We would like to open up the chimney breasts in our bathroom and kitchen (which are exactly atop each other), to create space for a sink and cooker. For the cooker we would also like it if the extractor could be placed in what remains of the chimney breast above the cooker. Is it less work to open it up, than to take it out entirely? How long would it roughly take to do the work? Is it a problem that we can probably only keep a quite small rim of the fireplace in order to fit the right cooker? Also do we need to contact a structural engineer before, to make sure the house stays stable? Thanks for your help.
