GS Renovation removes chimney breasts across Shepherd's Bush, freeing up space in the Victorian and Edwardian terraces of W12. Many of these homes still carry their original breasts in the reception rooms and bedrooms. With over 30 years in Hammersmith and Fulham, we take them out safely, support the stack above and leave the room squared off and replastered.
Removing a chimney breast in W12 terraces
In a typical Shepherd's Bush terrace the chimney breast projects into the room but also helps carry the masonry and stack above it, so it can never simply be knocked out. We begin with a structural engineer's assessment of what the breast is supporting, whether you are removing it on the ground floor only or through several storeys.
Where the stack above is retained, we support it on steel gallows brackets bolted firmly into the party wall, or on a beam where brackets are not suitable. On terraces where the stack runs full height and is redundant, we often remove the whole stack instead and make the roof good. Either way, no masonry is ever left hanging unsupported.
Party wall and damp control in Shepherd's Bush
Shepherd's Bush terraces are built in tight rows, so the chimney stack almost always sits within the party wall shared with the house next door. Removing the breast, or bolting gallows brackets into that shared wall, is notifiable under the Party Wall Act, so we serve notice on your neighbour before work starts and keep the process amicable and on record.
The structural support is notifiable under the Building Regulations, and Hammersmith and Fulham Council's building control signs it off. We also cap any redundant flue and add ventilation so the old stack cannot draw damp into the room, then replaster and make good so there is no trace the breast was ever there. Dust protection is kept tight throughout.
- Party Wall Act notices for shared stacks
- 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
Why Shepherd's Bush Homeowners Choose GS Renovation
Shepherd's Bush homeowners choose GS Renovation because we treat chimney breast removal as the structural job it is. You get an engineer-designed support solution, gallows brackets or a beam fitted correctly, party wall notices to your neighbour and building control sign-off handled end to end, tidy working in an occupied W12 home, and 30+ years of local experience behind it.
- 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