Can I drill through this chimney breast?

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PlumberAde

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Hi,

I am looking for some advice.

Below is a photo of our chimney breast.

Since this photo was taken, our builder has plasterboarded over this, and a plasterer has plastered.

The cable in the image is meant to go from our TV to a power box which will be placed in the alcove. This power box will hold all the HDMI cables, optical cables and anything else meaning that no other cables will be requried to go into the TV, except the one pictured.

Unfortunately, after plastering, the cable has been left in a position that means it will be nigh on impossible to place the TV in a central position. The TV is 48 inches wide, the fireplace underneath is also 48 inches, so any deviation will be clearly visible.

In fairness to the builder, the cable is only 2.5m. After a week of pondering, I discovered that I can buy a 5 metre cable - I managed to get one and suggested to the builder that he drill through the chimney breast, drop the cable down, drill through the fireplace (now covered by plasterboard) to bring the cable out. From there, the cable can be fed behind the skirting board, and into the power box, with the aim of having no visible cables on the chimney breast, and having the TV in a central position.

My builder says this is simply not possible. I cannot understand why, maybe he is correct, maybe he is not really willing to drill through the breast.

I think I have two questions.

1) If he opened up the plasterboard a little, I think he could free enough of the cable to get closer to the centre of the chimney breast - does that look correct based on the only photo I took below
2) If this doesn't work, what would be the reasons that would prevent him from feeding the cable through the fireplace in the way I have described?


20230918_100619.jpg
 
Sorry, must add, we are putting in an electric fire so the chimney will not be in use.
 
PlumberAde said:
In fairness to the builder, the cable is only 2.5m. After a week of pondering, I discovered that I can buy a 5 metre cable - I managed to get one and suggested to the builder that he drill through the chimney breast, drop the cable down, drill through the fireplace (now covered by plasterboard) to bring the cable out. From there, the cable can be fed behind the skirting board, and into the power box, with the aim of having no visible cables on the chimney breast, and having the TV in a central position.
Click to expand...

I don't see why not....

Just drill a hole into the chimney, where you want the cable to emerge, poke the cable(s) through, and fish them out of the vent at the base - you do have a vent don't you - one is needed to avoid damp in the chimney.
 
Harry Bloomfield said:
I don't see why not....

Just drill a hole into the chimney, where you want the cable to emerge, poke the cable(s) through, and fish them out of the vent at the base - you do have a vent don't you - one is needed to avoid damp in the chimney.
Click to expand...

Thanks - I have a vent but at the other side of the alcove to where the equipment will go. Could I just get the builder to drill a hole on the side I need to feed the cable into?
 
PlumberAde said:
Thanks - I have a vent but at the other side of the alcove to where the equipment will go. Could I just get the builder to drill a hole on the side I need to feed the cable into?
Click to expand...

Yes. It would take just a minute with an SDS drill, providing you can fish the cable through..
 
looks like it will be a large hole as that plug seems quite large, but still doable with a core drill. As harry says easy with an sds drill. I would decide where exactly the cable needs to be at the tv end and drill through the breast then fit a 35mm back box with a brush plate over the top to neaten it and stop draughts/spiders etc and do the same at the lower level wher you want the cable to go into the breast
 
Sureitsoff? said:
looks like it will be a large hole as that plug seems quite large, but still doable with a core drill. As harry says easy with an sds drill. I would decide where exactly the cable needs to be at the tv end and drill through the breast then fit a 35mm back box with a brush plate over the top to neaten it and stop draughts/spiders etc and do the same at the lower level wher you want the cable to go into the breast
Click to expand...

Thanks - the other side of the cable has a smaller plug, to be fair. So, feeding the cable through a hole at the TV end and getting it through the side wall seems the best option. I didn't really think about a back box - with the lazy assumption that because the holes are out of sight, behind the TV then it's less of an issue. But, yep, definitely need something there.

We will try to work with what we have for now - we may be able to get what we need from the cable that is hidden under the plaster. But, at least now I have a contingency plan.
 
It's good that the non TV end of the cable is smaller such that now a smaller hole is required. If you do go down the back box and brush plate route I would also fill the back box with some sort of insulation to stop draughts which could blow soot from the chimney. Bit of rock wool loft insulation or similiar would do.
 
Ade. just a thought. Does your tv get its power from the same one cable as carries the video signals? and if so what happens if it goes phut! and you need to geta different tv that requires the usual power,aerial,hdmi,data etc cables in future.
 
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Did they batten out for the plasterboard, or dot & dab?
Either way could cause problems. If you are going down inside the chimney, you will need the cable to go thrugh 2 holes. One in the breast and one in the blanking plate. Not the easiest of jobs to feed the cable through both.
 
conny said:
Did they batten out for the plasterboard, or dot & dab?
Either way could cause problems. If you are going down inside the chimney, you will need the cable to go thrugh 2 holes. One in the breast and one in the blanking plate. Not the easiest of jobs to feed the cable through both.
Click to expand...

Doable, if there is a ventilation hole at the bottom, as there should be. Just poke draw wires through, each, so they can be joined at the vent.
 
What happens when you have to replace that TV and the new one has different requirements? Can you not run a conduit between two locations with brush plates so different cables can be pulled through?
 
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