How much does a chimney repair cost in Gloucester?
Chimney needing attention? Post the job for free and it goes to local roofers and builders who cover your area. Only the one who takes it on gets your contact details.
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Chimney repairs and repointing
Chimneys take more weather than any other part of the house, and the mortar joints are usually the first thing to go. Repointing means raking out the old mortar and filling the joints with fresh. Other common jobs are resetting or replacing a loose pot, renewing the lead flashing where the stack meets the roof, replacing a cracked crown (the mortar cap on top) and fitting a cowl or cap.
The scope depends on how tall the stack is, how bad the brickwork has got and whether the chimney is still in use. A stack that leans, or has a lot of loose bricks, may need taking down and rebuilding from the roofline. On older houses, lime mortar is often the better match, because hard cement mortar can trap moisture in soft bricks.
Most chimney work needs scaffolding, sometimes with a working platform around the stack. If the scaffold has to stand on the pavement, the scaffolding firm applies to Gloucestershire County Council’s highways team for a licence. That’s their job, not yours.
If the chimney serves a working fire or stove, tell the tradesperson, and don’t light it until the work is done and they’ve told you the flue is clear. Please don’t climb up to have a look yourself. A zoomed-in photo from the garden or the street tells a roofer plenty.
What to include when you post
A roofer can tell a lot from a few details before they visit.
- Photos of the stack from the ground, from more than one side if you can
- What you’ve noticed: loose bricks, crumbling mortar, a leaning pot, bits falling into the gutter or the fireplace
- Any damp or staining on the chimney breast indoors, with a photo
- Whether the chimney is in use, capped off, or has a fire or stove connected
- How many storeys the house has, and whether the stack is shared with next door
- Access for scaffolding: a side path or garden, or would it have to go on the pavement
- Roughly how old the house is
Choosing a roofer and what to ask
Ask how they’ll get access and whether scaffolding is in the price. A written quote should say exactly what’s being done: how much of the stack is being repointed, what mortar they’ll use, whether the flashing is being renewed or just resealed, and whether new pots, a cowl or a cap are included.
Things often left out are damp repairs to the chimney breast inside, redecorating, and any work on a shared stack that next door hasn’t agreed to. If you share the stack, talk to your neighbour early.
Ask what guarantee comes with the work and get it in writing. Check they hold public liability insurance and ask for a copy. Confirm they’ll clear away old mortar, broken pots and other waste, and leave the gutters clear.
Not quite the right job?
See every job on our Builder page, or post it anyway and describe it in your own words.
Before a tradesperson starts work
Registrations
Some work must be done by a registered professional. Work on a gas boiler, cooker or fire must be done by a Gas Safe registered engineer, which you can check on the Gas Safe Register.
Our business check
Limited companies are checked with Companies House and sole traders upload their insurance certificate. Trade registrations are confirmed by the tradesperson when they sign up.
Get the price in writing
Ask for a written quote that sets out the work and the price before anything starts. Your contract for the work is with the tradesperson.
Questions
What people tend to ask before booking this job. For anything specific to your home, ask the tradesperson who takes it on when they get in touch.
Common causes are failed flashing, a cracked crown or rain getting down an uncapped pot. Condensation in a flue that has been blocked off without ventilation can do it too. The tradesperson can work out which.
Capping stops rain getting in, but the flue still needs some ventilation to avoid damp. Ask about a vented cap, and make sure there's a vent in the fireplace opening below.
Like-for-like repairs such as repointing or replacing a pot don't usually need planning permission. If your home is listed or in a conservation area, check with your local council first, as the rules are tighter. Taking a chimney down or removing a chimney breast is structural work and can need building regulations approval, so raise it with the council's building control team.
Best not. Ask the tradesperson when it's safe to light it again. If the work has disturbed the flue, have it swept and checked before you use it.
It's the lead (or sometimes another material) that seals the joint between the chimney and the roof. When it cracks, slips or lifts, water runs down inside. It's one of the most common causes of leaks around a chimney.