How Much to Replace a Chimney

Over the years, chimneys have put up with a lot, from fires being lit at the bottom of them with the rain and wind battering the chimney stack. That’s exactly why it’s so important to make sure that your chimney is well-maintained and in good condition.

How much does it cost to repair or replace a chimney or its components?

Chimney Flashing:

The purpose of the flashing around a chimney is to protect the overall roof structure from the elements. It keeps rain out of the vulnerable part of the roof where the chimney and the tiles meet. While good lead flashing is designed to last for decades, flashing that is too thin or poorly fitted can crack or come loose leading to further problems. You can usually expect to pay around £400-500 to replace all four sides of flashing.

Chimney Flue Installation:

In some cases, your chimney may be able to stay intact, but the flue or lining will need replacing. The cost of this will depend on the size of the chimney and the quality of the products used. You can typically expect to pay around £800-1200, which will include the cost of cleaning the chimney beforehand.

Chimney Repointing:

If the mortar in the chimney’s brickwork is failing and allowing water through into the chimney, repointing is necessary. While the process is quite similar to any other type of brickwork repointing, the fact that there is a lot more risk involved with working on the chimney at height will often increase the price, with £500 being the average that most homeowners pay for a small chimney.

Entire Chimney Rebuilding:

This is a larger job that will usually take a few days and can cost over £5,000, depending on the materials used and the scaffolding needed for the job. The cost may be higher if there are any conservatories or other structures that could be an obstruction to erecting the scaffolding, or if the chimney is larger than average.

Scaffolding:

Finally, bear in mind that the cost of scaffolding is not included with the average price for these chimney repair jobs. Due to the location of the chimney, any work carried out on it will typically require scaffolding hire. You can usually expect to pay £300-£500 for scaffolding to be used on an average two-storey house, and more if it needs to be erected around a conservatory or other obstruction.