Chimney Rebuilds in New Jersey, Partial and Full

A rebuild is the right answer when brick and mortar are too far gone to repair: a leaning stack, bricks loose enough to lift out, or a top section that has been patched so many times there is little sound masonry left. Most rebuilds are partial. Only the part above the roofline, where weather does the damage, comes down and goes back up.

A rebuild is also the job most often pushed on homeowners who do not need one. Before anyone takes your chimney apart, get photos and a second opinion. Our inspection is free, and if repointing or a new crown will solve the problem, that is what we recommend. When a rebuild really is needed, we show you exactly where the sound brick starts and price the work to that point.

Signs you need this

• The chimney leans or has pulled away from the house
• Bricks are loose enough to move by hand
• Large sections of brick faces have fallen off
• Deep vertical cracks through the brick
• Repeated patches that keep failing

How we do it

1. Confirm a rebuild is neededA free inspection with photos, and a repair option if one exists.
2. Permits and approvalsWe handle the construction permit and check for historic district rules on visible changes.
3. Take down to sound brickWe remove brick course by course until we reach solid masonry.
4. Rebuild and finishNew brick and mortar matched to the house, a new crown and new flashing at the roof line.

How can I tell whether I need a rebuild or a repair?

Press on the bricks near the top. If they are firm and the problem is loose mortar or a cracked crown, repointing or a crown repair usually does the job. If bricks shift, the stack leans, or cracks run through the bricks themselves rather than along the mortar lines, the masonry is no longer holding together.

If someone tells you the chimney must come down today, ask for photos and get a second opinion. In 2015 ABC7 reported on homeowners in Piscataway and Caldwell whose chimneys were torn down by a company that had cold-called them. Ask for the company's 13VH registration number and check it with the state.

Do I need a permit or historic approval to rebuild?

A rebuild is structural work, so it generally goes through your town's construction office under the New Jersey construction code. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection.

In a historic district, a rebuild that keeps the same height, brick and shape may count as a like-for-like repair. Montclair, for example, exempts repairs that do not change appearance but requires approval for visible alterations. If the chimney will look different, we check with the commission before we start.

Should I rebuild a chimney I no longer use?

Not necessarily. After an oil-to-gas conversion, many New Jersey homes are left with a chimney that vents nothing, because the new furnace or water heater vents through the wall. Rebuilding that stack costs as much as rebuilding a working one.

Taking it down below the roof typically runs $1,000 to $2,500, and removing the stack and the chimney breast inside typically runs $4,000 to $10,000. We price both options so you can compare them side by side.