never had any quotes that cheap. I am trying to keep my chimneys.

[@Mee10792]

Chimney stacks are built with thousands of bricks and/or blocks to create a heat sink, just like underfloor heating being in 75mm of concrete to create a warm slab. Since 85% of the heat went up the chimney, it warmed the stack so the heat radiated into the rooms. That's why when the fire went out, the stack was still warm for days to come. A wood burning stove doesn't heat a stack, but it immediately heats the room. Trouble is, once it burns out, the heat pretty much goes soon afterwards. Just like the old pantries that contained a concrete or stone slab, but because it wasn't heated, it tended to remain cold to sit meat, milk etc.. on. With a bungalow, there can be as many bricks in the stack as it took to build the walls. Sad thing is, people either block them up or completely remove them.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Really interesting! Thanks, Mee.

[@garychadfield552]

You dont understand the difference between open fires and stoves, the stove will heat the stack far more than an open fire & the heat will stay there once the stove has gone out, the open flue of the open fire will continue to draw all of the heat syraight up the chimney and out of the house.

[@aabb6677]

Always watch the whole video before commenting! - I was going to mention not seeing the remedial work on the roof, but as was stated at the end, a new roof is being installed. I would point out to people (having done a similar job on a 'Mansard' roof/stack) that you need to figure out how to make good the hole in the roof, well before you start knocking the stack down!

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Ha definitely! Would have got more of a wrap around scaffolding if battening the roof etc too

[@CassianLore]

Great job Nick!

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Cheers

[@Kennytyrer3989]

Nice one Nick looked rewarding work...like a bit of demolition 😊

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Yes it was! But exhausting!

[@stuartandrews4344]

Great job,surprised so little soot, did one here, iron flue pipe was surprise & hard work removing & I was knee deep in soot...

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Oh wow! I must have got very lucky then!

[@jenbryer3242]

Nice work!

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thanks!

[@kylekeenan3485]

You must be psychic, I was literally just researching this and you drop the video 😂

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Ha - awesome!

[@1carlsworth]

Had to remove 2 chimneys at our house, and have 1 more to do. It was such an effort, I keep putting off doing the 3rd one. Might pay someone to do it - I hated doing the others THAT much

[@steverushaw8761]

Did it myself about 10 years ago on a 1930s bungalow without the scaffolding ..luckily the guy over the road was building a double garage and wanted the bricks for hardcore..so just 3 days of our time and patching in the roof.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Result!

[@arshadmahmoood2942]

Hi Nick, really like your video, very useful. I have a question, I have recently purchased a house and the chimney has been removed from the bedroom up into the loft with gallows brackets fitted. The chimney and fireplace downstairs is still intact and I am looking to remove this. Was wondering how easy would this be to do as I'm on a budget to renovate the entire house, will it affect the property structurally in anyway? . Cheers

[@garyosborne-6958]

Good going Nick, done a couple myself so understand the work needed. Huge savings for a bit of hard labour. Six pack helps with the dust🍻. .

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Nice work 👏

[@SimT8]

😂

[@veraday9543]

LGreat work Nick, how did you test for the asbestos?

[@lindar2245]

Good for you! Yep the clean up part is the gritch! What is it that's still left in the wall that looks like a thin layer of brick? Does it come out, too?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Will have to scrape a little bit more back but will end up bonding over that wall or even plaster boarding it all out at a later stage.

[@harpdrago7422]

You're not far from a place we're looking to buy! Might need this done near the Beckenham area!

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Ha…I know plenty of good trades in the area!

[@amazing451]

Hi Nick, good job there that kept you fit. Is that white part at the bottom the hearth of the fireplace that I suppose you eventually removed ? Did you get in an asbestos surveyor to check for any presence in the flue or did you take a sample yourself, roughly how much does that cost ?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Yes it’s the back of the fireplace which will come out when the gas line is removed. The asbestos price was around £350 for s check around the entire house

[@amazing451]

@@NicksHomeRenovations Thanks for the reply 👍

[@user-mb8jy8dd9t]

How many days

[@ThePennycrown]

Hi Nick. Great job. Did you have to put any supports in? My chimney breast is in the middle of the house like yours. My chimney stack on the roof is already gone and new roof is on, but I woukd like to get rid of the rest. Just unsure whether I would need any supporting beams or something similar

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thanks. No, structural engineer came and said all the joists span from front to back of the house; so it wasn’t structural. I would definitely consult someone before undertaking any work.

[@tunnel7]

You should have got you a little compressor and a cp9 Jigger pick and then sell them on when not needed would have had it done in half the time but well done I am surprised that TITAN lasted for the whole job but fair plat it did.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Yeah only £100 drill and not too heavy so preferred to go a little slower and easier

[@jemma50]

Well done, Nick!! You must be pretty fit after all that muscle work. Who needs a gym, eh? LOL Just renovate a house to keep in shape. ;)

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

I wish! I’m broken 😂

[@jemma50]

@@NicksHomeRenovations A little stretching, a lot of rest, and you'll be fit as a fiddle. 😊

[@brebnermillar8953]

Great video again Nick. Forgive me if youve answered this already but does removing a chimney effect the structure of the house?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Actually I didn’t answer this I don’t think. They can be structural but in this case were not. Always best to ask a structural engineer and/or builder but it’s best popping up into the loft and looking at the joists to see if they run through the chimney or not. My joists ran around the chimney and were all large lengths from end to end which are stronger, meaning that the chimney wasn’t acting as anything supportive. But please check with someone!

[@brebnermillar8953]

@NicksHomeRenovations of course mate. Knew you would have explored this before you did it so good to know regarding the joists. Would always check with an engineer anyway but great to know it's possible

[@michaelcooper941]

Just came across your video, we're looking to remove our chimney stack ourselves too! It's similar to yours, in the middle of the house and not supporting anything, do you have any tips or recommendations for us? What was the company you used for the grabber lorry?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Take your time and ensure you get very good scaffolding surrounding the whole chimney for access to all sides above the roof. Remember the hole will need to be fixed properly too unlike mine! Ensure you have planning permission and speak to a structural engineer to ensure it is safe to remove. Lastly and the most obvious - start at the top! The grabber lorry was RMS

[@pamelavance8753]

Have you considered reusing the good bricks for pavers?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

No - but it does seem a waste sending everything away

[@neilbissett1240]

Top notch thought your other half would of helped or at least or been their to supervise you 🤔😉😎

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Haha not on this one!

[@yousefrostami]

Great job Nick! 👏I'm thinking of removing mine to have more space in the living and dining room. My house is semi-detached and not a resigned house, Do I need planning permission to remove the chimney breast from the grand and 1st floor?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thanks! Yes, definitely!

[@xxgamers5711]

I need this done in the West Midlands Birmingham

[@Samisback-]

Hi Nick, just wanted to ask. Did you have to get in building regs: control involved with checking the site before removal or a sign off?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Hi, yes - I required planning permission and structural sign off (ensuring it was fine to remove) before undertaking the work.

[@mateusz6860]

Hello there , Your work is great !!! Congratulations. I have received two estimates for chimney breast removal of £9.000 semi-detached house in the Lincolnshire area . I want to take ground and first floor only support and leave it the top part . Do you think it is fair quotes ? I decided to go with the builder, who I know helps me support the top of the chimney to make sure it is safe, and then I will go on my own as you have done it. Best wishes.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Hi, no that is far too much. If you are leaving the loft/roof part you will need a qualified builder to ensure it is supported properly, however £9000 is far too much. I think you should be paying less than half of that, even allowing for a steel or similar to support the chimney that is left.

[@mateusz6860]

@@NicksHomeRenovations Thank you for your message 🙏. I was well surprised when I saw the quotes so that's why I will take builder with to for proper support and afterwards I will crack on on my own , Thank you once again 👍

[@kevinhancock4064]

Nice work buddy unsure how straught forward this is on a semi detached building ..

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Would have to see if you share a chimney with a neighbour…very complicated if so!

[@kevinhancock4064]

@@NicksHomeRenovations indeed

[@krisgair5863]

Bet you were aching after all that graft, i have the same drill and it kills me just to lift it up 😢

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Haha yeah I’m in a world of pain 😂

[@aarondawkins8668]

Do you need any structural calculations to do this as there won’t be any load left at the top?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Yes. I sought advice from a structural engineer first who said the chimney wasn’t load bearing from top to bottom.

[@aarondawkins8668]

@@NicksHomeRenovations thanks.

[@kevocos]

Great bit of graft seemed like hard work but not too dusty on the video at least. Not sure about your figure on the saving though. 4 days and there still is clearing up to do. Surely 5 days of lost electrical wages is worth at least £1500.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thanks! Completed over the weekends so no lost income :)

[@kevocos]

@@NicksHomeRenovations Ah good man! Good luck with the next task, looking forward to seeing it progress!

[@Droningonuk]

Can you do a video how to get into refurbishment/how you finance it please?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Will try

[@Droningonuk]

@NicksHomeRenovations thanks that would be really appreciated and it something no-one talks about.

[@tonybatten24]

What did u do with the asbestos?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

There was no asbestos in the end. I had it tested as thought the flue might contain some but it didn’t fortunately.

[@moreb33r1]

This is a really good video!! I’m going to attempt to remove a chimney in my Cornish house as I need to free up space for the kitchen and put a combi boiler in. But I’m not having a new roof. I guess a roofer could come along and fill the whole left by the chimney?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Thank you. Yes the roofer (or a carpenter) will have to patch up the hole from the loft first and then can easily be done! Good luck

[@LeoInAMillion]

Couldn't watch parts of this as I suffer from vertigo, but the rest was interesting 😂

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

😂

[@MHasan-jo6bn]

Hi Nick - great job, where can i get your details?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

[e-mail]

[@macmac369]

Wondering how long was the scaffolding hire that cost u 380pounds

[@JamesKooper]

Depends on the scaffolder I'd guess, the ones I've used in the past don't put a time on it, but I've heard of others who aren't as lax

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

4 weeks 👍

[@jimgeelan5949]

The scaffolder now knows we’re his boat level is 😂

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Good spot!

[@user-fm1uu5qi3g]

Hi Nick - I had the chimney removed externally but not internally - the roof has been replaced where the chimney was removed - but I've started to get damp on the chimney breast but the roof is completely dry and so is the top of the chimney in the loft - any suggestions? I really wish I had it removed completely but I just didn't have the money at the time :(

[@kenpitt7516]

That's easy what's hard about that it's a bungalow try doing a 2 story house in a day that's proper graft no glory there mate

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Not a bungalow 😂😂

[@lilylilylily95]

Hi Nick, did you have to contact your local building control in regards to this job? If so, what kind of plans did you need to submit? Thanks so much for filming and posting this, it has given us the confidence to tackle our own chimney removal, which is very similar to yours in that it is in the centre of the house and is not structural at all (according to the engineer). Good to know the costs too - we're down in Tunbridge Wells so hopefully similar costs for scaffold & grabber. Thanks again.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Hi Lily, we had to submit plans for planning permission for the entire build; including extensions and the chimney was a small part of this. You would have to submit for planning permission for just the chimney. I don’t think you’d need to provide drawings but you’d need to show them you’ve had a structural engineer show that it is safe to remove and isn’t structural. Hope this helps.

[@chrisdowning7543]

Nick I love you! But why oh totally why do you ever want to remove any fire place, chimney breast!!!? Nothing like on a winter’s evening to have an open fire

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

It’s in the middle of the house and the actual fireplace is in what will be office and useless. We will be having a fireplace in the new living room as a main feature

[@shirleyburnham2782]

Hate the clean up afterwards

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Same 😭

[@SevyShasha]

Do you need building regulations / approvals from the local council before starting a job like this?

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Hi, yes!

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

You will require a structural engineer too.

[@mrboyban]

Life is good as long the stack is not supporting the rafters.

[@NicksHomeRenovations]

Ha - double checked with the builder first!

[@Tobore]

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