Loft/Chimney Stack/Structural engineer

[davgar]

Removing chimney breasts in a semi-detached house
Plan was to use a steel beam to support stack.
Unfortunately discovered the front wall is higher than the central loadbearing wall.
Is the following type of approach possible?

[TA14]

Seems crazy to go to all of that trouble to keep a redundant stack.

[bazjude2998]

Don't think that's economicaly feasable.We did a similar project,settled for RSJ,s boxed in below ceiling level.

[davgar]

neighbour still requires his chimney.
is it possible to remove my half of stack?

[bazjude2998]

Yes.Although semi detached houses are joined the flues/chimney stacks are seperate

[davgar]

will get that investigated.
externally stack looks like this.

[Eddieslofart]

Gallows bracket.

[davgar]

not allowed by building control

[henrycrun]

or get the fireplace working in time for winter ?

[richatnort]

Another option. Could you not take it down as far as the bedroom it's in and put an RSJ from the external wall to the middle wall and remove it from the ground floor and bedroom and just box in the RSJ in that bedroom?

[TA14]

davgar said:

will get that investigated.
externally stack looks like this.

So no bricks or fancy details to match. Cut in two, remove your half and render.

[Lotobear]

As already said a gallows bracket is the 'normal' method with the framing resin anchored into the wall below. Would need detailing by a structural engineer

[davgar]

SE thinks the approach from the drawing is fine.
I would have thought removing one half of stack is easier but builder doesnt think so.

Building control already said they dont like gallows bracket unless chimney is on ridge

[TA14]

It's up to you then. If I were buying I'd not be too pleased to see a big lump of steel like that supporting a superfluous chimney stack.

[Oakey]

My mother had the lower half of a chimney stack removed in a bungalow she owns and it uses a gallows bracket. Every time I looked at it I just thought "nope!"

[Mr Pointy]

Oakey said:

My mother had the lower half of a chimney stack removed in a bungalow she owns and it uses a gallows bracket. Every time I looked at it I just thought "nope!"

Could someone explain what's wrong with gallows brackets? A quick Google hasn't come up with much.

[bobtail4x4]

gallows are ok if next door hasnt already got one, they need to push against something.

LABC have a standard gallows bracket detail that is type approved.

[davgar]

bob - please can you show me the link

many thanks

bobtail4x4 said:

gallows are ok if next door hasnt already got one, they need to push against something.

LABC have a standard gallows bracket detail that is type approved.

[bobtail4x4]

first one I found, its a national approved thing,

http://www.haringey.gov.uk/sites/haringeygovuk/fil...

[Dogwatch]

I would have thought that slicing off the OP's side of the chimney would leave the remainder very vulnerable to wind forces, with a lot of finger pointing if it does succumb.