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Chimney Rebuild in Seattle, WA
When the brick is past repair we take it down and build it back: partial rebuilds from the roofline up or a full rebuild from the footing. Free quote.
- Free 2nd-opinion quotes
- Price match + 10–25% discount
- Same-day service often available
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A chimney rebuild is the job you need when repair is no longer enough: the chimney is leaning, the top courses are loose or gone, the brick has spalled through on several faces, or the mortar has failed so completely that the chimney is held up by habit. We take the failed masonry down to sound brick and rebuild it with new brick, fresh mortar, a proper crown and flashing, so the chimney is structurally sound again rather than patched.
Most rebuilds in the Seattle area are partial: the section above the roofline takes all the weather and fails first while the chimney below the roof is fine. A full rebuild, down to the footing or the firebox, is for chimneys that have failed below the roofline too, or that have shifted and cannot be straightened. If the brick is damaged in spots but the chimney is straight and solid, masonry repair or tuckpointing is the cheaper answer.
We rebuild chimneys in Seattle, Tacoma, Everett and across King, Pierce and Snohomish counties from our Renton office. The quote is free, and so is a second opinion on any rebuild someone else has proposed.
Symptoms
Signs you need chimney rebuild
- The chimney visibly leans, or a gap has opened between the chimney and the siding or roof
- Bricks missing from the top courses, or whole bricks on the roof or lawn
- Brick faces flaked off on more than one side of the chimney
- Mortar joints so washed out that bricks can be moved by hand
- A crown that has broken apart and taken the top courses with it
- Stair-step cracks running through bricks and joints down the chimney
- A home inspector, roofer or insurance adjuster has called the chimney unsafe
Common causes
- Decades of rain soaking into brick and mortar, then freezing and thawing through the winter
- A failed crown that let water run down inside the chimney for years
- Chimney footing settling or shifting, tilting the whole stack
- Past repairs done by smearing over failed joints instead of fixing them
- Moss holding water against the brick on the shaded side
How It Works
Our chimney rebuild process
Before we quote a rebuild we establish where sound masonry stops. We check the lean with a level, probe the joints course by course from the top down, inspect the crown, flashing and flue liner, and look at the chimney in the attic and at the firebox to see whether damage continues below the roof. The written quote, with photos, says exactly how many courses come down and why.
Free quote and scope
We inspect, measure and photograph the chimney, then tell you in writing whether a partial or full rebuild is needed and where the new work starts.
Protect the roof and house
Roof, gutters and landscaping are covered, and the flue is sealed so debris stays out of the fireplace.
Teardown to sound brick
Failed courses are removed by hand down to masonry that is solid and well bonded.
Rebuild
New brick is laid in fresh mortar to match the original bond and size, with the flue liner extended or replaced as the courses go up.
Crown, cap and flashing
A new crown with an overhang and drip edge, a cap, and new or re-bedded flashing so the new masonry starts dry.
Cure, clean and walkthrough
Mortar cures, the site is cleaned, and we walk you through the finished chimney with photos. If you are not happy, we are not done.
Options
Repair and service options
A rebuild is scoped by how far down the damage goes. The common options:
- Top-course rebuild: the top few courses and the crown are removed and rebuilt, the right fix when a failed crown has taken the brick beneath it but the rest of the stack is sound. Crown rebuilds alone start at $299; added courses are quoted on top.
- Partial rebuild above the roofline: everything from the roof deck up is taken down and rebuilt with a new crown and flashing. The most common rebuild in Seattle-area homes.
- Rebuild from the attic or firebox: when damage continues below the roof, the teardown goes further down inside the house, with the flue liner replaced at the same time.
- Full rebuild from the footing: for chimneys that lean from the base or have failed throughout.
- Removal instead of rebuild: if the fireplace is never used, taking the chimney down below the roofline and closing the roof is sometimes the better-value choice.
Each option gets its own line on the free written quote, and we price match any written rebuild quote plus 10-25% off.
Pricing
What affects the price
- How many courses come down: top courses, roofline up, attic up, or from the footing
- Chimney size, number of flues, and height above the roof
- Roof pitch, access and whether scaffolding is needed
- Brick matching for older homes where the original brick is no longer made
- Whether the flue liner must be extended or replaced during the rebuild
- Distance from Renton for outlying Pierce and Snohomish addresses
Every chimney is different, so you get a written quote after we look at the system. Ask about our price match and free second-opinion quote.
Safety & Seattle Conditions
Safety considerations
A leaning chimney or one dropping bricks is a falling-object hazard. Keep people, pets and cars away from that side of the house, and do not use the fireplace until the chimney has been inspected; a chimney that has shifted usually has a broken liner too. Please do not go on the roof to look at it or pull loose bricks; we inspect for free and send photos.
If the chimney serves a gas appliance, do not touch the valve or pilot. If you smell gas, leave the house and call your gas utility or 911 from outside.
Seattle & Puget Sound conditions
Puget Sound weather is hard on exposed brick. Sea-Tac's NOAA 1991-2020 normals show 40.34 inches of rain a year, about 73% of it October through March. The Brick Industry Association's technical notes explain the result: water in saturated brick expands when it freezes, and repeated freeze-thaw cracks, spalls and eventually disintegrates the brick. Seattle sees about 60 days a year at or below 32F while winter lows average around 37F, so wet masonry crosses the freeze line many times each winter.
Older neighborhoods carry the most of this history: Tacoma's median home dates to 1967, Shoreline's to 1969 and Seattle's to 1976, and many of those chimneys have had decades of wet winters with no crown or cap.
Our Work
Chimney Rebuild in action
Get a free chimney rebuild quote
Partial or full rebuild, scoped honestly. Free quote, free second opinion, price match plus 10-25% off. Call 206-453-2045.
☎ 206-453-2045 Request a QuoteQuestions
Chimney Rebuild FAQ
How do I know if my chimney needs a rebuild instead of a repair?
The line is structural. If the chimney is straight, the brick is mostly solid and the problems are open joints or a few spalled faces, masonry repair or tuckpointing will hold. If it leans, bricks are loose or missing, or the brick has failed on several faces, patching only hides it. We check with a level and by probing the joints, then put the answer in writing.
What is a partial chimney rebuild?
A partial rebuild takes the chimney down from a chosen point, usually the roofline, and rebuilds it from there up with new brick, a new crown and new flashing. The section above the roof is exposed on all sides and fails long before the protected section below, so this fixes the damaged part without tearing into the house.
How long does a chimney rebuild take?
A top-course or above-the-roofline rebuild is commonly done in a day or two of dry weather, with the mortar left to cure before the cap goes on. A rebuild from the attic or footing is a longer project. Rebuild work depends on dry conditions, so we book it into a weather window and put the plan in the quote.
Do you rebuild the crown and flashing as part of the rebuild?
Yes, always. Rebuilding the brick and then putting the old crown or flashing back would let in the same water that caused the failure. Every rebuild finishes with a new crown with an overhang and drip edge, a cap, and new or re-bedded flashing. See crown rebuild and flashing replacement.
How much does a chimney rebuild cost in Seattle?
It depends mostly on how many courses come down and how hard the roof is to work on, so we do not quote a rebuild over the phone. The quote visit is free and itemized. If you already have a rebuild quote from another company, we give a free second-opinion quote, match the price and take a further 10-25% off.
Should I rebuild a chimney I never use, or remove it?
If the fireplace will not be used and nothing else vents through the flue, removing the chimney below the roofline and closing the roof can cost less than rebuilding and ends the maintenance. If you want to keep the fireplace, or the chimney is part of the look of the house, rebuild it. We quote both so you can decide.
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