How much do chimney repairs cost?

Why chimney prices vary

No two stacks are the same. Height, the number of pots, whether the chimney is shared with a neighbour, the condition of the brick and where it sits on the roof all change how long the work takes and what equipment is needed. A figure quoted without seeing it is a guess.

The job also depends on what is actually wrong. A damp patch on a chimney breast can come from the pointing, the flashing, the flaunching at the top or simply rain entering an uncapped flue, and each has its own fix.

Access and scaffolding

On most homes the chimney is the hardest part of the roof to reach. Working from ladders alone is rarely safe for anything beyond a quick look, so many chimney jobs need a scaffold around the stack or a chimney scaffold built over the roof slope.

That access is often a significant part of the cost, which is why it makes sense to have other roof work done at the same time if it is due. Tall stacks, three-storey houses, conservatories below and tight side passages all add to the scaffold.

Repointing the stack

Mortar joints on a chimney face the weather from every side and erode faster than the walls of the house. Repointing means raking out loose mortar to a sound depth and refilling the joints. The price follows the size of the stack and how far the erosion has gone; if bricks have cracked or spalled, some may need replacing, and a stack that leans or has loose courses may need partly rebuilding.

Lead flashing around the chimney

Where the stack passes through the roof, lead flashings and soakers keep rain out of the joint. Lead lasts a long time, but the mortar holding the top edge into the brickwork can fail, and old or poorly fitted lead can split. Refixing an existing flashing is a smaller job than replacing a full set, which involves a front apron, side steps and a back gutter.

Our leadwork page explains more about how these details are formed.

Flaunching, pots and cowls

The flaunching is the sloped mortar cap around the pots at the top of the stack. When it cracks, water gets into the brickwork from above and pots can loosen. Re-forming it is common and usually done with repointing.

Pots that are cracked or loose need resetting or replacing, and unused flues can be fitted with a cap or cowl to stop rain entering while still allowing some airflow. Each extra item is added to the quotation separately so you can see what it covers.

Leaks around the chimney

Water staining near a chimney breast is one of the most common roof complaints. Before pricing any work, the source needs to be found: failed flashing, porous brick, missing flaunching, an open flue, or even a tile or valley next to the stack. Our guide to roof leaking causes runs through how leaks travel before they show indoors.

Repair or bigger work?

Most chimneys need maintenance rather than major work: pointing, flashing and flaunching renewed every so often. A larger job becomes necessary when the brickwork itself is breaking up, the stack is out of plumb, or repeated small repairs have not stopped damp coming through.

If you are also comparing other roof jobs, roof repair cost explains what drives pricing across the rest of the roof.

What the written quotation covers

We look at the roof, explain the options and give a clear written quotation before any work starts. For chimney work it should set out:

• The access needed and how long it is likely to stay up.
• Which faces of the stack are being repointed and with what mortar.
• Whether flashings are being refixed or renewed.
• Any work to flaunching, pots or flue caps.
• How damaged bricks found during the work would be handled.

Arranging a visit

If you have damp near a chimney or can see loose mortar on the stack, our chimney repairs page explains the work we carry out. You speak directly to the business, and a photo of the stack taken from the garden or street is a useful start.

Frequently asked questions