How to relocate a fireplace for under $1000

[mpjmeyer]

We moved into our house with the fireplace located in the center of the floorplan between the kitchen and livingroom.
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Of course with the Blues game on. That picture was last Christmas in 2013. We liked the idea but realized the location of the fireplace took up a lot of potential real estate. I got a few quotes on the cost to relocate the fireplace, but those numbers weren't even worth mentioning to the wife (thousands of $$). After a month of convincing and a presentation, she finally o.k'd my idea to get out the chisel and start our project!!

Here's the picture right before I started:
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It's getting ready to be VERY messy in the living room. I highly suggest clearing as much furniture and getting drop cloth to try and control the dust as much as possible. No matter how clean you are, the house will need a major dust job. The first bricks take the longest, but you will get a steady rhythm as you figure it out. The square hole is where the outlet was for the tv.

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Where the fireplace will be:

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Outside the house where the chimney will be built

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Getting a bit farther

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Finally all the stones are off

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And placed neatly on the garage floor where I went through each brick, cleaning off excess concrete. I gotta say I seem to be pretty good at tetris.

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Removing the plywood that was under the stone is revealing the flu

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No more framing

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All the piping out and stored in the garage.

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After patching the hole in the roof, I started cutting out the drywall where I will be installing the fireplace.
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2x12's running along the joists of the existing framing to support the chimney stack
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Framed out the wall ready for the fireplace. You may also notice the outlets had to be spread farther apart
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Doesn't seem to mad about the new hole in her house lol. I think she's started getting excited with how nicely I was making everything for her.
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Framing up and started adding flu piping back to the firebox.

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[mpjmeyer]

The firestop:
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Added the insulation:
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Framing up:

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Getting closer. We mounted the mantel higher than it was before since there will no longer be a tv mounted above it. This time it is at eye level which is perfect for pictures or candles.

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We have always liked the idea of a raised hearth which is great for additional seating for guests or your cat who lays there every fire:

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Mounted all the wire to support the masonry stone

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This next step is the ONLY time where I had help. Luckily my uncle owns a roofing/siding company which allowed me to pay cost for siding material. He was very generous as well by not charging me labor.

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Here is a final picture:

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My new view of the tv. My couch is farther back against the wall where the fireplace used to be located. It's mounted lower which is much easier on the neck and no distraction to the eyes with a fire underneath.

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Christmas 2014

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The entire project from chipping the bricks off to lighting the first fire took about 3 weeks. Unfortunately my profession has me working 50+ hours/week and also has nothing to do with construction. Before I started, I read up as much as I could on fire code and installation of the flu and more. If you put your mind to something, it can be done. The hardest part of the entire project was probably the masonry work which took my entire Sunday. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Expenses: Siding material, lumber, hardware, insulation, chimney chase cover and cement

Reused items: Firebox, flu, stones, hearth stone, mantel

 

[Simonkenton]

Beautiful job! Your job has nothing to do with construction, but it seems like you must have a lot of construction experience to tackle such a difficult job.
Very nicely done!

 

[RickBlaine]

And the Hearth.com "He-Man Fire Maker" award goes to.....

VERY nice job! And I liked how you placed the stockings back onto the mantle just in time for Christmas.

Have you measured (with an Infra Red gun) any noticeable heat loss on the backside? I am guessing no, since you seem to have done a great job.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Awesome job! Did you cover the bottom of those bump out joists? Bump outs can be easy places for mice to enter!

 

[mass_burner]

3 weeks! Doesn't sound like you have kids, but I see 4 stockings. Huge feat nonetheless. It sounded like a mistake till I realized it wasn't a solid masonry chimney. We have a 13" wide floor to ceiling chimney separating LR and family room. We have TV's and inserts on both sides mounted up high.

So you reinstalled the same appliance, did you think about changing while it was out?

 

[anthonyj124]

Very impressive. Great work!

 

[realstihl]

That was a big job, nicely done.

 

[dlavigne7324]

The firestop:
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Added the insulation:
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Framing up:

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Getting closer. We mounted the mantel higher than it was before since there will no longer be a tv mounted above it. This time it is at eye level which is perfect for pictures or candles.

(broken image removed)

We have always liked the idea of a raised hearth which is great for additional seating for guests or your cat who lays there every fire:

(broken image removed)

Mounted all the wire to support the masonry stone

(broken image removed)

This next step is the ONLY time where I had help. Luckily my uncle owns a roofing/siding company which allowed me to pay cost for siding material. He was very generous as well by not charging me labor.

(broken image removed)

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Here is a final picture:

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My new view of the tv. My couch is farther back against the wall where the fireplace used to be located. It's mounted lower which is much easier on the neck and no distraction to the eyes with a fire underneath.

(broken image removed)

Christmas 2014

(broken image removed)

The entire project from chipping the bricks off to lighting the first fire took about 3 weeks. Unfortunately my profession has me working 50+ hours/week and also has nothing to do with construction. Before I started, I read up as much as I could on fire code and installation of the flu and more. If you put your mind to something, it can be done. The hardest part of the entire project was probably the masonry work which took my entire Sunday. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

Expenses: Siding material, lumber, hardware, insulation, chimney chase cover and cement

Reused items: Firebox, flu, stones, hearth stone, mantel

Great job !!

 

[begreen]

Very impressive move and restoration. Thanks for the visual documentation.

 

[DougA]

I am impressed. I thought mine was a lot of work but nothing compared to this. We finally got the stone dust off our windows yesterday and today. That alone took hours.
Amazing job.

 

[begreen]

The one thing that I would have done differently would be putting a couple layers of cement board under the stove and the hearth. And make sure there is a proper cap on the chase stove to prevent any possible leakage into the chase.

 

[claydogg84]

Your carpentry skills are impressive. Fine job!

 

[Simonkenton]

Here is your final exam, as a fireplace builder. Did you make a cricket?

 

[mpjmeyer]

Yes I did build a cricket on the roof for rain water. I apologize I didn't snap a picture of it but I believe I went about 16" high from the roof up the chimney stack. Probably should have went higher but it seems to work. I haven't noticed any heat loss, but in fact the opposite. I guess it's a good thing I insulated the framing on the outside but fires actually heat the room much better with the fireplace at the new location than before.

Thanksgiving 2014


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[Simonkenton]

You made a cricket? Good God, you get 5 gold stars. I see lots of chimneys made by professional masons that need a cricket and don't have it; in fact, I have retrofitted 2 of the fiancee's rental houses with crickets.

Fess up, now, how much construction experience do you have?

 

[mpjmeyer]

I did install plywood underneath where I bumped out the 2x12's to keep animals out

 

[mpjmeyer]

I build little things like that smokehouse you can see in one of the pictures and a table in my garage for the mini fridge and storage but those are simple 2 hour projects. I have 0% construction experience but I do as much research as I can before I start anything, especially with this project. Never made a dime in construction my whole life.

 

[mpjmeyer]

I'll snap a pic of the cricket when I hop on the roof to take the Christmas lights down. I built the flu 2ft. higher than the tallest point of the roof within 10ft.

 

[matt1@]

Dude awesome job man. You remind me of my childhood buddy who was just a natural at building and construction even when we were kids. The guy could just say he was gonna build something and Bam! It turned out incredible. Very nice job though, you'd be great in the general contracting or construction field.

 

[GeHmTS]

Wow, thanks for sharing your work. I love it. Let's get you on HGTV