# Chimney Breast Removal Dublin | Gallows Brackets or Steel Support > Chimney breast removal in Dublin designed by a Chartered Engineer: gallows brackets or steel support for the stack above, party wall checks and sign-off. URL: https://structuralengineer.ie/chimney-breast-removal/ # Chimney Breast Removal in Dublin: Design and Sign-Off Taking the breast out downstairs while the breast above and the stack on the roof stay where they are. That weight has to go somewhere. [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764) [Get a fixed fee](#quote) _Image: Ground-floor chimney breast removed with a steel beam supporting the breast above in a Dublin house_ - I.S. EN 1993-1-1 Steel design - I.S. EN 1996-1-1 Masonry design - TGD A Structure - TGD J Heat-producing appliances Last updated: 14 October 2026 · Reviewed by Joachim Louw, CEng MIEI [StructuralEngineer.ie](https://structuralengineer.ie/) designs and signs off chimney breast removal for houses across Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow. Most Dublin semis and terraces built up to the 1970s have back-to-back chimney breasts on the party wall. Removing the ground-floor breast for space leaves the first-floor breast and the stack above with nothing under them unless support is designed in. Joachim Louw (CEng MIEI) checks what remains above, designs that support, and inspects it before it is covered. The right answer depends on what stays: gallows brackets for a light breast and stack on a sound wall, or a steel beam or frame where the load is heavier or the wall is shared. ## What happens on the first visit On the visit the engineer checks what will remain above the removed breast (the first-floor breast, the stack, and anything built off it), the condition of the wall it bears on, and whether the breast is shared with or bears on a party wall. - Check whether the first-floor breast and the stack are staying - Assess the stack's height and condition from outside and in the attic - Check the party wall construction and the neighbour's breast - Look at floor joists trimmed around the hearth - Check for flues still in use and ventilation needs - Agree the extent of removal with you ## Gallows brackets or a steel beam Gallows brackets are steel angle brackets bolted to the wall below the retained breast. They're quick, but they only suit a light breast on a sound solid wall, and they rely entirely on the anchors and the masonry. A steel beam or frame carried on padstones into the side walls is the more robust solution, and the usual choice where the breast is heavy, the wall is weak, or the bearing is on a party wall. Either way, the calcs come with a propping sequence. The breast is supported before any brick comes out below it. ## Party walls and selling Most chimney breasts sit on the party wall, so the work affects your neighbour's structure. The Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 (sections 44–45) sets out your rights and obligations for works to party structures. A buyer's solicitor will also ask about a removed breast, and an opinion of compliance based on an inspection of the support before it was boxed in answers that. ## What's included - Site visit by a Chartered Engineer - Assessment of the retained breast and stack - Gallows bracket or steel support design - Padstone and bearing checks - Propping sequence for the builder - Party wall considerations noted - Inspection before boxing in - Signed opinion of compliance Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. ## Brackets by eye, removal without support, or a designed solution What holds up the chimney after the breast comes out. | Check | Brackets by eye | Removed without support | Engineer-designed support | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Weight of the retained breast and stack assessed | No | No | Yes | | Wall capacity checked | No | No | Yes | | Propping before removal | sometimes | No | Yes | | Certificate a buyer's solicitor will accept | No | No | Yes | Sources - [Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009, s.44](https://revisedacts.lawreform.ie/eli/2009/act/27/section/44/revised/en/html) Talk to the engineer 01 270 9764 Mon–Fri 8:00–18:00. Callback the same working day. [Call now](tel:+35312709764) Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. Standards we design to - I.S. EN 1993-1-1 Steel design - I.S. EN 1996-1-1 Masonry design - TGD A Structure - TGD J Heat-producing appliances Before you book: costs and rules - [Party Wall Works in Ireland: Putting a Steel Beam into a Shared Wall](https://structuralengineer.ie/guide/party-wall-steel-beam-ireland/) - [Do I Need a Structural Engineer to Remove a Wall?](https://structuralengineer.ie/guide/do-i-need-a-structural-engineer-to-remove-a-wall/) How the job runs ## How a chimney breast removal is designed and signed off - 01 ### Call and fixed quote Tell us which breast is coming out. You get a fixed fee in writing. - 02 ### Site visit The retained breast, stack, wall and party wall are checked. - 03 ### Design Brackets or steel, padstones and the propping sequence. - 04 ### Inspection and sign-off The support is inspected before it is covered, then the signed opinion is issued. Taking out a chimney breast? Support what stays above first. Fixed fee confirmed in writing before the visit. [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764) [Request a fixed fee](#quote) Questions ## Chimney breast removal: common questions **Can I remove a chimney breast downstairs and keep the one upstairs?** Yes, if the retained breast and stack are properly supported. Depending on the weight and the wall, that means designed gallows brackets or a steel beam on padstones. The support goes in, with propping, before the brickwork below is removed. **Are gallows brackets allowed?** They can be suitable for a light breast on a sound solid wall when they're designed and fixed to specification. Many engineers prefer a steel beam because it doesn't rely on anchors in old masonry. The engineer decides after seeing the wall and the load. **Do I need my neighbour's agreement?** Where the breast is on the party wall, the works affect a party structure. The Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009 sets out notice and making-good obligations. Talking to your neighbour early and sharing the engineer's design avoids most disputes. **Should I remove the stack as well?** If no flue is needed, removing the whole stack and breast takes the load off entirely, but it involves roof work and affects the neighbour's side if the stack is shared. The engineer can compare both options. **What areas do you cover?** Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area (Kildare, Meath and Wicklow). Site visits are booked from the Blackrock office. Site visit usually within 5 working days. ## Related services [### Load-Bearing Wall Removal Steel beam and padstone design, propping, inspection and a signed certificate for knock-throughs.](https://structuralengineer.ie/load-bearing-wall-removal/) [### Temporary Works Propping, needling and demolition sequences designed before anything comes out.](https://structuralengineer.ie/temporary-works-design/) [### Period Properties Georgian and Victorian houses, basements and protected structures.](https://structuralengineer.ie/period-property-structural-engineer/) Next step Get a fixed fee for your chimney breast removal Call [01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764), or send the details and we'll call you back. Request a fixed engineering fee Prefer to talk? [Call 01 270 9764](tel:+35312709764). A live person answers during office hours.