Chimney rebuilds and restoration

Some chimneys are past patching. The honest question is not whether it can be repaired — almost anything can — but whether repairing it again is worth more than rebuilding it once.

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A rebuilt chimney crown with new brickwork and a stainless steel cap

Where repair stops and rebuilding starts

There is a point where every additional repair is money spent on a structure that is going to need rebuilding anyway. We will tell you when you have reached it, and we will tell you when you have not — a stack that needs repointing is not a stack that needs rebuilding, no matter how bad the mortar looks from the ground.

RepointingThe mortar has receded but the brick is sound and the stack is plumb. Cut out, repack, done.

Partial rebuildThe damage is concentrated above the roofline. The stack comes down to a sound course and goes back up.

Full rebuildDeterioration runs below the roofline, or the stack has moved. Rebuilt from the footing or the smoke chamber up.

The tellBrick you can crumble with a thumbnail, a stack visibly out of plumb, or a crown that has taken the top courses with it.

What the work covers

Partial rebuilding — the top few feet, or everything above the roofline
Complete rebuilding, above and below the roof
Brick replacement matched to the original unit, not the closest thing on the pallet
Mortar restoration mixed to match what the chimney was built with
Chimney crown rebuilt with a proper overhang and drip edge, not a flat mortar wash
Firebox and fireplace restoration
Exterior masonry renovation and structural restoration
Period-appropriate restoration on older Seattle and Tacoma houses
Removal and replacement of deteriorated sections

We keep whatever is sound. A rebuild that takes down more of the chimney than it has to is a more expensive invoice, not a better repair.

What it costs, and what moves the number

Rebuilds are the widest price range in this trade, which is exactly why they attract the worst quoting. Here is the shape of it before anyone comes to your house.

Partial rebuild$900 – $1,800 for the top few feet of a standard two-storey stack.

Above the roofline$1,000 – $3,500 to rebrick the whole exposed stack.

Full replacement$4,000 – $15,000 above and below the roofline. The spread is the house, not the sales pitch.

ScaffoldingAdd $500 – $1,500 on the hills — Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, Magnolia. It is access, not markup.

Permits$150 – $400 on structural rebuilds, depending on the jurisdiction.

Lime mortarPre-war houses need it, it costs more than Portland mix, and using the cheap stuff instead is what destroys the brick.

Puget Sound market ranges, 2026 — published so you can check any quote against them, ours included.

Before anything comes down

A rebuild is the largest invoice this company writes, so it is the one that gets the most explaining before it starts. You get the condition of the chimney in writing, the scope we are recommending and why, the materials we intend to use, and how the work runs day to day. If that document does not make sense to you, we have not finished writing it.

See what you get in writing

Questions about rebuilds

Can you rebuild just the part above the roof?

Usually, and it is the most common version of this job. Above the roofline is where freeze-thaw does its worst work, because that is the part that never dries out and never gets any warmth from the house.

How long does a rebuild take?

A partial rebuild is typically one to three days. A full rebuild runs longer and depends on access, weather and whether the fireplace below is part of the scope. We give you the schedule before we start.

Can it be done in winter here?

Partially. Mortar needs temperatures above about 40°F to cure properly, and a Puget Sound winter gives you narrow windows. We would rather tarp and wait than lay brick into mortar that will not set.

My chimney is not used any more. Rebuild it or take it down?

Removal is a legitimate answer and sometimes the cheapest one. It changes the roof and the look of the house, so it is your call — but we will put the option on the table rather than quote you a rebuild you do not want.

Will the new brick match?

On a partial rebuild we match as closely as the unit allows, and on older houses that often means reclaimed brick. An exact match on a hundred-year-old stack is rarely possible, and anyone promising one has not looked at it.

A rebuild quote should start with an inspection.

Nobody can price this from the driveway, and anybody who tries is guessing with your money.

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