Any builders? Building a fake chimney breast with integrated TV?

[Emily90]

Hi, I am wanting a fake chimney breast to be built, with space for an integrated TV and some kind of fake fireplace, complete with skirting and painting (my husband and I are honestly useless at DIY and have numerous holes in our walls just from putting up curtain poles).

I am going to get a few quotes but have no idea how much I am looking at.

Has anyone had this done?

[Mr Tom Morrow]

My Daughter bought a very run down house 2 years ago and they are now progressing to the living room stage.

The room is a lovely size but they wanted a fake TV/feature breast like you. I can't get my head around losing some of the room but who am I to say.

Her Partner does dry lining and I know they paid £115 for metal and plasterboard and he made it last weekend. The TV bracket was £22 as I ordered it for her from Amazon

However it now needs skimming and then a Carpenter to do the skirting. He could do it but they are having the whole room done with new door frames etc hence calling in a Tradesman.

I was a Carpenter and I would have framed it with timber which would have been maybe a third cheaper than metal. Plus I think it's better as you get more fixing points for skirting, coin beads and the tv arm

Gut feeling.
Materials £100
Labour £100
Plasterer £125 supply and fix the plaster and coin beads.

The plasterer will be more expensive as it's such a small job they will probably come twice. First time put the beads on for the corners and then come back to skim

[Gryff]

We had almost similar built when we did our granny flat conversion
I don’t have a fire place but a wall hung unit the full length
just make sure you have the TV first DH didn’t only bit of the conversation he was project manger for
The biggest bit was getting all the electrics in place for the media equipment
As MR T says timber frame lintel for the tv bracket then boarded taped and plastered

[Mr Tom Morrow]

OP. Final bit of advice.

Don't make the 'hole' where the TV is going to be too exact in size. For example, you have a 40" TV now and a gap of maybe an inch all around it in a slight set back. 5 years time you change the TV and find the frame is slightly bigger and it wont fit!

However if you have the TV on the 'outside' of the false breast then no issues but that defeats the object of building one in the first place.

Always think to the future not the present.

[Pino_Spetzberg]

Back when flat TVs first came out we placed ours on the wall.
With wiring hidden properly looked great. Quite the novelty.
It didn't stay there very long.
We moved it onto a floor cabinet.
We prefer looking down at the screen.

Maybe something to have a little think about before you commit to the work.

Place some newspaper on the wall and look at it for an hour or so.

[mickey house]

TVs should be positioned line of sight when you are seated, not high up a wall as it makes watching them very uncomfortable.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

I couldn't agree more with the above 2 posts. Line of sight is the best in my view.

[Gryff]

Ours is in line of sight didn’t want to feel as if we were at the front row in the cinema

[Emily90]

Hmm good points. I will think it over some more