The cost to repair a chimney is $455 on average, but it can cost between $160 and $750 or more depending on the type of repair and chimney type.
Simple chimney repairs cost $455 on average, with prices ranging from $160 to $750. More complex chimney problems, however, may necessitate brick repointing, liner repair, or even a partial or full chimney rebuild. In those cases, prices reach up to $15,000 for a total chimney replacement. While the cost to repair a chimney may be alarming, it’s cheaper in the long run to fix your chimney before problems get worse. Ignoring necessary repairs to your chimney could result in reduced home energy efficiency, fire risk, and even structural damage to your home.
The average cost of chimney repair is $455, ranging from $160 to $750. That covers repair work for more common chimney problems, like minor repointing, wood rot, small liner repairs, and chimney cap or crown replacement. If you need to rebuild a section of your chimney, costs can range from $1,000 to $5,000. The cost to replace a chimney entirely can go even higher, up to $15,000.
You’re most likely to discover your chimney requires repair during your annual inspection and cleaning by a professional chimney sweep. The average cost of a chimney sweep is between $130 and $380.
The type of repair has the greatest impact on chimney repair costs. Simple repairs may only take your local mason a few hours while more extensive repairs can take days, and full replacements might require weeks of work.
Here’s a look at some common chimney repairs and what they cost:
Over time, the mortar between your chimney bricks can wear down, causing it to become weak and possibly crumble or collapse. But you can repoint your brick chimney to keep it structurally sound. The cost of repointing runs between $4 to $25 per square foot, with the majority of that price—about 90%—going directly to the cost of labor itself.
Fixing cracked tiles in your flue runs from $65 to $100 per square foot. A few cracked tiles may cost $200 to $400, but more extensive damage may necessitate replacing the entire flue liner. It’s important to fix cracked tiles discovered during an inspection; even minor cracks can lead to toxic fumes entering your home.
If the problem with your flue liner is extensive, you may want to consider replacing it altogether. Installing a chimney liner costs between $625 and $7,000.
If you need to repair wood rot in your chimney, you could pay as little as $100 to $300. But the final price depends on the extent of the wood rot damage. For instance, if you have to repair a large area of rot, you could spend between $2,500 and $4,000.
Repairing a chimney crown costs between $150 and $350 for minor repairs. However, if the chimney crown has extensive damage, like a large crack that’s causing water damage or threatening the structural integrity of the whole chimney, you’ll need to replace it. Total chimney crown replacement costs can go as high as $3,000.
Homeowners often confuse chimney crowns with chimney caps, but they’re two separate (and important!) parts of a chimney. Fortunately, chimney caps are much more affordable to replace. On average, you’ll spend $300 on chimney cap replacement costs.
Parging, or pargeting, costs $1,000 to $2,000. Parging means adding a mortar or spray-on coating to smooth the interior surface of the chimney's smoke chamber. This process helps to slow the buildup of soot, creosote, and other residue within the chamber.
Tuckpointing is very similar to repointing, and the cost is about the same at $500 to $2,500. Unlike repointing, tuckpointing involves using two colors of mortar instead of one. The second mortar color closely matches the color of the bricks and is meant to make the joints between bricks look smaller and neater.
Waterproof sealant costs $150 to $500. Applying sealant to small cracks can repair minor damage in the chimney’s exterior brickwork and protect the structure from weather damage.
In addition to the type of repairs your chimney requires, the final cost of your chimney repair will be affected by a few other factors:
You likely won’t need a permit for minor chimney repairs, but if the work involves replacing part or all of the chimney, you’ll probably need to obtain a building permit. Construction permits cost anywhere from $150 to $2,000, depending on where you live and the extent of the work.
The type of chimney in your home can also impact the repair cost (and the type of damage the chimney may encounter to begin with). For instance, failing mortar in a brick chimeny tends to be more expensive to repair than the dents that are common in metal or prefabricated chimneys.
| Chimney Type | Typical Repair Cost |
|---|---|
| Brick | $300–$15,000 |
| Metal or Prefabricated | $250–$1,200 |
| Stucco | $900–$4,000 |
In most cases, if the chimney stack needs to be rebuilt, the masonry professionals who do the job will need to use scaffolding to work safely, adding to your costs. If the top of your chimney is low enough to reach by ladder, most masons will offer a reduced rate per square foot.
If your chimney suddenly starts to crumble and is threatening your home and the safety of its inhabitants, get your family outside and call a trusted chimney repair contractor near you ASAP. They may be able to make quick repairs to salvage your chimney or at least come up with a temporary solution until you can replace it entirely.
Like with any emergency repair service, be prepared to pay more for immediate assistance, particularly on weekends, evenings, and holidays. Emergency chimney repair labor costs can go as high as $300 per hour.
The ultimate tally for your chimney rebuild will depend on which parts need to be reconstructed.
Rebuilding the chimney stack—the portion that extends from your roofline—costs, on average, $150 per linear foot. If the damage to your existing stack is relatively minor, this rate should only apply to the sections that need to be rebuilt.
If the whole stack needs to be removed and replaced, expect to pay an additional $1,000 to $1,600 for hauling and disposal. Also worth noting: These rates assume the job will require scaffolding—if the top of your stack is accessible via ladder, you will pay a little less.
Average costs to rebuild or remodel a fireplace run between $390 and $2,000. Whether yours is at the lower or higher end of that range will depend on the size of the fireplace, the type of fireplace, and the materials used (the least expensive option being recycled stone or brick).
If it’s a prefabricated fireplace, average removal costs will fall between $600 and $2,500, plus anywhere between $700 and $7,200 for a new prefab model, depending on the type.
If the chimney is so thoroughly damaged that a complete do-over is necessary, costs rise significantly. Expect to pay around $10,000 for most replacements, up to $15,000 in some instances. The total charge can vary significantly, though, depending on the type and extent of the damage.
How do you know when your chimney needs to be repaired or rebuilt? Here are a few signs to watch for:
First and foremost, you should be getting a professional chimney inspection every year. During this inspection, a chimney sweep will clean and investigate your entire chimney system and report back on its status. If the inspection turns up any damage, tackle repairs before the issue becomes worse.
Finding it hard to trust the chimney inspector since you can’t see the damage yourself? You can always get a second opinion by asking chimney sweeps the right questions when getting quotes—and confirming their certification with the Chimney Sweep Institute of America, asking about their liability insurance, and getting referrals online and from friends and family—you should feel confident that you can trust the inspector.
You won’t be able to see the entire chimney system in your day-to-day life (that’s why inspections are necessary!), but you can keep an eye on the bricks or stones around your fireplace and on your roof. If you notice deteriorating bricks or crumbling mortar, hire a masonry contractor to take care of the work before it gets worse.
If you spot water damage around the fireplace or any of the walls containing the chimney, that could be a sign of a leak within the structure. You’ll want to act fast to take care of repairs: Water damage restoration costs can skyrocket quickly as the problem gets bigger.
In addition, you should watch for:
Unusual odors coming from your fireplace
Smoke coming into the home from the fireplace
Difficulty lighting a fire and keeping it lit
A sudden spike in your energy bill
These indicators may also be a sign that your chimney simply needs to be cleaned. Either way, it’s important to hire a local chimney sweep as soon as possible for an inspection, cleaning, and potential repair recommendations.
Chimney repair is inevitable over the structure’s lifetime, but keeping up with chimney maintenance can ensure your chimney lasts longer and needs repairs less frequently. Here are a few tips to keep your chimney operating smoothly and avoiding expensive repairs down the road:
Visually inspect your fireplace and chimney stack for signs of cracks.
Use your fireplace damper to prevent moisture from entering your chimney.
Burn hardwoods to reduce the creosote buildup in your chimney.
Get an annual chimney inspection and cleaning, but also clean the fireplace area on your own more regularly.
Install a chimney liner and chimney cap if your unit does not currently have these.
Like many other roof projects—and any jobs requiring a tall ladder—there are serious risks involved in a chimney rebuild, and we do not recommend a DIY approach. Even beyond the immediate risks, chimney repair is complicated work that requires specialized knowledge, and an improperly installed chimney can pose serious dangers to your household. A damaged chimney requires professional attention, so hire a certified chimney repair company for this job.
While you can and should hire a certified chimney sweep at least once a year for a cleaning and inspection, actual chimney repairs and replacements should be handled by masonry contractors who are familiar with brick and stone chimney repair. Repairing or rebuilding a chimney is difficult work that must be done precisely; this is not a DIY task or even a task for a general handyperson.
Homeowners insurance may pay for chimney repair if the damage type is covered under your policy, such as lightning strikes, heavy storm damage, fallen trees, and unexpected chimney fires. However, if a fire or other damage is caused by poor or improper maintenance, a standard homeowners insurance policy won't cover repairs.
Common causes for a chimney crack are poor construction and improper sealing. As a chimney heats and cools, expansion and contraction can cause cracks to form. If a chimney isn't sealed, moisture can enter pores in the masonry and cause problems. A chimney without a proper foundation can start to lean, which may also result in cracks.
Like other kinds of masonry and brickwork, a properly installed chimney should have a lifespan that extends beyond multiple generations of homeowners. But there are parts of the chimney that will need to be replaced more frequently.
Clay tile or cast-in-place liners should be replaced every 50 years.
Stainless steel liners will last an average of 15–20 years.
Mortar will require replacement every 25–30 years.
Chimney crowns have an average lifespan of 50–75 years.
