I recently purchased a 100-year-old home and noticed that the brick facade over the fireplace has a large gap on both sides and wobbles if you shake it a bit. I am not sure what to do about it. I had a contractor over here for another project and he suggested just dismantling it and then putting drywall over the original brick. I had someone else suggest just getting some heavy-duty L-shaped brackets and attaching the mantle to the wall for extra support. Wondering if anyone else has some cost-effective ideas. I am on a budget since I just laid down some cash to get the house.
