Had I known the fireplace needed rebuilt, I would have told them to remove it.
Being in the business of refurbishing and selling homes, I like to know everything about the house before I bought it.
I need to know that even after putting out the money for the home, and making all the structural and physical changes, I could still turn a profit. One of the most expensive items in the house can be the fireplace. If the fireplace is in excellent condition, they draw people in. They look at the romance before they even look to see if the fireplace is in a condition to heat the house, or just for ambience. When I bought my latest home, there was an old fireplace in the living room that was open in to the kitchen. The house was a Victorian home, with all the glamour that went with that period. When the inspector showed up to look at the house, I asked him about the condition of the fireplace. He did a cursory inspection and told me it could possibly be repaired, but it could cost more than what I was planning on spending. Since it was a fireplace that heated two separate rooms, I thought it may be worth having it refurbished. If someone had told me that the fireplace was no longer usable because someone had cemented the chimney shut, I would’ve told them to just remove it. Now I am stuck deciding if I want to repair the fireplace and possibly install a gas or electric insert, or pay the cost of removing the fireplace and repairing the wall in the kitchen and the living room.