How Much to Remove a Chimney Stack?
A chimney stack removal usually involves removing the stack up to below the roof tiles. When it comes to chimney stack removals, the chimney breast is generally left in place and used as a decorative feature within the home.
Most of the time, people may choose to have their chimney stack removed when a disused chimney stack is damaged, and it would simply be cheaper to dismantle it rather than have it repaired.
So, what is the cost of removing a chimney stack, and how long will it take?
The majority of chimney stack removals can be completed within a few days, and the prices can range from around £400-£2000.
A small chimney stack removal will cost about £400-£800, medium chimney stack removal prices will usually be around £800-£1300, and a large chimney stack removal will usually cost around £1200-£2000.
There are several things that can affect the overall cost of having a chimney stack removed, along with the size of the chimney stack.
Don't forget to consider theses other factors...
These factors include the ease of access to the roof, the materials used, and your location in the UK. Those based in the London area can expect to pay more than those based in the North or other parts of the UK.
Chimney Stack Removal Prices
The table below shows the average costs of a chimney stack removal in the UK:
| Job description | Average cost |
|---|---|
| Small-sized chimney stack removal | £400-£800 |
| Medium-sized chimney stack removal | £800-£1300 |
| Large-sized chimney stack removal | £1200-£2000 |
- How Much to Remove a Chimney Stack?
- What are the Supply Costs of Chimney Stack Removal in the UK?
- What are the Additional Costs of Removing a Chimney Stack?
- Cost-Affecting Factors
- Tradesmen Costs for a Chimney Stack Removal
- How Long Does Chimney Stack Removal Take?
- Benefits of Removing a Chimney Stack
- Removing a Chimney Stack from a Party Wall
- FAQs
- Sources
What are the Supply Costs of Chimney Stack Removal in the UK?
When it comes to removing a chimney stack, you will need some supplies, including new roofing materials, and you will need to hire scaffolding to complete the work.
Your contractor will often include these prices in their overall quote for the job. However, if you're thinking of purchasing the materials in advance and paying for the labour side of the work separately learning the materials' costs is needed.
Roofing Materials Costs
When you have your chimney stack removed, the area where the stack once sat will need to be covered with new roofing materials so that it blends in with the rest of the roof. If you don't you would be left with a gap in the roof.
If you need roofing felt, this will cost around £50-£60 per square metre. If you need new roof tiles, these can vary in cost. For example, concrete roof tiles will cost around £0.40-£7 per square metre, whereas clay tiles will cost approximately £0.40-£100 per square metre.
Scaffolding Costs
For the contractors to complete the work safely and efficiently, you will need to hire scaffolding for the duration of the work. The average cost of hiring scaffolding for a chimney is around £450-£550.
If your home is taller than average, the cost may be more as you would need to hire more scaffolding.
What are the Additional Costs of Removing a Chimney Stack?
Several additional costs may be involved with removing a chimney stack. These additional costs can include the cost of removing a chimney breast, new roof costs or new guttering.
Below is a list of the different things that you may need to budget for when it comes to this type of work:
Removing a Chimney Breast
If you are removing your chimney stack, then it is most likely the case that you don't use your chimney at all anymore. Many people will choose to use their unused chimney breast as a decorative feature. However, the chimney breast can take up a lot of space in the room.
If you want to increase the floor space, then a chimney breast removal may be just what you need. The prices of a chimney breast removal can vary depending on where in the home it is located, the materials used, and your location in the UK.
The average cost of removing a downstairs chimney breast is around £1455-£2010. If you are removing a chimney breast from an upper floor, the prices will increase to around £1570-£2120.
New Roof Installation
If you are having work done on the chimney, it may be a good time to have work done on your roof if needed. This can save money in the long run as you will already have scaffolding erected for the job.
The average cost for a new roof is around £5000-£6000. However, these prices can vary depending on the materials used, the size of the roof, and your location in the UK.
If you just need partial repairs completed instead of a whole new roof, the costs will be much cheaper.
New Guttering
Another consideration whilst you have your scaffolding up would be to replace your guttering.
Faulty gutters can lead to serious water damage to your home’s foundation, walls, and roof. If you see signs of it leaking, sagging or being damaged it is time to act. New gutters also improve drainage efficiency and enhance your property’s appearance.
To cover a semi-detached house with 15 to 20 metres of guttering costs will vary depending on the materials used.
- Steel Guttering - £600 to £900
- Aluminium Guttering - £675 to £900
- uPVC Guttering - £675 to £1,000
- Cast Iron Guttering - £1,200 to £1500
- Copper Guttering - £540 to £1,100
New Soffits and Fascias
To give your roofline a full renovation, you could also get new soffits and fascias fitted. Both are an important part of your roof and guttering system, helping keep your house water-tight.
Fascias are positioned where the roof and exterior house walls meet, helping protect the roof edge from weather damage.
Soffits are tucked under the fascia, running horizontally underneath the roof overhang.
The cost replacing Soffits and Fascias can range from £300 to £1200 depending on the size of your house.
Skip Hire
When removing a chimney stack, you will need to consider the waste removal part of the job.
Many contractors will include waste removal as part of their services. However, if they don't, you will most likely need to hire a skip to remove all waste effectively. This type of work can produce a lot of waste, depending on the size of your chimney stack.
Depending on the skip size that you may need, you can expect to pay around £100-£400 on average to hire a skip for your chimney stack removal.
Cost-Affecting Factors
There are also several cost-affecting factors that may increase or decrease the overall cost of having your chimney stack removed. Below is a list of the additional factors that may affect the overall cost of this type of work:
Size of the Chimney Stack
The size of your chimney stack can affect the overall cost of the job.
- Small Chimney Stack Removal - £400-£800
- Medium Chimney Stack Removal - £800-£1300
- Large Chimney Stack Removal - £1200-£2000
With this in mind, the larger your chimney stack is, the more you can expect to pay for the job. Larger chimney stacks will not only be more difficult to remove, but they will also take much longer, resulting in higher labour costs.
Materials Used
The materials used for the job can affect the overall cost of having your chimney stack removed. You will need various materials for recreating the roof over the area where the chimney stack once sat.
- Roofing Felt - £50-£60 per square metre.
- Concrete Roof Tiles - £0.40-£7 per square metre.
- Clay Tiles - £0.40-£100 per square metre.
As you can see, the type of roofing materials used can dramatically affect the overall cost of having your chimney stack removed.
Your Location in the UK
Your location within the UK can affect the overall cost of having your chimney stack removed. Those based in and around the London area can expect to pay more for this type of work than those based in the North or other parts of the UK.
This is because labour costs tend to be higher in these areas, and so the costs can be significantly higher depending on the contractors that you choose.
It is best to get a few quotes for the work before deciding on a company to remove your chimney stack for you. This will ensure you’re getting a good price for the work that is being completed.
Tradesmen Costs for a Chimney Stack Removal
The price to hire contractors for this type of work will vary depending on the extent of the job at hand, the difficulty of the job, and your location in the UK.
The average cost for the labour part of removing a chimney stack is around £200-£300 per day for each contractor. This type of work will usually require at least two tradespeople for safety and efficiency.
Those based in and around the London area can expect to pay around £30-£70 more on average per day for the cost of labour than those based in the North or other parts of the UK.
How Long Does Chimney Stack Removal Take?
As expected, the bigger the job, the longer it will take. Average timings can be found below:
- Small Chimney Stack Removal - 1 day.
- Medium Chimney Stack Removal - 1-2 days.
- Large Chimney Stack Removal - 2-3 days.
Benefits of Removing a Chimney Stack
There are many benefits that come with removing a chimney stack. Below is a list of the main advantages of this type of work:
Streamline the Roof
While many people enjoy the traditional appearance of an external chimney on the home, many modern homes now come without a chimney. This streamlined roof appearance can be very appealing and something that people may prefer.
If you are looking to streamline the appearance of your roof, then a chimney stack removal is the best option for you.
Prevent Leaks
Many people choose to have their chimney stack removed because the stack is damaged and may be leaking.
Repairing a leaking chimney stack can be very expensive and if you choose not to have it repaired, then you may end up getting water that leaks into the house.
If you don’t use your chimney at all, then it may be a cheaper option to simply have the whole chimney stack removed. This can prevent leaks and will also prevent further leaks in the future.
Improve Appearance of Home
If your chimney is quite old and looking a little battered on the outside, then you may want to remove it to improve the appearance of your home.
Removing an old, damaged, or otherwise unappealing chimney stack can have a dramatic effect on improving the aesthetic appearance of your home from the outside.
Save Money
If your chimney stack is damaged or leaking, this can cost a lot of money to get repaired. It is often much cheaper to have your chimney stack completely removed rather than having it repaired.
With this in mind, if you no longer use your chimney at all, you can save a lot of money by simply removing the chimney stack completely.
Removing a Chimney Stack from a Party Wall
If your property is semi-detached or terraced, your chimney stack may be on a party wall. This is the wall you share with your neighbour.
If this is the case, removing the chimney stack will involve some additional legal considerations under the Party Wall Act 1996.
Before you start any work, you are legally required to serve a party wall notice to the adjoining property owner(s). The recommendations say that this must be done at least two months before work starts. This will give your neighbour time to either agree or disagree to the proposed removal.
If your neighbour agrees in writing, you can continue with your plans. If they dont, you may need to hire a party wall surveyor to draw up a Party Wall legal document that outlines how and when the work can be carried out to protect both properties.
To stop any issues arising, it is recommended to consult a qualified contractor or surveyor familiar with UK building regulations and the Party Wall Act before beginning a chimney stack removal project.
FAQs
Q: Why do you need to remove a chimney stack?
A: There are several reasons why you may want to have your chimney stack removed. Below is a list of the most common reasons why someone may choose to remove a chimney stack:
- The chimney stack is leaking, and it would cost less to remove the chimney stack than to repair it
- You no longer use your chimney and, therefore, no longer require the chimney stack
- You are having your whole chimney removed as you no longer use or need it
- You would prefer the aesthetic appearance of your external roof without the chimney on it
- You want to remove an old chimney stack so that you can have a new one built in its place
Q: Why is my chimney leaking?
A: There are several reasons why your chimney may be leaking. It may be due to the internal surface of the flue or a joint in the flue failing.
If your chimney is constructed with bricks, the bricks may degrade or crumble over time, and the mortar in between the bricks may begin to degrade and fail, too, causing leaks.
If your chimney has been lined using clay liners, these are dropped down into the chimney in several pieces. If a joint fails within the areas in-between the pieces of liner, smoke can escape.
Q: What are the different parts of a chimney?
A: There are several different parts of a chimney other than the chimney stack. Below is a list of the various parts of a chimney with an explanation of each of the parts:
- Flue – The flue is the void that allows the products of combustion to be removed into the atmosphere
- Flue liner – A flue liner is a type of material used to form the flue within the chimney
- Flue pipe – The flue pipe is a metal pipe that is used to connect the fire appliance to the flue
- Chimney – The chimney is the structure surrounding one or more flues
- Chimney breast – The chimney breast is the part of the chimney inside the house that features the fireplace
- Chimney stack – The chimney stack is the part of the chimney that sits above the roof
- Chimney terminal – The chimney terminal is also known as the pot or cowl and is a method of finishing off the top of the chimney
Q: Can a chimney catch on fire?
A: Yes, it is possible for a chimney to catch on fire. If your fire is poorly maintained or hasn't been swept regularly, it will inevitably end up with a build-up of deposits in the flue.
These deposits can include things such as tar and soot that can stick to the sides of the flue as the smoke travels upwards through it.
If the fire sparks up into the flue, it can be carried through the flue, and this may ignite some of the deposits, causing the chimney to catch fire.
Q: Do I need to have my chimney inspected?
A: If your chimney hasn't been used in a very long time, but you want to start using your chimney again, you will need to get it inspected by a chimney professional before you light a fire.
If you have had a chimney fire, then you should always have your chimney properly inspected before using it again.
If you have any concerns about how your chimney or fireplace is performing, then you should have your chimney inspected. If you notice a poor draw of smoke escaping into the room or other parts of your home, it's always a good idea to get it checked out as soon as possible as there may be some problems that need to be fixed.
Q: Do I need planning permission to remove a chimney stack?
A: You do not normally need planning permission to remove a chimney stack as long as you don’t live in a listed building or within a conservation area. In these cases, you should contact your local authority for advice before going ahead with the work.
Sources
- https://turnerbaker.co.uk/uncategorised/chimney-faqs/
- https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/flue-chimney-or-soil-and-vent-pipe/planning-permission
