How Much Does a Chimney Repair Cost?
By Leonard Walton, owner & lead roofer4 min read
Chimney repairs are one of the jobs we're called to most across the East Riding, and the first question is nearly always the same: what's it going to cost? The honest answer is that it depends entirely on which part has failed — a simple repoint is a modest job, re-flaunching or renewing lead flashing sits higher, and a full rebuild is a bigger piece of work again. The money is only ever well spent once someone has worked out which of those you actually need.
Quick guide: the common chimney jobs
- Repointing — raking out and renewing failed mortar joints. Typically from around £300–£600 for an accessible stack, more with scaffold.
- Re-flaunching — renewing the sloped mortar bed that holds the pots. Often from around £250–£500.
- Lead flashing renewal — replacing failed lead where the stack meets the roof, usually from around £350–£700.
- Rebuilds — taking down and rebuilding the top courses or the whole stack, from several hundred to well over a thousand depending on height and access.
Every roof and every stack is different, so treat these as a guide, not a quote. Ours are always free, fixed and in writing before any work starts.
What actually drives the price
Three things move the figure more than anything else: how much of the stack has failed, access, and lead. A single repoint on a low stack is straightforward; the same stack needing new flaunching, fresh pointing and renewed lead is three jobs in one. Height and safe access matter because a chimney nearly always needs a proper scaffold rather than a ladder, and good lead work in the right code of lead costs more than a smear of sealant — but it's the difference between a repair that lasts decades and one that fails next winter.
Why diagnosis comes first
Damp on a chimney breast can come from cracked flaunching, porous brickwork, failed pointing or gone lead — and they look identical from inside the house. Guessing means paying for the wrong fix. We inspect the stack properly first, often with a CAA-registered drone so we can see the flaunching and lead close-up without disturbing anything, then quote for what's genuinely wrong.
Repair or rebuild?
Most chimneys don't need rebuilding. If the brickwork is solid and only the mortar or lead has aged, a repoint and re-flaunch brings it back for years. A rebuild is for when the stack has become genuinely loose or unsafe — leaning, spalled brick, movement you can feel. We'll tell you straight which camp yours is in, because we'd rather do the smaller honest job than sell you a bigger one.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my chimney the part of the roof that leaks first?
Chimneys stand proud of the roof and take the full force of wind and rain on every side, and they rely on mortar and lead that age faster than the tiles around them. That's why flaunching, pointing and flashing are the usual first things to fail.
Can you repair just the top of the chimney instead of rebuilding it?
Often, yes. If the brickwork is sound and only the flaunching or top few courses have gone, a repoint or a rebuild of the top section is enough. A full rebuild is only needed when the stack itself has become unsafe.
Do I need scaffolding for chimney work?
Usually yes — safe access to a stack means proper scaffold or a tower, not a ladder balanced against the roof. We arrange it and it's included in the written quote, so there are no surprise add-ons.
How do I know the work was done properly up there?
You can't see a chimney top from the ground — which is exactly why we photograph finished work, including by drone where useful, so you get close-up proof of the flaunching, pointing and lead without climbing a ladder.
Chimney leaking, crumbling or looking the worse for wear? Chimney repairs are our bread and butter across Hull, Beverley, Hessle and the wider East Riding — free fixed written quotes, fully insured, with every finished job photographed. Call 07447 352091.