Chimney Repairs

[smokeyblue]

My chimney is looking pretty rough. I think it may be beyond tuckpointing. Has anyone had to replace the top part of their chimney? How much did it cost? I'm going to call and get a few estimates, but I'd like to know what I may be getting into. I have a classmate that I've known for 30 years that does chimneys. I'm hoping he will take mercy on me!

 

[Gigi22]

We had to have our chimney partly rebuilt about 15 years ago. The contractor lived in our neighborhood. We paid him in cash at his request. If memory serves, it was around $2000 for everything including the cost of the new bricks and a new chimney cap. YMMV, depending on how much damage you have. This is one of those things, the more you delay, the more extensive the damage.

 

[POOHsie]

Don't know if this applies. Our modest 1900 house had a cemented-up fireplace in the living room, and no apparent fireplace upstairs. We only needed the chimney stack for the furnace and water heater exhaust. So when we re-did the roof, we had the roofers take down the chimney to just below the roof line, and properly cap it with an exhaust vent to the roof. Obviously they had to plywood over the old hole, but with the new shingles, new exhaust, and new roof venting, our roof looks good. That was cheaper than a chimney restoration by at least half.

 

[smokeyblue]

Oh boy, I was hoping this was going to be $500 or less, but I think that is wishful thinking.

 

[shystalips]

Oh boy, I was hoping this was going to be $500 or less, but I think that is wishful thinking.

Probably not that cheap.
However your best option may be putting a metal lathe over the existing brick and putting stucco over it if it's esthetically acceptable. Probably cheaper than brick.