The average building permit usually costs around $1,000 USD, but it may vary depending on the size and location of your fireplace. You may need to have inspections from the city during your renovation to ensure that you’re following your plan. If you start your demolition without a building permit, you may receive several fines or jail time.
A home inspector usually costs somewhere around $300–400 USD. Don’t start your demolition until an inspector looks at your home. There may be other concerns or problems that they may point out before you start working.
You can use pieces of scrap plywood if you have some. Ask the employees where you bought the plywood to cut it to size for you if you don’t have the tools at home.
You can buy tarps from your local home improvement or hardware store. Put tarps over the plywood so it’s easier to clean and remove later on.
Make sure any vents and doorways are also covered by the plastic sheeting so you don’t circulate dust throughout your home. Leave a window open in your work area if you’re able so dust can filter out from your home.
You can buy a respirator and safety glasses from your local hardware store. Choose work clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty since you’ll get covered in dust while you’re working.
The cost of the dumpster rental depends on your location and how long your demolition takes, but they usually cost around $500 USD per week. Some companies will charge extra depending on the weight of the dumpster when you’re finished.
Keep your tools in a tool belt or a bucket while you’re climbing the ladder to keep your hands free. If you don’t feel comfortable getting on your roof, hire a contractor to remove your chimney instead. You can still remove the rest of the fireplace yourself once they take out the chimney. You do not need to remove your chimney if the fireplace bricks don’t extend all the way up through your home.
Avoid using power tools or a sledgehammer when you remove your chimney since you could lose your balance and fall off of your roof. Ask a helper to assist you so you can remove the chimney faster.
Chiseling bricks can be a lot of hard work, so take frequent breaks so you can rest and rehydrate.
If the plywood falls through the hole, install a 1 in × 3 in (2. 5 cm × 7. 6 cm) board between the trusses in your attic to use as a horizontal brace to support the plywood. You can leave the hole in your roof open if you want. That way, your attic will stay ventilated while you’re still removing bricks from your chimney. Ask the employees to cut the plywood for you if you don’t have a saw to use.
You may have some roofing material leftover from when you first had your roof done. If not, you can buy new roofing material from and outdoor care or home improvement store. The new roofing material may be slightly discolored from the rest of your roof depending on the age of the rest of your roof.
If your fireplace is on an exterior wall and has exposed brick on the exterior, then you can continue working from outside. You may need to stand on a ladder or step ladder depending on the height of your fireplace.
You can buy a rotary hammer from a home improvement or hardware store. Ask if you’re able to rent equipment if you don’t want to buy it. Make sure you’re wearing your respirator, safety glasses, and gloves while you’re using a rotary hammer since it creates a lot of dust and sharp pieces. Always use caution while working with power tools so you don’t hurt yourself. You usually will not be able to save the bricks you cut out with a rotary hammer.
Watch out for sharp pieces of brick while you’re using a sledgehammer since they could fly up and hit you. Take frequent breaks while using a sledgehammer since it can be very tiring.
You will need to make multiple trips with your wheelbarrow throughout the demolition. If you want to try saving individual bricks, stack them neatly in your wheelbarrow and start a pile somewhere outside your home. It will take longer to save and stack the bricks, but they may come in handy for later projects.
You don’t need to build a new wall in place of your fireplace if it was on an interior wall. Add insulation to your walls if you want to make your home more efficient.
