Quick AnswerA full chimney rebuild is a complete reconstruction of the chimney from the roofline up, used when the structure has deteriorated past the point where repointing or crown work will hold, often from years of freeze-thaw damage, water intrusion, or a leaning stack. We match new brick and mortar color to your home's existing masonry as closely as possible, rebuild the flue liner and crown correctly from the start, and tie everything back into new flashing. It's the biggest job we do and the biggest investment, but it's a permanent fix rather than another round of patchwork.
What’s Included
This is ground-up reconstruction, not another repair on top of a failing structure. We remove the chimney down to sound brick at the roofline, then rebuild the entire above-roof portion with new materials chosen to match your home, so the finished chimney looks original and performs correctly for decades.
- Careful demolition of the damaged chimney down to solid, structurally sound brick at the roofline, with the surrounding roof protected throughout.
- Brick and mortar color-matched as closely as possible to your home's existing masonry, so the rebuilt chimney doesn't stand out as an obvious repair.
- A new flue liner installed to current code, sized correctly for your appliance or fireplace, rather than reusing a liner that was part of the problem.
- A properly sloped, overhanging crown and new rain cap built in from the start, so the rebuild doesn't inherit the same water problems that likely caused the original damage.
- All new step and counter flashing where the chimney meets the roof, since old flashing is rarely worth reusing once the surrounding brick has been torn out.
- Structural tie-in and support work as needed at the roofline, so the new chimney is properly anchored and weatherproofed against the house.
Signs You Need This
- Visible leaning or separation of the chimney from the roofline
- Large sections of missing, spalling, or crumbling brick
- Interior water damage or staining that keeps returning after smaller repairs
- A chimney inspector or contractor has told you repointing won't hold
- Cracks running through multiple courses of brick, not just the mortar joints
Our Process
Full assessment
We inspect the chimney from the roofline up, and the flue and foundation below it, to confirm a rebuild is actually necessary and to scope exactly how much needs to come down.
Brick and mortar matching
We source brick and mix mortar color to match your home's existing exterior as closely as possible before any demolition starts, so there's no guessing once the old chimney is down.
Demolition and reconstruction
We remove the damaged structure down to sound brick and rebuild course by course, installing a new flue liner and crown as part of the same job.
Flashing and final weatherproofing
We install new flashing at the roofline and finish with a properly sloped crown and cap, then walk the completed chimney with you before we leave.
How Much Does It Cost?
A full rebuild is the largest masonry investment we quote, priced by chimney height, brick and mortar matching requirements, roof access, and how much structural work is needed at the tie-in. We give a flat-fee written estimate after a hands-on inspection, not a ballpark over the phone, because the scope varies too much from one damaged chimney to the next. There are no surprise add-ons once you've signed off; if we uncover additional issues, like foundation settling below the roofline, we'll quote that separately before doing any of that work. It costs more than repointing or a crown repair because it's solving the problem completely rather than shoring up a structure that's already failing.
FAQs
If the brick itself is crumbling or spalling in multiple courses, the chimney is visibly leaning, or repointing and crown work haven't stopped the water damage, the underlying structure is likely too compromised to patch. We'll tell you honestly if a rebuild isn't necessary yet.
We color-match brick and mortar to your existing exterior as closely as materials allow. It won't be pixel-perfect on a decades-old house, since original brick can be discontinued, but we get it close enough that it reads as original from the ground.
Most single-chimney rebuilds take a few days to a week depending on height, weather, and how much brick needs to be sourced and laid. We'll give you a realistic timeline as part of the written estimate.