This is a big job the first thing is to get permission to even do it both from the city and your neighbor. If this is a series of townhomes it won’t happen IMO. You do not show the wall you want it on, the venting can’t change IMO so moving it would not work anyway. Not sure what you would gain since the wall will still be angled . I have no idea of cost even if this would be possible . You need to ask a lot of questions of city, condo or HOA board and neighbors before worrying about cost. Then if that all works you get a contractor to get an estimate and that is all it will be since until you open walls who knows what will need to be done.

It WILL NOT happen. You’re not moving around vents and supplies in multi family building. The board won’t allow. If for some reason they were all smoking crack that day and did allow it, you’re talking rebuilding half the house. With roughly the same cost as at least half of what you paid for the place. Floors, walls, roof, all have to be ripped apart and rebuilt. A fireplace is a virtually immovable object. But especially in a multi family building.

You need to live with it or move.

Thanks for your valuable input Sophie, but please let me worry about cost. I had thought about just repositioning the fireplace to face forward instead of cornered. Did not expect to rebuild half the house, just turn it and build out a false wall. The wall I wanted the fireplace to sit would be the same wall as where the wall clock is. I wouldn’t tear that wall up, just build another in front of it.

Or more accurately, build bookcases coming off the back wall and just building a new mantle around the forward facing fireplace. Hopefully I’m explaining this well enough.

Following. (I have a similar room next to my kitchen in my town home).

Totally doable but you will lose floor space. Typical firebox needs 24” depth. The vent pipe could be run behind built in cabinets. Patching the floor may also be a concern. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission as it relates to the condo regime as all work is interior. If it is not wood burning the risk is very low. Be sure to use a certified gas technician.

It’s gas, so no wood burning, but obviously I would get a certified gas technician due to safety concerns. I also was going to get a fireplace technician to make sure the firebox was in no way a fire/heat issue in the new placement. I just thought it would be almost the same as buying a new fireplace from a company and having them install it normally, except I already have the fireplace. Thanks for the feedback!

Mr. Tony.....Your HOA has a lot to say about moving your fireplace - please check with them first. Now since you've changed your mind from the original posting, it seems that you can build something on that wall with the clock. That TV seems high, so maybe incorporate something that you can put the TV on also.

I must not be explaining myself clearly. My mind has not changed at all from the original post. The only thing I’m wanting to do is remove the current wall around the fireplace (I had to cut a hole in said wall behind the tv to checks things out when mounting tv) and slide fireplace over to face forward. The wall is just for looks. The corner behind the fireplace is just a large empty cavity with the vent pipe going up and out back of home.

Not gonna happen. Everything has to move to make that happen with the proper clearances and required vent angle and length. It would be cost prohibitive even in a single family home. Add the red tape and more restrictive requirements of multi family living, and it’s impossible.

Yep....I agree with Sophie. Do yourself a favor and call the HOA on Tuesday to see what they say, as you won't be able to do it without their knowledge.

My only thing to add is I suspect that it will be far easier to start over with a new fireplace unit. After the existing is removed and the new location framed (and all permits from your hoa and municipality is in hand) a fireplace company will drop in the new firebox and build the new flue. I would be very surprised if they would warranty a pieced flue as they only assemble in one order and are brand specific.

Again, thanks for all the good information. I was already planning to request my HOA’s permission as well as get all needed permits. Beverly, I do understand that a “vented fireplace has a vent that goes up.” Honestly I’m not sure how to respond to that comment since there are multiple applications to gas fireplace vents such as ground floor installation, corner installation (which both types may, and some do, have bends in the vent pipe) and what you may be describing, vertical installation. At any rate, the current vent pipe of my original fireplace right now also has a bend in the vent pipe of about 30 degrees, twice. I’m sorry if I sound defensive but your comment and descriptive images came off condescending with not much else to add.

Thank you Beverly. That link provided a lot of good information. To answer your question, my wall mate does have a FP but it’s flue is on the other side of their home. I understand that this project may seem frivolous to most but without going into too much detail, this would be a fun, personal project for me. Thanks again for everyone’s response and thoughts!

Fun is not what would come to mind with this project you have no thought this through even though you have had lots of info that you have decided to ignore so have FUN>

Tony:

I had to unzip the vinyl siding and sheathing on my condo in Toledo to dig dead squirrels out from between the metal chimney walls with a coat hanger once, so I'm a bit familiar with shared walls and fireplaces.

Can you do this? Certainly. Can you do this cost effectively? Absolutely not.

" If for some reason they were all smoking crack that day and did allow it,..."

Thanks, Sophie, funniest thing I've read this year.

Asking for forgiveness instead of permission will put you in a position of liability if any damage, including fires not only in your unit but every unit. The change could also, a strong possibility, void your homeowners insurance putting you personally responsible for damages and you may open yourself up for a lawsuit. Start with permission from HOA, they are not going to approve the change, then go from there. The cost is the last thing to worry about even though you don’t appear to care how much it costs.

^Linda nailed it as well as all the others. Perhaps you can achieve your objective by removing the entire FP. It, along with the TV placement, totally overpowers your room. JMO.

You ask for forgiveness instead of permission from your wife, not your condo board.

I forgot to add; in my opinion, Check with an attorney.

Have you considered an electric fireplace? It would give you the ambiance you are looking for while not having to go through all the trouble that you would encounter to get a gas one installed. They've come along ways from what they use to look like.

What about if you left the fireplace where it is and make the clock wall the TV wall? You would have the best of both worlds. AND you would remove the TV from above the fireplace.....winner!!

There are now "ventless" gas fireplaces, you might want to check them out. I have been on the Buildings and Grounds committee of a condominium project, and I can assure you that you will most likely NOT get permission to do what you are proposing. To go ahead and do it without HOA approval means you will NOT get "forgiveness," but you will have to return it to its original state at your own expense. So you will end up paying for it twice to get what you have now.

This is exactly what I want to do in our home!!! Move it from the corner and put it where the window is, as right next to it is our slider and we would still have plenty of light!! Also, our fireplace is ventless, so no flue to worry about!!!

Hi Tony. You haven't said so but I'm thinking you want to move the fp so you can lower the TV. Your neck must be sore watching up in the air like that. I took mine down. What about if you just had the gas disconnected & the gasljne capped, took off the mantle and drywalled over the fp?. That way it's still there & when you want to sell someone can just put the mantle back and have a gas fitter come jn and reconnect the natural gas line.

or move the TV to below where the clock is & move your big sofa under the window?

Mr. Tony - Do you have any updates?

This is our fireplace. We want to remove the old insert, and replace it with a more contemporary insert, and raise the position of the insert directly above the old opening so that the it no longer sits on the floor, and is more at eye level when sitting on the sofa (that faces the fireplace). We also plan to resurface the area. We were quoted around $30k, depending on what they find when they remove the old insert. The actual resurfacing was maybe $5k of the cost. I think it was a wood burning fireplace at one point w a brick chimney. Not sure if that gives you any sort of ballpark cost given the different circumstances.

handdhouse....There's some folks on Houzz that can give you some good advice. I suggest that you start a thread and put a link to it on this dilemma.

Hi Tony,

Did you end up moving your fireplace? I have a corner fireplace that's driving me nuts that I'd like to relocate, so I was just curious about your experience.

Thanks!

2026 checking in to see if this was ever accomplished?