If you need a chimney rebuilt in Saffron Walden, here is exactly what the process involves at every stage, so you know what to expect before work begins.
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A chimney rebuild is not a job where shortcuts are hidden in the ground or behind a wall. The quality of every stage - from the initial inspection to the final mortar joint - is visible from the outside and affects how long the stack lasts. Understanding the process means you can ask the right questions and recognise when a roofer is doing the job properly.
We carry out chimney rebuilds in Saffron Walden and across the wider area including Cambridge. Every job starts the same way: with a proper look at what is actually there.
A chimney assessment from the ground tells you something, but not enough. The only way to properly inspect a chimney stack is from scaffold or a platform that puts someone at the same height as the brickwork. A ground-level look through binoculars will identify obvious structural lean or large areas of missing flaunching, but it will not show hairline cracks in the mortar joints, the condition of the lead flashing step cuts, or whether the brickwork is sound enough to repoint rather than rebuild.
During a proper inspection at chimney level, we look at:
Once we have seen the stack properly, we can give you an accurate assessment of what it needs. Some stacks need a full rebuild from roof level; others need only the top section replaced; some are repairable with repointing and new flaunching. The inspection is what determines which applies to your chimney.
All chimney work at ridge height requires scaffold. A proper tube-and-fitting or system scaffold provides a stable working platform at the right height, protects the roof tiles below from dropped material, and allows bricks, mortar and tools to be moved safely.
Scaffold is erected before any demolition or rebuild work begins. The erection is carried out by a scaffold company and typically takes half a day to a full day depending on the height and configuration of the property. For most standard two-storey houses the scaffold sits on the ground; on taller properties or steeply pitched roofs, a different configuration may be needed.
The scaffold will remain in place until the rebuild is complete and the work has been checked - it is struck after the job is signed off, not before.
Once the platform is in place, the old brickwork is carefully taken down from the top. The chimney pots are removed first and set aside if they are to be reused, or replaced if they are cracked or the wrong type for the new build. The flaunching is broken out and removed completely - no good rebuild attempts to patch flaunching onto old mortar.
Brickwork is taken down course by course until we reach solid, stable brickwork that provides a reliable base. The exact point varies by chimney - on a badly deteriorated stack, this may mean going down to or below the roof line; on a stack where only the upper courses have failed, a couple of courses above the flashing line may be sufficient. We do not take down more than is necessary, but we do not leave poor brickwork in place to compromise the new work above it.
Waste bricks and old mortar are cleared away as the work progresses. Broken material dropped onto the scaffold boards is collected rather than being allowed to accumulate.
Before any new brickwork is laid, the top of the remaining stack is prepared. Old mortar is raked back, the surface is checked for level, and any loose material is removed. A clean, level base is essential for a straight, properly bonded rebuild.
The existing lead flashing is assessed at this point. If the lead is still in serviceable condition - good thickness, no splits, properly dressed into the mortar joints - it can sometimes be left in place and re-used. In most cases, particularly where a rebuild is being carried out because of significant deterioration, the lead flashing is replaced at the same time. Replacing it during the rebuild avoids the cost of returning to scaffold later, and new lead dressed into fresh mortar joints gives a far better seal than lead redressed into old courses.
New brickwork is laid in courses using the appropriate mortar mix for the age and type of existing brickwork. The mortar mix is matched to the existing brickwork, not simply used out of habit.
Bricks are sourced to match the existing stack as closely as possible in colour, texture and size. Each course is checked for level and plumb as work progresses - a chimney stack that is plumb when finished sheds water correctly and carries its own load without eccentric stress on the mortar joints.
The leadwork is dressed in as the relevant courses are reached - step flashing is cut into mortar joints at each course level on the sides of the stack, and apron and back gutter flashing is fitted as the base courses are completed. Lead is not an afterthought at the end; it is integrated into the build as work rises.
Once the brickwork has reached the correct height, the chimney pots are bedded in and the flaunching is formed around their bases. Flaunching should have a smooth, steep fall from the pot to the outer edge of the stack so that rainwater runs clear of the brickwork. It is haunched up around the pot to hold it firmly and then trowelled to a finish.
Flaunching needs time to cure. In cold or wet weather, new flaunching should be protected from rain and frost for at least 24 hours. Rushing this stage or using a mortar mix that is too wet leads to cracking as the flaunching dries.
If a chimney is no longer in use, we will cap it at this stage with a half-round ridge tile or a purpose-made cap rather than leaving the flue open. An open flue on a redundant chimney allows water to run straight down the inside of the stack.
Before the scaffold is struck, the completed stack is checked: joint lines, plumb, the finish on the flaunching, the fit of the lead flashing and the bedding of the pots. Any minor dressing or pointing is done at this stage while access is still available.
The tiles around the base of the stack are checked for damage caused during the work and any displaced tiles are re-seated. All waste material is removed from the scaffold boards and cleared from the site. Scaffold is then struck and the area around the property is left clear.
Typical chimney rebuild costs in the UK range from around £1,500 to £3,500 for a standard domestic stack from roof level, including scaffold, labour and materials. The variation depends on the height of the stack, the extent of brickwork to be replaced, the type of brick required and whether new lead flashing is included.
If your chimney in Saffron Walden needs a rebuild or you are not sure of the extent of the problem, call us for a roof survey. We will inspect from scaffold, tell you exactly what the stack needs and give you a clear price for the work.
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Call any time. Calls are answered day and night and passed straight to our roofers.
