If your living room is feeling cramped, or you just want to free up some space in your bedroom, removing a chimney might be the right move for you. But is it as simple as it all sounds?
Short answer: probably not. In order to remove a chimney, you will need building regulations approval. These are a set of standards set out by the government, and all buildings have to comply with them. There are two ways to get your project signed off...
- A full building regulations package
- A building notice
A building notice is the most common method, but is typically only used for small scale DIY projects. As you’ll be moving a big structural feature, you’ll need to get a building regulations package created. This can be done retrospectively, but it’s highly advised to get approval before you build. If your project does not get approval, you can face prosecution.
What is a building regulations package?
In order to create a full building regulations package, you’ll need to provide a set of highly detailed drawings of your project. If you’ve used an architect, you’ll already have a set of drawings of your project. These are planning drawings, and can be converted into the detailed version you’ll need for your building regulations.
With a chimney removal, you can either have your building regulations package put together by your architect, or by your structural engineer. There are 6 aspects of your project that will need to be addressed in your completed package…
