Chimney Repair — what's actually going on

Loose pots, crumbling brickwork, eroded mortar bedding or a stack that's clearly leaning.

Common causes

Mortar bedding and flaunching gone past its life — typical at 30–40 years
Frost damage to soft Victorian stock brick above the roof line
Sulphate attack from long-disused flues holding moisture
Failed lead apron and soakers letting water track into the stack base
Pots not mechanically fixed — common after high winds

How we fix it

Full close-up scaffolded inspection — not a ladder peek
Rebuild from a sound course, re-using original bricks where possible
New flaunching and pot fixings, plus a flue terminal where the chimney is redundant
Strip and re-dress all surrounding lead in code 4 or 5 as appropriate
Photograph every stage so you can see exactly what was done

Chimney Repair by area

Locally specific notes for chimney repair across the towns and neighbourhoods we cover.

Chimney Repair in HamptonTW12 Chimney Repair in RichmondTW9

Our guides on this

Flue lining explained: when a chimney needs relining

Flue lining means fitting a continuous liner inside an existing chimney so smoke and gases travel safely to the terminal. It is normally needed when a new stove or appliance goes in, when a smoke test fails, or when the original flue has cracked, leaks fumes or stains the chimney breast.

Chimney repair costs: repointing, re-flaunching and rebuilds

Chimneys are the single most common source of roof leaks we get called to, and the work splits into four very different jobs with four very different prices.

Chimney flaunching repair guide

Flaunching is the shaped mortar around chimney pots that sheds rain from the top of the stack. Cracks, loose edges or failed pot bedding can admit water, but staining near a chimney may also come from pointing or lead flashing, so the whole stack should be inspected before the flaunching is renewed.

Chimney repointing and lead flashing costs

Chimney prices are set by access first and brickwork second. Getting a safe platform to the stack is usually the largest single item, which is why doing pointing, flaunching and flashing together in one visit costs far less than three separate call outs.