Because they wanted those walls to place TVs on?

Because Calif is so drought stricken and hot no one wants to think about fire? ;)

I have to admit, that's a little strange though.

I have seen Chip Gaines rip fireplaces out. Well, kinda. :)

You may be onto something there with the tv scenario. We don't really use our fireplace, either, but I love its character and I cannot imagine ripping it out. It's a great place to burn candles safely and sometimes...one or twice annually...we'll have a fire.

I've seen room layouts where the fireplace, combined with the various doors, windows, and openings, made it almost impossible to put together a workable furniture layout. Plus a lot of 1970s fireplaces weren't all that attractive, at least by modern standards. So taking them out I can understand. What you describe as taking their place (or not, as the case may be) is the more baffling issue.

This house has nothing in their place (it appears to be mid-remodel of some kind). The main fireplace backed up the the master bedroom...now it's just a floor-to-ceiling opening into the bedroom. The other one hard to tell from the pics, just empty from where the bricks used to be.

I think those fireplaces were the last bit of charm on the interior given how bare-bones 70s homes seemed to be.

Weird!

I took out one fireplace because it had been hopelessly mangled by the PO, wasn't really fixable, was in a bad spot, took up a 4x10' piece of a room, and was 10 feet away and visible from the fireplace we kept (different styles!). But we fixed the hole!

Not often that is a given. It is an insanely expensive thing to do properly. The reasons to do it are many and valid--they are only for charm/ambiance in many states, they take up valuable room in some pretty awkwardly designed spaces, many were put in really STUPID places, they really date a room which we all know is the worst tragedy EVER. In the end, if one has the energy and money--why not?

Our agent found an old listing from previous sale of the house. The fireplaces were intact and seemed fine. The big one had an insert so shouldn't have had restrictions on burning. The hearth was recessed below the floor maybe 5", that's kind of weird. Both were painted white. Bland but neutral and no mantles. I guess they were putting their stamp on things and got in over their head... Why else sell with fireplace removal incomplete? The kitchen also appears to be undergoing something major.

I'm not good at room layouts, but neither seemed in a bad spot unless those were the places for TV to be front and center. The sunken hearth was not cool but I'd think it would be easier to fix that. Maybe not.

Any chance the home was a rental? We took the wood burning fireplaces out of our townhouses. The tenants were not responsible enough to use them without burning holes in the carpet. And the insurance company didn't like them. But, they didn't have much of a surround. And we replaced the wall so it's usable space.

1970s? My guess would be bad construction and maybe the fireplace had a draft.

I mean does a home in Southern Florida really need a fireplace? It would look completely out of place to me. Would definitely take it out and replace with a wall.

Ha. My parents built their first house in S Fl in the early 50s and the one thing my mom wanted was a fireplace. The builder talked her into doing one of those weird shallow faux fireplaces instead, and that was her only huge regret about the house. She was always sorry she didn't insist on a real one.

That house was on the market recently and I went to take a look at it for old times sake, and I was amused to see that a later owner put a real fireplace there when they enclosed the carport into a garage.

I'm in S FL and I'd love a fireplace, even if I only used it a couple of times a year.

My last house, (built in 1929) had a completely fake fireplace, not even a chimney. It was big too! Visitors said it added charm to the house but all it did for me was take up valuable wall space in my small row house and make me miss a real one. In most of my neighbors homes they had long been removed. I always wanted to remove mine and relocate a small parlor stove to where the chimney was, but that would have been hugely expensive and I didn't hit the lottery.

@writersblock I know many homes there have them there, but I said they're not needed. I I'm from the northeast, and my parents are snowbirds- they're back and forth between Delray and NY. When they were looking at homes, some came with fireplaces, but to them (and me) it was just too strange.

I guess where I live is considered south Florida, but, maybe more the upper tip of that. I have a fireplace I have never used in the four years I have been here. All two hundred or so homes in my neighhood have fireplaces. Although I have no interest in hauling in and burning wood in my house many here do for the few sporadic days throughout the winter where it's cool enough. I love the smell outdoors on those days when many have their fireplaces lit.

My fireplace is in a corner so it's not in the way. The whole back side of my house is mostly glass so if my fireplace were on the one main living room wall it would be very inconvenient. I can see why some people would choose to remove them.

but to them (and me) it was just too strange.

If you'd been here this past month, it wouldn't have seemed strange at all, considering what the weather has been. :)

Sounds like a strange situation. But then a neighbor I had at my last house removed all her closets, very odd. Live in So Cal and it can get rather chilly here. I love my fireplace and on cool days you can smell the fireplaces being used in homes near me, so I am not alone. Love reading by the fire with a cup of tea or glass of wine. Choose my last apartment as a single girl, primarily due to it having a fireplace. Our last house, built in 1969 had an ugly fireplace, about 8 years in we redid it with stacked rock, beautiful result. Can not imagine removing it.

@writersblock I know what the weather's been like there, my parents wouldn't stop complaining last month.. lol. Nonetheless, not cold enough for me to start a fire.

But hey, to each their own.

Mello, sounds like a good reason to look at the house. At least in my neighborhood, those prepared to do some fixes get the better deals. :)

I would not consider buying a house with a fireplace. They are difficult to decorate around, we don't need them here, and they significantly increase the cost of homeowners' insurance. Chimneys are very dangerous during earthquakes. Yes, they can be made safer, but I don't like the thought of having that over my head. Also, fires contribute to air pollution.