This article will explain to you how much it will cost to have chimney stack removed as well as breaking down the costs of labour and materials.
Chimney Stack Removal – Job Description
When someone is thinking about having a chimney stack removed, they usually mean the part that sticks out above the roof.
A complete chimney removal would involve removing the chimney breasts from each floor of the property.
The costs would be much higher.
If you are thinking about having your chimney stack removed you are now aware that this does not include the removal of chimney breasts within the property.
Chimney stack removal usually consists of removing the chimney stack, which is protruding from the roofline. The remaining hole would be tiled over to match with the rest of the roof.
If you require more work than the removal of your chimney stack, you would need a separate quote. The majority of people who have their chimney stacks removed is because the chimney is in poor condition.
It usually costs more to have it repaired than to have it removed. One of the other common reasons people have their chimney stacks removed is because they aren’t used any more. Gas central heating and electric fires have eliminated the need for burning wood in a fireplace to keep warm.
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Getting the Most out of Scaffolding
If you are the type of person who likes to save money wherever possible, it would be wise to have any other roofing work carried out at the same time as having your chimney stack removed.
While the roofers are already on the roof taking down the chimney, wouldn’t it be wise to have them replace any missing roof tiles or slates?
After all, scaffolding is expensive, and you wouldn’t want to hire it again anytime soon, would you? Ask the roofer if they would mind inspecting your roof and take some pictures of any missing roof tiles, slates or damaged ridge tiles.
Removing a chimney stack involves having to hire scaffold to gain access to the roof. Once on the roof, the next steps are removing the chimney pots and cowls, removing all the cement flaunching and carefully removing all of the bricks from the chimney stack and taking them down to the ground.
The next step is to install new roofing felt, batons and roof tiles or slates.
The final step consists of getting rid of all of the waste. In most cases, a skip will be required. The amount of waste left over from taking down a chimney stack is surprising. You may be able to recuperate some of your costs by selling the chimney pots and cowls to a local roofer’s merchants or reclamation yard.
If your property was built during the Victorian era, then you’re bricks from your chimney stack could be worth as much as 50p each. You can save a small fortune just by selling the bricks to a local roofing merchant.
Chimney stacks have lead around the chimney to prevent rain from entering into the roof space. Lead is expensive to buy. You can make some extra money just by weighing in the lead at a metal recycling yard near where you live.
Should You Do It Yourself?
Taking down a chimney stack is not your typical do it yourself type of job. It is a potentially dangerous job. If something was to go wrong, it could also cause a lot of damage to the structure of the roof. Any damage to the roofs structure would cost a considerable amount of money to put right.
A poorly executed removal of a chimney stack can cause condensation and ventilation issues as well as structural problems. If you are considering doing it yourself, at least hire a scaffolding tower and follow the required safety precautions. Any type of work on a roof can be hazardous and only trained professionals should be working on a roof.
If you have decided to do it yourself, you will still need to get in contact with building control, ask them for advice about the roof structure. Unfortunately, professional advice comes at a price, and there will be fees to pay.
If the primary goal of doing it yourself was to save money, bear in mind, you would still need to pay for scaffolding and for professional advice from building control.
Oh and don’t forget you will still need to buy materials and tools and don’t forget to factor in the cost of your time. Once you’ve sat down and done the sums, it usually makes more sense to call in the professionals rather than going down the DIY route.
The Cost of Removing a Chimney Stack
The cost of chimney stack removal usually varies between £950 – £1200. There are many different factors to take into account, such as the size of the chimney stack, is scaffolding required and what part of the country you live in.
Labour costs for two qualified roofers would be in the range of £250 -£300 per day. Taking down a chimney stack doesn’t usually take much longer than one working day, but it does depend on its size.
In the table below, you will see the average costs for dismantling a chimney stack.
FAQ’s
How Much Will it Cost to Remove a Chimney Stack?
There are many different factors to take into account when it comes to figuring out the costs for removing a chimney stack.
However, if we assume there are no obstructions in the way of gaining access to the roof with the use of scaffolding (such as narrow alleyways or a conservatory), and it is not a particularly large chimney stack, and it is easy to acquire matching roof tiles, and the chimney is entirely on your property. You can expect to pay approximately £1200.
You will have to weigh up the costs of chimney repair against chimney stack removal to see which one is the most viable option to you.
If money is an issue, you can opt for having the chimney repairs carried out by a professional roofer. At some time or another, most chimney stacks will need repointing which involves removing any old, crumbling cement and replacing it with new sand and cement.
If you have roof leaks coming from around the chimney stack, it could be caused by missing lead flashing which is easily repaired or replaced. If you no longer use the chimney because you have gas central heating installed in your home, you can always opt to have the chimney capped off.
Capping the chimney will prevent rainwater from entering into the chimney without stopping the chimney from breathing.
Sometimes, capping off a chimney can cause problems with condensation within your home.
Unfortunately, your finances will dictate what you can afford but if your chimney stack is in poor condition then sometimes chimney stack removal is the cheapest option.
If your property has a chimney over 2 metres high above roof level, then it would be safe to say you should add on at least another £400 to cover the extra costs of scaffolding so the chimney stack can be removed safely.
Conclusion
Whether you choose to have your chimney repaired or removed is up to you. Only you can make that decision. However, if you don’t use your chimney and you can afford to have it taken down I would recommend you have it removed. A unused chimney is bound to have some issues sooner or later.
If you are not sure who to contact to get a chimney taken down head on over to
Goof Luck!
Jim Ardale – Roof Advisor