Chimney Rebuilds by Your Local Crew
When the brick above the roof is loose, leaning or soaked through, patching stops working. A rebuild takes the chimney down to sound masonry and lays it back up with new brick, mortar, crown and flashing, so it stands for decades.
About Chimney Rebuild
The section of a chimney above the roof is the most exposed masonry on a house. Rain hits it from every side, wind works on it, and it freezes and thaws more often than any wall below. When the mortar there turns to sand and the bricks start to rock in their beds, repointing no longer has anything sound to bond to. A rebuild takes those courses down and lays them back with new mortar, a new crown and flashing tied into the roof.
There is a second, quieter cause behind many leaning stacks in older city housing. Coal, oil and gas exhaust carry sulfur compounds that condense in an unlined or cracked flue. Those compounds react with mortar on the inside face, and the reaction makes the joints swell. Because one side of the stack usually stays wetter, it grows taller than the other, and the chimney bows. Brownstones, Philadelphia rowhouses and old two-family houses with tall party-wall stacks show this often.
A good rebuild starts with an honest line: how far down the masonry is sound. That decides whether the work stops at the roofline or continues lower. The new section gets a flue liner carried to the top, a crown that overhangs the brick with a drip edge, flashing set into the new joints, and brick and mortar chosen to match the house rather than whatever is easiest to buy.
What Our Crew Does
- The stack checked course by course to find where sound masonry begins
- Roof, gutters and the ground below protected, with a safe drop zone for debris
- Damaged brick taken down by hand, not knocked off into the yard
- Flue tile or liner extended through the new section to the top
- Brick and mortar laid back to match the existing color and joint style
- New flashing set into the new mortar joints as the courses go up
- A new crown with an overhang and drip edge, and a cap on each flue
- Site cleaned and old brick hauled away
When to Call Us
- The chimney leans or has visible gaps
- Bricks come loose by hand
- Repeated repairs keep failing
- Large sections of mortar are gone
- Severe damage after a storm
How the Job Goes
- Assess
We decide with you whether a partial or a full rebuild is the honest answer.
- Take down
We remove the damaged brick down to sound masonry and protect the roof.
- Rebuild
New brick and mortar, a new crown and new flashing where the chimney meets the roof.
- Seal and clean
We finish the top, clean the site and walk you through the work.
Your Options
The usual scope when damage is limited to the exposed section. The part inside the house stays as it is.
For a chimney that is cracked or leaning below the roof as well. A bigger job that may involve inside walls and a permit.
Salvaged brick can match old work closely when it is sound. New brick can be chosen to blend, and is easier to find in quantity.
Clay tile is set as the courses go up. A stainless liner can run the full height afterward, which also protects the lower, older section.
What Affects the Cost
- How many courses come down before sound brick is reached
- Height of the stack and pitch of the roof, and whether scaffolding is needed
- Sidewalk or street protection and permits on city lots
- Brick matching for older or unusual brick sizes and colors
- Liner work for flues that are unlined or cracked
- Flashing and roofing repairs at the base
- Debris removal and the distance to a truck or container
Every job starts with a free written estimate, so you know the price before we start.
When It Cannot Wait
- The stack leans or has pulled away from the house wall
- Bricks come loose by hand or have fallen onto the roof or sidewalk
- Wide cracks opened after a storm, lightning or a fallen tree
- A widening gap where the stack meets the siding or the roofline
Make It Last
- Line any flue that carries boiler or water heater exhaust so acids stay off the mortar
- Keep the new crown and caps in good order, since they protect everything below
- Check the stack from the ground after major storms for missing pieces or new cracks
- Have the flashing joint resealed when its sealant dries out, before water reaches the new brick
Questions About Chimney Rebuild
Repair or rebuild?
How long does a rebuild take?
Will it match my house?
Can we use the fireplace or heating while the chimney is rebuilt?
Can my old bricks be reused?
Will the roof be damaged during the work?
Guides From Our Crew
Why Do Old Brick Chimneys Collapse?Brick chimneys come down when the mortar holding them together wears away.
Why Is My Chimney Leaning Away From the House?A chimney pulls away from the house when its base sinks or its masonry gives out.
How Much Does It Cost to Rebuild a Chimney?There is no standard price for a chimney rebuild, because the cost is set by how much of the chimney comes down, how tall it is, how hard it is to reach and what turns up once the old brick is opened.
Lightning or a Storm Hit the Chimney: What to CheckAfter lightning hits a chimney, check first for fire: smoke, a burning smell, scorch marks or a wall warm to the touch mean leave and call 911.
How Tall Should a Chimney Be Above the Roof?A masonry chimney generally has to rise well clear of the roof and of anything nearby.
What Do Cracks in a Chimney Mean?Chimney cracks mean different things depending on where they are, which way they run and whether they are growing.
Why homeowners call Pro 1
18,000+ Chimney Jobs. One Standard.
15+ years and 18,000+ chimney jobs taught us what homeowners want: a crew that shows up, explains it plainly and leaves the house as clean as they found it.
$500 OFF any chimney service
- Our own local crews
The people at your door work for us and live in the area. We never send subcontractors.
- Licensed and insured
Your home and our crew are covered on every job, from a sweep to a full rebuild.
- Free written estimate
You see what we found and what it takes to fix it, in writing, before any work starts.
- Upfront pricing
The price we write down is the price you pay. No hidden fees and no surprise add-ons.
- Fast response
Open 24 hours Sunday to Friday, with a real person on the phone and same-day visits when we can.
- Clean, careful work
Floors and furniture covered, the roof and yard cleaned up, and a walk-through when we finish.
Limited time offer
$500 OFF
Any chimney service. Mention it when you call or book online.
Simple from the first call
How It Works
- Your callCall, text or book online
Tell us what you see or smell. A real person from our team answers and sets a time that suits you.
- The visitFree chimney inspection
Our own crew arrives in a marked Pro 1 van, covers the floor and inspects the chimney from the firebox to the cap, free of charge.
- The estimateFree written estimate
We walk you through what we found, in plain words, and put any repair in writing before work starts.
- The workThe job, done right
We do the work, clean up the roof, the yard and the room, and walk you through the finished job.
Book before the holidays. Fireplaces get their heaviest use from Thanksgiving to New Year. A free inspection now catches nests, creosote and cracked flue tiles before the first big fire and the family gatherings.
Book My Free InspectionGet a Free Estimate
Leave your details and our local team calls you back to set a time.
