The design and potential of fireplaces and flues is a specialist topic in the same way that the delivery of other services are. With many years of experience Billing Chimneys will be pleased to be involved from an early stage in the design process. A little time spent early on can save a great deal more time and expense once the building is underway.
We have advised formally and informally on any number of renovation projects and new builds. With a construction side running alongside the consultancy we aid in the design, feasibility and costing processes.
Typically, after discussions with yourself, we will be asked to meet your client and discuss their ambition for the fireplaces in conjunction with the project architect. We can then advise either informally or formally expressing a view on flue routes and sizes and also the practicality of the client’s wishes and so on. It is sometimes possible to resolve the natural conflict between design and construction at this stage when it can be impossible later because of cost or other design issues.
Conservation sensitive projects
For many years the company has supplied chimney and related services to owners of historic and conservation grade buildings. The services that we offer include sensitive restoration and rebuilding of chimneys as well as relining old flues to allow them to be brought back into use. We are also regularly consulted at the design stage to assess the impact that any alterations being proposed for the building will have on the operation of the fires and flues. We can advise on what is required to maintain an existing use or on the scale of what can be accommodated
Over the years we have worked on many listed buildings, from small thatched cottages to larger scale buildings. In the recent past we have completed work to the flues at Grade 1 listed Palladian New Wardour Castle, where the requirement was to return all the main apartment fireplaces to their original purpose and where the development of top floor rooms into apartments had encroached on the flues serving ground and first floor level fire places. This involved re-routing flues through neighbouring ones and, for the main open fire, building a twin flue route within one of the outside walls. A replacement stack needed to be built where there was evidence that one had existed before. All the work was agreed with English Heritage and local conservation officers.
On renovation projects of assistance to architects is the CCTV survey service that we offer. On older buildings there may be no existing indication of the flue routes or their capacity. A careful CCTV survey will include a report on condition and dimensions of the existing flues together with options for their use.
New builds
With the increasing demand for greener energy sources the chimney and flue requirement is now rarely overlooked. Billing Chimneys can advise on the most suitable flue route and its capacity, the best choice of materials for the flue as well as a suggestions for the appliance.
