Chimney Breast Removal London
Removing a chimney breast reclaims the wasted recesses either side of an old fireplace — often a full square metre of usable floor in a London bedroom or reception. Done properly, it is one of the highest-value alterations in a period property. Done badly, it leaves the brickwork above hanging on nothing, and that is exactly the failure building control exists to prevent.
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Chimney Breast Removal London
Removing a chimney breast reclaims the wasted recesses either side of an old fireplace — often a full square metre of usable floor in a London bedroom or reception. Done properly, it is one of the highest-value alterations in a period property. Done badly, it leaves the brickwork above hanging on nothing, and that is exactly the failure building control exists to prevent.
A chimney breast is load-bearing. Whatever you remove has to be picked up by a steel beam (an RSJ) or by gallows brackets bolted to the party wall, designed by a structural engineer and signed off by building control. Where the stack is shared with a neighbour, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies before a single brick comes out.
We manage the whole job under one contract: structural calculations, building control notification, party wall coordination, the RSJ or gallows support, then making good the plaster, floor and ceiling so the room reads as though the breast was never there.
What's Included
- Structural engineer calculations for RSJ or gallows bracket support
- Building control notification, inspections and completion certificate
- Party wall advice where the stack is shared with a neighbour
- Needling, propping and controlled section-by-section removal
- RSJ on padstones or gallows brackets bolted to sound brickwork
- Plastering, flooring and ceiling reinstatement (making good)
- Spoil removal and full clearance under licensed waste transfer
- Fixed written quote and workmanship guarantee in writing
What It Costs in London
These are guide prices to help you budget. We give you a fixed, written quote after a free on-site survey — no call-out charge and no surprises later.
| Work | Guide Price |
|---|---|
| Ground-floor breast removal onlySingle floor, support on the floor above retained | £1,500 – £2,500 |
| Full-height breast removal (all floors)Each floor supported in turn, top-down | £3,000 – £5,000 |
| Whole stack removal (incl. roof & loft)Includes reroofing where the stack passed through | £3,000 – £7,000 |
| Structural engineer calculationsRSJ or gallows bracket design and sign-off | £300 – £600 |
| Building control feeNotification and inspections | £300 – £500 |
Guide prices only — every job is confirmed with a fixed written quote after a free survey. Prices exclude VAT where applicable; your written quote states the VAT position clearly.
Our Process, Step by Step
Free survey & structural assessment
We measure the breast on every floor, confirm whether the stack is shared, and establish whether an RSJ or gallows brackets suit the situation. You receive a fixed, itemised quotation covering the build, the engineer and the building control fees.
Engineer design, building control & party wall
A structural engineer produces the beam or bracket calculations. We submit the building control notification and, where the stack is shared, advise on the party wall notices that must be served before work starts.
Support & removal
We needle and prop the brickwork above, install the RSJ on padstones or bolt the gallows brackets to the party wall, then remove the breast in controlled sections — top-down on full-height jobs so nothing is left unsupported.
Making good & sign-off
Walls are reinstated and re-plastered, the floor and ceiling are patched, and building control inspects and signs off. You receive the completion certificate for your records, resale and remortgage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Removing a ground-floor breast only typically costs £1,500–£2,500. A full-height removal up through every floor runs £3,000–£5,000, and taking out the whole stack including the section through the roof and loft is £3,000–£7,000. Structural engineer calculations (£300–£600) and building control fees (£300–£500) are itemised separately. We quote a fixed price after a free survey.
Yes, always. A chimney breast is load-bearing, so its removal is a structural alteration that requires building regulations approval and a structural engineer’s design for the RSJ or gallows support. We handle the building control notification and inspections, and you receive the completion certificate at the end.
Where the chimney stack is built into a wall shared with a neighbour — which is common in London terraces and semis — the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies, and you must serve notice on the adjoining owner before work begins. We advise when notices are needed and work alongside your party wall surveyor so the legal steps run in parallel with our lead time.
It depends on the load above and the condition of the party wall. Gallows brackets bolted to a sound party wall can support a single upper-floor breast economically, but many boroughs and engineers prefer an RSJ (steel beam) on padstones for full-height removals or where the brickwork is uncertain. The structural engineer specifies which is appropriate for your property.
A single ground-floor breast is usually removed and made good in 3–5 working days once approvals are in place. A full-height removal through several floors typically takes 1–2 weeks. The engineer’s design and any party wall notices add lead time before work starts, which we run in parallel wherever possible.
Property Refurbishment
Complete property refurbishment in London, managed end to end. One contractor for strip-out, building works, M&E, plastering, joinery and decoration.
View service Cost GuideChimney Breast Removal Cost in London: 2026 Price Guide
Chimney breast removal in London costs £1,500–£5,000, or £3,000–£7,000 for a full stack. See costs by scope, what's involved and how to get a fixed quote.
Read the guideAcross Every London Borough
We remove chimney breasts in Victorian terraces, Georgian townhouses and mansion-block flats across every London borough — from Islington and Hackney to Wandsworth and Camden.
Get Your Free Survey & Fixed Written Quote
Book a free on-site survey and we'll return an itemised, fixed-price quote in writing — anywhere in London. No call-out charge, no surprises later.
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- Fixed price, in writing
- Guaranteed workmanship