How Much Does Chimney Repointing Cost?
Are you considering repointing a chimney? If so, you're probably wondering about the cost of the job.
In addition to exploring all associated costs, we will also take a look at the overall timescales that you can expect for this type of work and the different types of chimney repointing jobs.
What is Chimney Repointing?
Repointing is the method used to renew the exterior part of the mortar joints, usually between the bricks.
When water seeps through the pointing, this can cause further damage to the structural integrity of the chimney brickwork – especially during the winter months.
Chimneys are one of the most critical structures of a building to have repointed as a chimney with crumbling or damaged pointing can prevent some severe health risks to you and your family. It can also be dangerous for people passing by your house.
If the pointing on your chimney becomes too damaged or worn, the whole structure may fall down from the roof, sending bricks and mortar crashing down on the cars and people below.
This is why it’s so important to ensure that your chimney is repointed whenever necessary.
The Average Cost to Repoint a Chimney
So, what is the cost of repointing a chimney?
Repointing a chimney stack that is located in the centre of the roof is usually the most expensive as this is around £900-£1,500.
The average price of the job can vary by quite a bit depending on the type of chimney, the amount of scaffolding needed, the height of the chimney, and where the chimney is located on the roof.
The location of your property will also affect the cost of the job as those based in the London area can expect to pay more than those in the North or other parts of the UK.
A roofer will usually charge around £150-£250 per day in labour costs and will likely work in pairs for safety reasons. The average cost of hiring two workers for the job is usually around £300-£500 altogether for the labour side of things.
Chimney Repointing Prices
Below is a table showing the average chimney repointing prices that you can expect in the UK:
| JOB DESCRIPTION | AVERAGE COST |
|---|---|
| Repointing chimney on a bungalow | £200-£700 |
| Repointing chimney on the side of a semi-detached house | £600-£900 |
| Repointing a chimney in the centre of a semi-detached house | £900-£1,500 |
| Repointing a chimney on a detached house | £700-£900 |
What are the Supply Costs for Repointing a Chimney?
When it comes to repointing a chimney, alongside the cost of labour, the main thing that you will have to pay for is the hiring of scaffolding. With this in mind, it’s important to understand the cost of scaffold hire.
Scaffolding hire prices will depend mostly on the type of scaffold structure that you’ll need for the job.
The actual cost of the scaffolding will depend on how large of a scaffold you need, the length of time you need it for, and your location in the UK.
Again, those based in the London area can expect higher costs for hiring scaffolding than the rest of the UK.
On average, you can expect to pay around £200-£600 to hire scaffolding for one area of your property.
The price will increase if you need more than one side of your house covered by the scaffolding.
If you need the scaffolding to be higher than the height of your home or if you need a scaffold bridge over your home, then the prices will increase further.
What are the Additional Costs of Chimney Repointing?
There are several additional costs that you may need to consider when repointing a chimney. Below is a list of the various additional things that you may want to consider and budget for when getting your chimney repointed.
Roof Repairs
When you’re getting your chimney repointed, your contactors may notice some damage to the roof at the same time. Roof damage can be dangerous, so it’s important to get this fixed as soon as possible.
The cost for roof repairs will vary depending on the type of work that needs to be done. For example, if you need a flashing repair, this will usually cost around £100-£250 per metre. If your roof is leaking, you’ll most likely need some new roof tiles.
You can expect this to cost around £200. If your roof is sagging, you will need a sagging roof repair. This usually costs around £1,000-£2,000 if you need a new roof joist due to the roof materials weighing down on the timber frame.
If the roof is sagging because the internal structure has become waterlogged, this can cost anything from around £5,000-£12,000, depending on the size of the roof.
Chimney Sweep
When getting work done on your chimney, you may also want to get your chimney swept to ensure your fireplace and chimney system is working to their optimal performance.
The price you will pay for a chimney sweep will vary depending on several factors, including the difficulty of the job, the type of chimney, the state of the chimney, and your location within the UK.
The average cost of chimney sweeping is around £70-£120. This type of work should only take a couple of hours to complete. One of the most difficult types of a chimney to sweep is an unlined chimney.
If you have an unlined chimney, you may have to pay around £50-£100 more for the job, depending on its condition.
New Fireplace
While getting work done on your chimney, you may also want to consider updating the internal element of the system with a completely new fireplace.
The average cost to install a new fireplace in your home will depend on the size of the fireplace, the type of fire that you choose, and your location in the UK.
If there is any additional pipework needed to complete the installation, this will likely result in some additional costs.
The labour costs of installing a new fireplace in your home are usually around £50-£100. The installation will typically take around 2-3 hours to complete.
If you are installing a new gas fireplace, then you will need to get a qualified person to inspect the flues, lines, and wiring to ensure everything is safe.
The total cost for installing a new fireplace in your home will usually be around £300-£700.
Scaffolding Hire
When getting your chimney repointed, you will need to hire scaffolding for the work. The cost of hiring scaffolding will depend on how large of a scaffold you need, the length of time you need it for, and your location in the UK.
Those based in the London area can expect higher costs for hiring scaffolding than the rest of the UK. On average, you can expect to pay around £200-£600 per day for hiring scaffolding.
This is the average cost to hire a scaffold tower in one place of your house.
The price will increase if you need more than one side of your house covered by the scaffolding.
If you need the scaffolding to be higher than the height of your home or if you need a scaffold bridge over your home, then the prices will increase further.
Tradesmen Costs for Repointing a Chimney
If you’re having your chimney repointed, you’ll likely be curious about the labour costs to complete the work.
The costs for labour can vary depending on the skills of the worker and the location of your property. In this section, we will go over the labour costs that you can expect with this type of work.
A roofer will usually charge around £150-£250 per day in labour costs and will likely work in pairs for safety reasons.
The pair will usually consist of a highly qualified, skilled chimney specialist and a less qualified labourer to help them.
The average cost of hiring two workers for the job is usually around £300-£500 altogether for the labour side of things.
If your property is based in the London area, then you will likely pay around £30-£80 more for the work per day than someone whose property is based in the North or other parts of the UK.
If the job is quite complex or if it requires a larger team of workers, then you can expect the costs of labour to be higher.
How Long Does It Take to Repoint a Chimney?
When it comes to repointing a chimney, the timescales can vary by quite a large amount depending on several factors.
These factors can include the size of the chimney, where the chimney is located on the roof and the difficulty of the job.
If you have a small chimney, the repointing will usually take one day to complete.
If you have a medium-sized chimney, the work will usually take around two days to complete. Larger chimneys will usually take an average of 2-3 days to complete.
Below is a table showing the typical timescales that you can expect for repointing a chimney based on the size of the chimney and the difficulty of the job.
| JOB DESCRIPTION | DURATION |
|---|---|
| Basic repointing job on a small chimney | 0.5-1 day |
| Basic repointing job on a medium chimney | 0.5-1 day |
| Basic repointing job on a large chimney | 1-2 days |
| Complex repointing job on a small chimney | 1-2 days |
| Complex repointing job on a medium chimney | 2-3 days |
| Complex repointing job on a large chimney | 3-4 days |
Types of Chimney Repointing
There are two main types of chimney repointing jobs – repointing and tuckpointing. Below is an overview of these two different types of jobs and what each one entails.
Repointing
When a chimney develops damaged joints that allow water to enter, it is highly recommended that the damaged parts are removed and replaced with new materials. This type of repair is known as repointing.
While the joint repair will blend in with the rest of the brickwork, this is considered more of a utility repair. The goal of the work is to strengthen the wall and prevent water infiltration.
Repointing is the most common of all brickwork repairs, and it's a good option as long as the damage isn't so advanced that the brickwork starts to come loose or crumble.
Pros:
- Great option if there hasn't been too much damage
- Cheapest option
Cons:
- None
Tuckpointing
Most joint repairs are focused on the restoration of the damaged parts of a chimney. However, tuckpointing is performed as more of a decorative or cosmetic procedure.
Tuckpointing is the restoration of the mortar joints to mimic very thin joints that are found on older masonry designs known as rubbed brick. The technique involves two different colours of joints.
Mortar is firstly dyed to the colour of the surrounding brick to help the colours of the bricks and mortar blend together. Then, a contrasting mortar joint is placed to give the appearance of thin joints between the brickwork.
This style of masonry became very popular in the 18th century in England. This is because it simulated the more costly rubbed brick style of masonry that was very popular during that time.
Pros:
- A decorative option
Cons:
- Can be expensive
FAQs
Q: How do I know if my chimney needs repointing?
A: Most homeowners won’t be able to access their roof to inspect their chimney, so it can be difficult for the majority of homeowners to realise that their chimney needs to be repointed.
However, if you do suspect there is an issue, there are some key signs that you can look out for. These include the following:
- Damaged mortar joints
- Cracked chimney crown
- Spalling bricks
If you do start to notice some cracks in the chimney joints, it’s best to ask a masonry specialist to take a look at it for you. If you leave it too long, the crack will widen and can leave room for water to seep into the fixture.
Q: How often will my chimney need to be repointed?
A: Most chimneys will last for many, many years. It will take a long time before your chimney needs to be repointed. Once your chimney has been repointed correctly, it shouldn't need to be repointed again for at least 30 years.
Depending on how long you reside at the property, most homeowners will find that they will only need to have their chimney repointed once in the entire time that they live there.
Q: Can I repoint a chimney stack myself?
A: Going for a DIY approach on a repointing job can help to save you a lot of money on the labour costs of hiring a professional. However, it is highly recommended that you avoid completing a chimney repointing job as a DIY project unless you are familiar with it and skilled in doing so.
If you do choose to complete a chimney repointing yourself, you should be prepared to use a scaffold or access tower to ensure you’re as safe as possible in the process.
Q: How do I know if my chimney needs to be cleaned?
A: There are several things that can indicate that your chimney needs to be cleaned. One of the first signs you may notice is odours emanating from the fire when it is not in use.
This is a good indicator that there is a build-up inside the chimney and that it would benefit from being cleared out.
If your chimney fails to remove all of the smoke from the fire, this is a sure sign that it needs to be cleaned. If this is the case, you should avoid using the fire until it has been cleaned.
If your fireplace is thick with the sticky, black gunk called creosote, then your fireplace is in need of some cleaning.
Q: What are the dangers if I don’t get my chimney repointed?
A: If you don't have your chimney repointed, it will continue to degrade until it fails to work correctly.
If this happens, you will then need to have the chimney completely removed, which will cost a lot more than simply having it repointed.
Damaged chimneys can also pose a lot of dangers to the people living in and around the property, as well as anyone passing by, as there could be dangers of falling bricks and mortar.
Q: What does the price of chimney repointing include?
The majority of quotes for chimney repointing will include the cost of labour, scaffolding hire, the erection of the scaffolding, inspections of the chimney and the components, and the replacement if needed.
It will include the raking of around an inch of dement, which is then replaced with a new cement cap.
Once the job is completed, the contractors will also dismantle all of the scaffolding and will remove all of the waste that has accumulated with the job.
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