Replacement Chimney Liner

[cazzz]

I am awaiting a quote from my local chimney sweep to replace the chimney liner. Apparently the people who lived in the cottage previously installed a liner for oil and gas rather than for coal and wood - doh!
The sweep mentioned that current building regulations also requires a small air vent to be installed in the front wall the pipe for which will be a few inches in circumference.
My cottage is Grade II listed. Will I need consent for these works/ do I need to inform the Conservation Officer or can I just go ahead? If building regulations require this air pipe I presume they cannot refuse?Grateful for any advice.
Caroline

 

[MdB]

Normally the Conservation Officer trumps Building regs but the purpose of the vent is to reduce the likelihood of carbon monoxide poisoning through poor combustion. This will occur if your room is so well sealed that air can't get in to feed the fire.

Air needs to get in somewhere so please ensure this is possible.

 

[lindy]

I am just having some work done on my chimney, which involves rebuilding and lining the internal flues (these had previously been knocked out) and am also having new chimney stacks built too. I had to get planning consent to do this and pay the feees for it to be inspected before and after the work. Not sure I would have had to do this just for a replacement liner, but as your property is listed im guessing you need permission for most work?

You can get people to fit the liner who can self-certify their work, this depends on their qualifications. We paid out for a chimney engineer to come to tell us what we needed to do, but he is not going to fit the liner because as the chimney needs rebuilding, its best to use the clay liners and these are put in by the builder. However he did give general advice on sizes and materials etc so that we can ensure the work done by the builder meets building regs. In terms of ventilation, he said what we had already is ample. However, if you look at the following link, it is to a site where you can download the relevant building regulations document (part j) which outlines all the requirements in terms of ventilations (starts on page 15 and signposts you to later parts of teh document).

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/professionals/en/4000000000503.html

Hope this helps

Lindy

 

[Manny]

lindy, can I ask roughly how much this sort of work is likely to cost? How high is your chimney from the ground up, is it a two story house? Also, how much of this work was carried out internally, did they have to expose the flue from inside the house much?

Many thanks.

 

[lindy]

Hi Manny

Ill give you all the details later as I can post some pics which will make more sense when I give you the costings!

Lindy

 

[cazzz]

Many thanks for the replies. I have now received the quote for re-lining and installation of the air vent in the wall - £1850. Ouch!

I'm still not clear whether I need to apply for LBC. Presumably not for the re-lining which is replacing the wrong liner currently in the chimney. I'm more concerned about the air vent which will be in the front wall with an approx. 5" circumference. It is required by Building Reg's for health and safety reasons e.g. to guard against carbon monoxide etc. Is this the sort of thing that Conservation Officers will be interested in?

 

[Nemesis]

It's probably not likely the liner (unless it's damaging something of importance) will require LBC , but I think knocking a hole in the wall may well alter the character of the building and the worst of the damage could be avoided with some care and thought.

I'd certainly contact the Conservation Officer (if you have one).

However, I believe lining a chimney would require Building Control input and OK'ing. That's to ensure it meets the required safety standards.

 

[cazzz]

Thanks Nemesis. I guess it may be sensible to sound out the Conservation Officer.
I understand from the chap who's doing the work that because he's HETAS registered the works don't have to go through building contol. Caroline

 

[Nemesis]

I suspect that the regs actually require 'adequate' ventilation - how that is best achieved is maybe not by knocking holes in listed buildings.

 

[lindy]

lindy, can I ask roughly how much this sort of work is likely to cost? How high is your chimney from the ground up, is it a two story house? Also, how much of this work was carried out internally, did they have to expose the flue from inside the house much?

Many thanks.

Sorry for the delay. I cant get my camera to upload the photos so Ill try and explain the costs without them.

Basically, I live in a two storey victorian house, I do not know the exact measurements but I would say floor to ceiling on each storey is approx 7.5 feet. The chimney exits the upper storey straight through the roof (no attic space).

For chimney one, the previous owner boarded the fireplace over upstairs, removed the chimney stack and then slated over it on the roof. We therefore removed the boarding from upstairs and were then got the chimney engineer in to have a look. As the flues are in tact, are the correct size and in good condition, all we need to get done is go back four courses of bricks and then get the chimey stack rebuilt. All of this new work will be lined (with clay liners) which will be put in as they are built.
However, we are going to do a smoke test when the roof slates are removed and if there are any leaks we can have a metal liner put in. He is 100% sure there will be no problem but if we have to go down this route it will cost an extra £500.

For chimney two it is far more complicated. Basically the previous owner had opened up the chimney internally previously knocked the internal flues out. Then he put in a wood burning stove in the downstairs room and ran its flue pipe right up through the middle of the open space (where the two flues would have previously been) and packed it either side with bricks, glass and conrete and closed in the fireplace upstairs! When doing this he also had the previous chimney stack knocked down and a smaller one built. So basically, my husband had to open up the chimney from inside again for both floors (leaving in the supporting lintels etc) and remove all the packing and the wood burning stove.

To reinstate this chimney, we are needing to get the internal flues rebuilt and lines as this is being done (with clay liners) and then the fireplaces fitted (upstairs and downstairs) , the front of the chimney from inside bricked back in and plastered and then the old chimney stack knocked down and a new larger one built as it would have been originally!

The only work being done outside is the chimney stacks being built. All of the rest of the work is being done internally. I hope this all makes sense, I dont want to worry you with the cost as you might not need anywhere near as much done as me. Anyway, teh cost........................mmmmmmm

Scaffolding £800

For all the parts (bricks, sand, cement, clay liners, chimney pots, roof flashing) £2,300

For the bricklayers time they reckon 5 days to do both chimneys and the three of them charge £400 a day so that comes to £2,000

For the builders time (he will do the gathers, the leading on the roof, plaster over the chimneys internally when done and manange thr bricklayers and scaffolder) £1000

So all in all £6,100, and of course on top of that we had to buy the fires :shock: !

 

[Mark]

I suspect that the regs actually require 'adequate' ventilation - how that is best achieved is maybe not by knocking holes in listed buildings.

yes. There is a requirement for ventilation - and the regs give the figures - depends on the rated power of the stove and if other things will be taking up air in the same room - so if your heating boiler is in the same room yo uneed to account for the requirements of the boiler as well - also do you have an extractor fan (eg kitchen hob)

tbh with most old properties I would have thought that a shortage of draughts would not be a problem. We have an under floor vent - a bit of soil pipe built into the hearth going to one of the airbricks.

 

[Manny]

Very interesting, thanks a lot lindy. Hopefully this amount of work won't be required when it comes to getting my fires back in working order. However there was some fairly fresh plaster in the living room (circa 20yrs old) which is a little worrying!