How much of this double-sided stone fireplace can I demolish!?!

15 years ago

My husband and I just bought a house that has a double-sided stone fireplace smack dab in the middle of the great room. It's a beautiful room but whoever built the house, had no idea of proportion and the fireplace is so large! To boot, there is about an 18 inch raised stone hearth on both sides, taking away even more of my room! I'd love to get rid of the hearth and maybe "shave" down some inches (or feet!!) on either side of the firebox. Anyone know how big of a job that will be? Will it be really $$?

Also, once the hearth is removed, will it look weird if we don't lower the firebox? Please help us!!

I have tons of digital pictures but I'm not sure how to post. Help me with that too!!! Did I do it right?? Can I upload pics directly into my message without posting them on a site?

Here is a link that might be useful: pictures

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Comments (5)

fandlil
15 years ago
We have a similar issue with our fireplace and, after considering various options, reluctantly decided not to disturb the overall structure.

I would caution against removing the hearth. It's there for a reason: It's noncombustible and that's important protection against a fire. Lowering the firebox to floor level and then installing a hearth at floor level will probably be a very big, very messy and very costly undertaking, almost like rebuilding the whole thing.

You might be able to remove the raised hearth and install a floor level hearth in its place. I think that would be okay from the safety standpoint, provided the new hearth is about the same size at the old one. You will then need to extend the fireplace surround so it goes under the firebox as well as over and on the sides. That sounds like the work of a mason, or maybe you can install metal -- either copper or powder-coated steel in black so it looks like cast iron, if you like that look and think it will blend.

If you want to reduce the size of the firebox, you could consider a fireplace insert. The most popular ones are gas-fired, either natural or propane. They are expensive ($3-4.5K), and typically come with fireplace surround to cover the old firebox opening.

I would guess that the kinds of changes you are contemplating would total about $6K or more. And picking a competent installer involves a leap of faith.

Ask a fireplace contractor for a free estimate. Then you'll know.
jordanaworman
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks so much for the info. Is it ridiculous to dream of getting rid of the entire structure all together?
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Well doesn't look like holding back is an option so if a few things we care about we may have to push closing up. I'm still waiting on a response from the builder. Usually I have an instant response so my guess is that he is looking into things to give us an idea. It is possible closing could be pushed up no matter what too. I'm not sure if sloppy is it either, but rather us visiting sooner than expected for a walk through. Actually there are several items on the list that I would expect the builder to want to collect together such as wanting the painter to come out only once so I can understand waiting and piling some items up. Same with electrical items, flooring people to finish and fix their screw-ups. I have no idea what the splatter is, but my guess is paint. It is white so seems like a reasonable thing. Could be drywall mud too at least in kitchen from patching drywall after granite install. The things that concerns me as far as closing are: 1, 12, 23, maybe 24-26 and possibly the exhaust fan. The reason for the first ones are the disruption to us especially if they are ripping the floor up to fix and having the light moved will create a mess. Same if they have to pull out the oven cabinet. My DH lifted the oven up some so it is possible if the bottom vent of the oven is large enough they can shim it up a little to cover the cut. The hood vent would be an issue if we'd be cooking immediately which we won't due to not fully moving in for a few weeks. Exhaust fan in bath by wet areas I'm not sure if we have a case or not as there is no code requiring one, but I put it on there anyways. We changed the appliances from Stainless to black and I was told I had to get the same oven except the color due to the cut already being done for that particular oven from the cabinet maker. I'm thinking somebody did a bobo messing up on the installation of the oven and why it is missing some of the pieces that attaches to it. Builder may already be on top of this one and hence install isn't finished. As for the trim guys, I don't think they are the ones that chipped the corner trim. I think it was the wood flooring installers when they installed the quarter round. I have a photo of that corner (just by chance) and it didn't have the corner chipped in the photo before the floors. Floors were just done last week so still possible builder knows about it and just trying to get them back to fix and finish. Seems the real sloppy ones so far are the wood flooring installers since there are several items related to them. The closet rods - I've never lived somewhere where they were not poly'd at least. I agree on paint, but so easy to get splinters without some kind of finish. That one is the least of my worries though and if it is common in other areas that may be so here too. We are 90 miles away from where we currently live so ...
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fandlil
15 years ago
You can do practically anything, if you're prepared to spend the money and put up with the dust and the mess, and sometimes with disappointment due to marginal competence of the contractor. Before committing to a major renovation, consider what you can achieve by some modest cosmetic changes. It's quite possible that you can mask the aspects of the fireplace that you find undesirable by putting in things that draw attention away from what you do not like. It takes imagination and maybe the advice of somebody with a flair for interior design. For example, if the two-sided look bothers you, try to figure out how to de-emphasize it, maybe by painting in a color or colors that play it down.
bgibi
14 years ago
We just took down our huge fireplace that sounds similar to yours. When I say "we", it was just my husband an I. It's a big job, but so worth it. We're going to install a dv gas fireplace in what's now a great room.
abu7mza2010_yahoo_com
14 years ago
Hi ,

I wish to share this downloadable folder which I gathered from hundreds of resources in my search for a fireplace designs for my new home which am Finishing-Thanks God- Now.
The folder contains more than 300 images of fireplaces(stone, cultured stone,marble,venere and rumford, french designsÂ and more) beside many DIY manuals about fireplace inserts, consctructing fireplaces, maintaning them and wood burning tips. I will be posting more soon and the folder is being updated from time to then I hope it is not forbidden to share rapidshare folders.

Please enjoy the download:
The file is 67 MB and is worth seeing I hope!!

http://rapidshare.com/files/355556542/Fireplace_images_all_design.rar

This new folder contains Much more images of Fireplace designs, beside the previous folder is incorporated inside here. Please follow the download link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/360074108/Fireplace_pictures_designs_tutorial.rar

I appreciate any input from you, I would love to get more images if you have any to update the two folders.

Thanks

Mdxman

How much of this double-sided stone fireplace can I demolish!?!

Comments (5)

fandlil

jordanaworman
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How much of this double-sided stone fireplace can I demolish!?!

Comments (5)

fandlil

jordanawormanOriginal Author

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fandlil

bgibi

abu7mza2010_yahoo_com

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jordanaworman
Original Author