What Does Chimney Repair Cost in Seattle?

Chimney repair cost in Seattle depends on one thing above all: which part of the chimney failed. A cracked crown, a rusted chase cover, or a small firebox crack is a modest, often same-day job. A chimney that has been leaking through several wet seasons, with soft mortar, spalled brick, and a rotted chase behind the siding, is a different project. Our published specials give you the floor: crown rebuilds start at $299, chase covers start at $299, chase rebuilds start at $299, fireplace crack repair starts at $299, and a sweep and inspection starts at $299. Everything above those floors is set by size, condition, and access.

The honest answer to "how much does chimney repair cost in Seattle" is that nobody can price it from the curb. That is why we quote for free, and why we offer a free second-opinion quote if another company has already handed you a number. We also price match and take a further 10 to 25 percent off. Below is how we build a quote, so you know what you are paying for and what you are not.

Why the same repair costs different amounts on different houses

Two Seattle chimneys can have the same problem and land on very different quotes. Here is what moves the number.

The part that failed

• Crown. The sloped slab on top of a masonry chimney. Hairline cracks can be sealed; a crumbling or flat crown gets rebuilt. Crown rebuilds start at $299.
• Chase cover. The metal lid on a framed (prefab) chimney. When it rusts through, water goes straight into the chase. Replacement starts at $299.
• Cap. Keeps rain and animals out of the flue. A missing or bent cap is one of the cheapest things to fix and one of the most expensive things to ignore.
• Flashing. The metal where the chimney meets the roof. Resealing sound flashing is quick; replacing corroded or lifted flashing is more involved.
• Masonry. Open mortar joints and spalled brick faces. Price scales with how many square feet of joints need work and how many bricks need replacing.
• Chase framing. When a chase cover has leaked for years, the framing under it rots. Chase rebuilds start at $299 and go up with the amount of rot.
• Firebox. Cracks in the firebox floor or walls. Fireplace crack repair starts at $299.

How long it has been leaking

Seattle gets about 40 inches of rain a year, and roughly 73 percent of it falls between October and March. A chimney that started leaking last fall and gets fixed this summer is usually a one-part repair. A chimney that has been taking on water for several wet seasons usually has a second or third problem hiding behind the first one. The longer the wait, the more parts end up on the quote.

Access and height

A chimney on a low single-story rambler is faster and safer to work on than one on a steep two-story roof in Queen Anne or Capitol Hill. Roof pitch, chimney height above the roofline, and whether we can stage from a ladder or need more setup all affect labor time. We handle all roof access; you never need to go up yourself.

Masonry versus prefab

Seattle's median home was built in 1976, so the city is split. Older brick chimneys in Ballard, Wallingford, and West Seattle need masonry-type repairs: crowns, mortar, brick. Homes built after the mid-1980s, and most townhome infill, often have a framed chase with a factory-built fireplace inside. Those need chase covers, caps, and sometimes chase framing and siding. The two chimney types fail differently and are priced differently.

What our specials actually cover

Our specials are real starting prices, not bait. They cover a straightforward version of each job on a typical residential chimney with normal access. Here is what "starting at" means in practice.

• Sweep and inspection, starting at $299. A routine creosote and soot sweep of a wood-burning fireplace flue plus a visual inspection. If the inspection finds a problem, you get a separate quote for the repair; you are never obligated.
• Fireplace crack repair, starting at $299. Sealing cracked firebox masonry or refractory with high-temperature material. Larger failures that need panel replacement are quoted separately.
• Chase cover, starting at $299. Measuring, fabricating, and installing a new cover on a standard framed chase. Unusual sizes or multiple flue penetrations add to it.
• Crown rebuild, starting at $299. Removing a failed crown and forming a new one with proper slope and overhang on a standard single-flue chimney.
• Chase rebuild, starting at $299. Repairing rotted framing, sheathing, and siding at the top of a chase. The price rises with how far down the rot has traveled.

If your job is bigger than the special, we tell you before we start, in writing, and you decide. If you are not happy with the work, we are not done: we come back and make it right at no charge.

How to avoid overpaying for chimney repair in Seattle

Get the diagnosis before the price

A quote that does not name the failed part is a guess. Ask what is leaking, where the water is entering, and what happens if you only fix that one thing. Our chimney inspection puts a camera in the flue and eyes on the crown, cap, flashing, and chase so the quote is based on what is actually there.

Use the free second opinion

If you already have a quote, send it to us. We will look at the same chimney, tell you whether the scope makes sense, and price it ourselves. If we can do the same work for less, we price match and take 10 to 25 percent off. If the other quote is fair, we will say so.

Fix the cheap thing before it becomes the expensive thing

The pattern we see most often in Seattle: a cap or chase cover fails, water gets in through one wet season, and by the next year the quote includes a crown, flashing, and a chase rebuild. Our wet season runs October through March, and November alone averages over six inches of rain. A cap or cover replaced in August is the best money you will spend on the house.

Ask what is included

Cleanup, haul-away of old material, and a re-check are included in our work. Ask any company whether they are. A low number that leaves you with a pile of broken brick on the lawn is not a low number.

Repair versus rebuild

Most Seattle chimney problems are repairs, not rebuilds. A rebuild of the top courses of brick becomes the right answer when the brick faces have spalled through, the mortar is gone deep into the joints, or the chimney is leaning or separating from the house. Even then, a partial rebuild from the roofline up is far more common than a full teardown. Our chimney repair team will tell you where your chimney sits on that line and why.

For framed chases, the equivalent question is whether the rot is limited to the top plate and a few inches of sheathing (a chase repair) or has run down the studs (a chase rebuild).

What to do next

• Note what you are seeing: stains on the ceiling near the chimney, rust streaks on the chase, white powder on the brick, water in the firebox, or bits of mortar on the roof.
• Call 206-453-2045 or request a free quote online. Same-day service is often available across Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, and the road-accessible Puget Sound.
• If you already have a quote from someone else, ask for our free second opinion. We price match and take 10 to 25 percent off.
• Do not go on the roof to look yourself. We do the climbing, the diagnosis, and the photos.

Seattle Chimney Repair Services is certified and insured, uses safe and green materials, and backs every job with our guarantee: if you are not happy, we are not done.

Related

• Signs Your Chimney Chase Is Rotting (and What a Rebuild Involves)
• Spalling Brick on Your Chimney: Why Seattle Weather Does This
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