GS Renovation removes chimney breasts across Golders Green, from the bay-fronted terraces near Brent Cross to the Edwardian streets toward Hampstead Garden Suburb. With over 30 years of structural experience in NW11 and across Barnet, we take out redundant breasts safely, support the stack above and square the room off neatly.
Removing a chimney breast in Golders Green
Most Golders Green terraces still carry their original chimney breasts, and because the breast helps support the masonry and the stack above it, taking one out is a structural job rather than simple demolition. We start with a structural engineer who works out exactly what the breast is holding up before we plan how to support the load once it is gone.
On the lower floors we support the retained stack above with steel gallows brackets bolted firmly into the party wall, or a beam where brackets are not suitable. In many NW11 houses the stack runs full height, and there we more often remove the whole stack and make the roof good afterwards. We never leave a stack sitting unsupported once the breast below it has been taken out.
Party wall and building control in NW11
In Golders Green's tightly built terraces the chimney stack usually sits within the party wall shared with the house next door. Because removing the breast or bolting gallows brackets into that shared wall affects the neighbour's structure too, the work is notifiable under the Party Wall Act, and we prepare and serve the notices before anything starts.
The structural support is notifiable under the Building Regulations, and Barnet Council's building control inspects and signs it off. This is internal work, so no planning permission is involved. We manage the whole job: the engineer's calculations, the party wall notices, safe removal and support, capping any redundant flue with ventilation to keep damp out, and replastering so there is no sign the breast was ever there.
- Making good, plastering and reinstating the wall
- Flue capping, ventilation and building control sign-off
- Chimney breast removal on one or all floors
- Gallows bracket support for the stack above
- Steel beam support where brackets are unsuitable
The GS Renovation Difference in Golders Green
Golders Green homeowners choose GS Renovation because we treat chimney breast removal as the structural job it is. You get an engineer-designed support solution, party wall notices and Barnet building control handled end to end, tidy working in an occupied NW11 home, and a fully certified finish, backed by 30+ years across the borough.
- Free, no-obligation quotations
- Over 30 years of experience
- Dedicated project management
- Fully insured and guaranteed work
- Building control and planning support
- Clean, tidy and reliable tradespeople