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What changes the cost of a false chimney breast?
A false chimney breast quote depends on its size, what it is built from, whether it houses an electric fire or a TV, and how much wiring, plastering and decorating is included. This guide does not print a price, so ask each trade to price the frame, the electrics and the finish as separate lines.
Last reviewed:What is a false chimney breast?
A false chimney breast is a box built out from a wall to look like the chimney breast found in many older houses. It has no chimney inside. It is usually a timber or metal stud frame, covered in plasterboard, then plastered or taped and painted.
People build them to give a room a focal point, to house an electric fire, or to make a feature wall with a recess for the TV. In a new-build or an extension with flat walls, a false breast can make a living room feel more traditional. Larger versions are often called media walls.
This guide explains what changes the price and what a clear quote should include. It does not print a figure. Our carpenters and plasterers pages cover the main trades, and our electricians page covers the wiring.
QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post a false chimney breast job.
What changes the size and shape of the job?
Height and width. A breast that stops at mantel height is quicker than one that runs to the ceiling. A wide breast across most of the wall is more frame, board and finishing.
Depth. The depth is set by what goes inside: an inset electric fire, a TV bracket fixing, speakers or a soundbar. Deeper boxes use more material and need more support.
Recesses and shelves. Alcoves either side, a fire opening, a TV recess, shelves or a log store all add cutting, framing, corner beads and finishing.
Lighting. Strip lighting or spotlights in recesses add electrical work and more finishing around fittings.
Mantel and hearth. A timber mantel, a stone or tile hearth, or a floating shelf are separate items. Some are bought ready-made, others are made on site.
What does each part of the quote cover?
| Part of the job | Who usually does it | What a clear quote says |
|---|---|---|
| Frame | Carpenter or joiner | Timber or metal studs, how it is fixed to wall, floor and ceiling |
| Board | Carpenter, joiner or plasterer | Plasterboard type, and any heat-resistant board near a fire |
| Plastering or taping | Plasterer or decorator | Full skim or tape-and-joint, and corner beads |
| Fire opening | Carpenter, following the fire maker's instructions | Exact opening size and clearances |
| Electrics | Electrician | New sockets, spurs, fused connection for the fire, lighting, cable routes |
| Decorating | Decorator | Mist coat, top coats and any feature finish |
| Waste | Each trade | Offcuts and packaging removed. Disposal should be in the price [S4] |
| VAT | Each trade | Registration is required above £90,000 of taxable turnover in the last 12 months [S3] |
If you are using several trades, decide who is in charge of the order of work. The electrician needs to run cables after the frame goes up and before the board goes on, then come back to fit sockets and connect the fire.
Why do the electrics matter so much?
Most false chimney breasts hide cables. An electric fire needs power. A TV recess usually wants sockets and aerial or data cables behind the screen. Recess lighting needs switching.
This is a job for an electrician, not something to add on yourself. A registered electrician can tell you whether the existing circuit can take the extra load, where the fire's connection should go, and how cables should run inside the frame. Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation. This guide does not give any DIY wiring steps.
Building the frame also means fixing into the existing wall, floor and ceiling. Electrical Safety First warns not to drill holes or fix nails in walls without knowing what is hidden behind them, and to check there are no live cables behind the plaster [S1]. You can read its home electrical safety tips. Ask the carpenter how they will check the wall before fixing.
What about the fire itself?
Electric fires come as inset units that sit inside the breast, or wall-hung units that sit on the face of it. Each fire comes with its own instructions for the size of the opening, the space needed around it, and any ventilation gaps. The carpenter should build to those instructions, so choose the fire before the frame is built.
Fires that burn fuel need a proper flue and a safe hearth. That is not a false chimney breast job, and it can need building control approval. Our fireplace installation guide explains that wider work.
If you are turning an old, unused chimney breast into a feature, or removing one, our chimney breast removal guide covers removal. Removing a real breast is structural work and needs a builder.
How does a TV recess change the job?
A TV recess looks neat, but it needs more planning than a plain box. The recess must be sized for the TV you have now and any larger one you might buy. The TV bracket needs solid fixing, usually into extra timber built into the frame, not just plasterboard.
Cables should run inside the breast to a socket and connection point behind the screen. A soundbar or speaker shelf below the TV adds another recess and more cables. Our TV bracket cost guide covers fitting the bracket itself.
Tell each trade the TV size, the bracket, and what else will sit in or on the breast.
How long does the work take, and in what order?
The length of the job depends on the size of the breast and how many trades are involved. A plain box may be framed, boarded and finished in a short visit, with drying time before decorating. A full media wall with a fire, lighting and shelves takes several visits.
A typical order of work is:
- The carpenter or joiner marks out and builds the frame, with extra timber where the TV bracket and shelves will fix.
- The electrician runs cables inside the frame and fixes back boxes before any board goes on.
- The frame is boarded, with any heat-resistant board the fire maker asks for around the fire opening.
- The plasterer skims, or the joints are taped and filled.
- Once dry, the electrician fits sockets, switches and lights and connects the fire.
- The decorator paints, and the mantel, hearth and shelves go on.
Gaps between visits are normal while plaster dries. Ask each trade when they need the previous stage finished, so nobody turns up too early.
Can you change your mind later?
A false chimney breast is not part of the structure, so it can be taken out later. Removing it leaves fixing holes in the wall, floor and ceiling, a gap in the skirting, and any cables inside will need making safe by an electrician. If you think you may move the TV or the fire in a few years, ask for a design that allows for it, such as spare cable routes or an access panel.
How do you compare quotes?
Send each trade the same information: a photo of the wall, its height and width, a sketch of what you want, and the make and model of any fire or TV bracket. Then check that each quote covers:
- frame materials and how it is fixed
- board, plastering or taping, and corner beads
- the fire opening built to the fire maker's instructions
- every socket, spur, switch, light and cable run, and who does them
- the mantel, hearth and shelves, if included
- decorating, if included
- removal of waste and packaging
Citizens Advice suggests trying to get written quotes from at least 3 different traders, and says some traders charge for quotes, so ask first [S2]. It says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is just a rough guess [S2]. If a trader asks for a deposit to buy materials, Citizens Advice suggests offering to buy them yourself instead [S2].
If something goes wrong, Citizens Advice says the Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be provided with reasonable care and skill [S5]. A detailed written quote helps show what was agreed.
What can you do before work starts?
- Choose the fire and the TV bracket first. The frame is built around them.
- Clear the wall and the floor in front of it. Trades need space for timber and board.
- Think about the skirting. The breast will usually sit on the floor, so the skirting along that wall is cut and refitted around it.
- Decide on the finish. A smooth skim, a textured finish, panelling or wallpaper all change the last stage of the job.
- Ask about dust. Cutting board and sanding joints is dusty. Ask how the trade will protect the room.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Living room in a new-build. Would like a false chimney breast to the ceiling with an inset electric fire and a TV recess above. Please quote for frame, electrics and plastering."
- "Simple false breast to mantel height for a wall-hung electric fire. Two new sockets needed. Please quote."
- "Existing stud wall media unit needs rebuilding with shelving either side. Please quote to build, plaster and paint."
Posting a false chimney breast job
Add a photo of the wall, its measurements, and the fire and TV you plan to use. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
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Questions about false chimney breast costs
How much does a false chimney breast cost?
This guide does not print a figure. A plain box with no fire or wiring is a short carpentry and plastering job. A full-height breast with an inset electric fire, a TV recess, new sockets, lighting and a hearth is a much bigger one. Ask for the frame, electrics, plastering and decorating as separate lines.
Can you put a real fire in a false chimney breast?
Not without proper planning. A fire that burns fuel needs a flue and a safe hearth, and that is a different job, often needing building control. This guide covers decorative breasts and electric fires only. Our fireplace installation guide explains the wider job.
Who builds a false chimney breast?
Usually a carpenter or joiner builds the frame, a plasterer boards or skims it, and an electrician does any wiring. Some builders and handymen offer the whole job and bring in an electrician for the electrics. Ask who will do each part.
Does a false chimney breast need building regulations approval?
A simple decorative box usually does not, but new electrical circuits, a fire that burns fuel, or changes to a real chimney can bring building rules into play. Ask each trade whether any part of your design needs approval or certification.
Does VAT change the price?
It can. A business must register for VAT if its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000. Ask whether each quote includes VAT.
Does QuoteZila check carpenters and electricians?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
Part of Cost guides. All services
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- Fire Door Quotes: What to Compare. What changes a fire door quote: a house stair, a flat entrance, the frame and the ironmongery. This guide prints no fitting figure.
- Fitted Wardrobe Costs: What Changes the Price. What changes fitted wardrobe costs in Cheshire: bespoke or modular units, doors and finishes, awkward walls, interiors, lighting, and what to ask first.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Electrical safety in the home and garden, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/press-and-media/electrical-safety-in-the-home-and-garden/
- S2: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S3: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S4: Waste duty of care: code of practice, GOV.UK (Defra). Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice
- S5: If you're unhappy about poor service, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/somethings-gone-wrong-with-a-purchase/complain-about-a-service/