What type of tradesperson do I need to remove my gas fire & surround?

Removing a gas fire and surround is one of those jobs that sounds straightforward but actually involves several different trades working in the right order. Get the sequence wrong — or use the wrong person for the gas work — and you're looking at safety risks, a failed inspection, and potentially having to redo work you've already paid for.

Here's a clear breakdown of which trades you need, what each one does, and how to approach the project sensibly.

The short answer

For most gas fire and surround removals, you'll need:

1. A Gas Safe registered engineer — to disconnect and cap off the gas supply safely (this must come first, before anyone else touches anything)
2. A builder or general tradesperson — to remove the surround and make good the opening
3. A plasterer — to give the finished wall a clean, professional surface

Depending on the specifics of your fireplace, you may also need an electrician if there are any integrated electric elements, and potentially a chimney specialist if the flue needs capping or lining.

Step 1: The gas work — Gas Safe registered only

This is non-negotiable and must happen before anything else. The gas supply to the fire needs to be properly isolated and the pipe capped off by a Gas Safe registered engineer. This isn't optional or something a general builder can take care of — it's a legal requirement under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

The engineer will disconnect the gas supply, cap it off safely, and issue the appropriate paperwork confirming the work has been done correctly. Keep this documentation — you may need it if you sell the property.

Important: You may see references to "CORGI registered" gas engineers online or in older articles. CORGI was replaced by Gas Safe in 2009 — it no longer exists. Any engineer carrying out gas work in the UK must be registered with Gas Safe, and you can verify anyone's registration on the Gas Safe Register website before they start work.

Step 2: Removing the surround and making good the opening

Once the gas is safely capped, the fire and surround can come out. This is typically handled by a builder or general tradesperson — it's not specialist work, but it does need to be done carefully to avoid damaging the chimney breast or the surrounding wall.

When it comes to closing off the fireplace opening, you have a few options:

• Plasterboard — the quickest and most common approach. A plasterboard panel is fixed across the opening and finished with plaster or plasterboard compound ready for decoration.
• Brickwork — more solid and permanent, particularly if you want the wall to feel substantial or if you're concerned about the plasterboard getting knocked. Takes longer but gives a better long-term result.
• Decorative boarding — some homeowners choose to retain the chimney breast opening and fit a decorative panel or alcove unit instead of closing it flush. Worth considering before you commit to blocking it completely.

Don't forget the ventilation

This is the step that most people don't think about — and skipping it causes real problems down the line. When a chimney flue is blocked off at the bottom but left open at the top, cold air can move through the flue and hit the warm, soot-laden surfaces inside. This creates condensation, which mixes with the soot deposits to cause damp patches and staining — sometimes appearing through wallpaper or paint on the chimney breast months later.

The solution is simple: when boarding up the fireplace, include an air brick or vent in the new panel to allow a small amount of air to circulate up through the flue. Most builders will know to do this automatically, but it's worth raising it explicitly to make sure. For a full rundown of your options — from chimney balloons to permanent sealing — our guide to how to block an unused chimney properly covers the detail.

If you're also having the chimney pot capped at the top — which keeps rain and birds out — make sure a ventilated cap is used rather than a solid one, for the same reason.

Step 3: Plastering the wall

Once the opening is boarded or bricked, a plasterer can skim the new surface to give you a smooth, clean finish ready for decoration. If the builder has done a tidy job of the boarding, this is a relatively quick piece of work — usually a day or less for a single fireplace.

It's worth letting new plaster dry fully before painting — typically at least four weeks for a full skim, though your plasterer will advise. Painting too soon traps moisture and causes the paint to flake.

Do you also need an electrician?

Possibly. It depends on your specific fire. Some gas fires have an integrated electric ignition, decorative lighting, or a fan-assisted element — if so, there may be electrical connections that need to be properly disconnected and made safe before removal. An electrician will be able to do this quickly and will ensure the work is certified under Part P of the Building Regulations if required.

If you're not sure whether your fire has any electrical components, check the model documentation or ask the Gas Safe engineer when they attend — they'll be able to tell you before any other trades are booked.

Can one company do all of this?

Often, yes. Many heating companies and building contractors employ multi-trade teams — particularly those who do a lot of fireplace and heating work. Fireplace installers in particular tend to cover the full scope of this type of project, including the gas disconnection, removal, and making good. It's always worth asking when you call around for quotes, because having one company coordinate all the trades is significantly easier than managing each one separately yourself.

Even if the company subcontracts the plastering, having a single point of contact for the project avoids the scheduling issues that come with booking independent tradespeople who then have to wait on each other to finish before they can start.

What about the chimney itself?

Removing the fire and boarding the fireplace doesn't deal with the chimney above. If you want the chimney stack removed as well — either because it's causing damp, needs repointing, or you want to remove it entirely — that's a separate building project and will require a structural engineer's input if it's part of a party wall or if removing it affects the roof structure. Our guide to what to do with an unused chimney covers all the options in detail, including capping, ventilating, and full removal.

If you're leaving the chimney in place, have it inspected before boarding up the fireplace — particularly in older properties where the flue lining may be deteriorating. A chimney sweep can carry out a flue inspection and advise on whether any remedial work is needed before you close it off.

Summary: the right order of work

1. Book a Gas Safe registered engineer to isolate and cap the gas supply — this comes before anything else
2. Check whether the fire has any electrical connections that need disconnecting
3. Have the fire and surround removed by a builder
4. Ensure the new panel includes a vent or air brick before the opening is closed
5. Get a plasterer in to skim and finish the wall
6. Allow the plaster to dry fully before decorating

Done in the right order with the right trades, it's a manageable project — usually completed within a few days once the gas work is signed off. You can find Gas Safe registered heating engineers and gas fitters near you on TrustATrader — all vetted and reviewed by real customers.