Chimney Inspection
Cap, crown, brick, flashing and the flue inside, checked and written up.
Chimney rebuilds and removal
Chimney Rebuild in Ottawa, ON
Ottawa Precision Chimney Sweep handles chimney rebuild in Ottawa, ON, from a partial rebuild of the top few feet to a full rebuild from the roofline or the attic. We put up scaffolding, take the damaged brick down course by course, match the old brick and build it back to the Ontario Building Code. If nobody uses the chimney anymore, we also take it down and close the roof.
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When Repointing Is Not Enough
A chimney can usually be saved with new mortar until the bricks themselves start to fail, or the stack starts to lean. At that point, patching costs more than rebuilding. A rebuild takes the bad section down and builds it back with fresh brick, a new flue liner, a new crown and a cap.
Ottawa Precision Chimney Sweep also provides chimney removal to Ottawa and nearby towns, including Nepean, Orleans, Kanata, Cumberland and Carp. Most rebuilds take two to four days, and scaffolding goes up before anything comes down.
Contact UsTypes of Chimney Rebuild We Do
How much comes down depends on how far the damage runs. We stop at the first solid brick.
Partial Rebuild Above the Roof
Only the top few feet come down and go back up. This is the most common rebuild, because the weather punishes the top of the chimney first. The lower stack stays and gets repointed.
Full Rebuild From the Roofline
Everything above the roof comes down and goes back up, with a new liner, crown and cap. This is the one for a stack that leans, bulges or has failed all the way down.
Full Rebuild From the Attic
When the damage runs below the roofline, the work starts inside the attic and the roof is opened and sealed again around the new stack. It costs the most and fixes the most.
Chimney Removal
If a new furnace vents out the side and nobody burns wood, the chimney can come down. We take it apart brick by brick, patch the roof and close the openings inside the house.
What a Chimney Rebuild Costs in Ottawa
- Partial rebuild above the roof: $2,500 to $6,000
- Full rebuild from the roofline: $4,500 to $9,500
- Rebuild from the attic: quoted after a look
- Chimney removal and roof patch: $1,800 to $4,500
- Scaffolding on tall chimneys: included in the written price
A rebuild is the biggest chimney job, so we give a written price before any brick moves.
What Every Rebuild Includes
- Scaffolding with a pulley system for safe work at height
- Bricks matched to the old chimney
- A new liner where the old one is failing
- A new crown with a drip edge
- A cap fitted at the end
- The old brick hauled away
How Much Does a Chimney Rebuild Cost in Ottawa?
A chimney rebuild in Ottawa costs $2,500 to $6,000 for a partial rebuild above the roof and $4,500 to $9,500 for a full rebuild from the roofline in 2026. A rebuild that starts in the attic costs more. The height, the number of flues and how hard the brick is to match decide the price.
| Job | Typical price | Time on site |
|---|---|---|
| Partial rebuild above the roof | $2,500 to $6,000 | 2 to 3 days |
| Full rebuild from the roofline | $4,500 to $9,500 | 3 to 4 days |
| Chimney removal with a roof patch | $1,800 to $4,500 | 1 to 3 days |
Nobody can price a rebuild accurately over the phone, and we don't try. We have walked about 60 rebuild jobs since 2015 and priced every one in writing. We climb up, look at how far the damage goes and write the price down. If someone gives you a firm number sight unseen, ask what happens when they find a surprise.
How Do I Know My Chimney Needs a Rebuild?
Signs include a leaning stack, a gap between the chimney and the wall, bricks that fall out in your hand and mortar missing to the depth of your finger. One or two of those can often be fixed by repointing. Several together usually mean the chimney has reached the end of its life. In our experience, one sign alone is rarely enough, but we have rebuilt about 35 stacks since 2015 and most had three.
Can a Leaning Chimney Be Fixed?
A small lean from settling is often fine. A lean that is getting worse, or a gap opening up at the wall, needs a look this season. Straightening a leaning stack is not possible, so the fix is a rebuild. We check the footing and the attic framing too, because the cause is not always the chimney.
How Do You Match Old Brick on a Chimney?
We look at the colour, size and texture of the old brick and compare it with what local suppliers carry. Older chimneys often use brick nobody makes anymore, so we lay out samples against the existing work and pick the closest. We can also reuse the good old bricks on the visible faces. Last spring we matched a 1950s brick across three suppliers before we found one that worked.
Will the New Section Look Different?
At first, a little. New brick is lighter than brick that has weathered for sixty years, and it mellows over a few seasons. We show you the match on a sample before we commit, and on most homes the difference fades into the roofline within a year.
Should I Take the Chimney Down Instead?
If the house has a furnace and a water heater that vent out the side wall, and nobody uses the fireplace, removal can be cheaper than a rebuild and it ends the leak risk for good. If you may want a fireplace or a wood stove later, or the chimney is part of the house's look, keep it.
Taking a chimney down also frees up space inside, and the roof gets patched with matching shingles. We tell you what the removal will cost against a rebuild, with both numbers in writing, so you can choose with the facts in front of you.
A Written Price First
We climb up, look, and send you the price in writing. If a chimney needs nothing but a sweep, that is all you pay for.
Contact UsWETT Reports, Arranged for You
Insurers and buyers sometimes ask for one on a wood stove or insert. We arrange it with a partner inspector.
Contact UsQuestions we hear
Chimney Rebuild FAQs
How long does a chimney rebuild take?
A partial rebuild takes two or three days, and a full one three or four, after the scaffolding goes up. The mortar needs time to set between lifts, so a chimney can't be built in a day. Bad weather adds time, and we plan around the forecast.
Do I need a permit to rebuild a chimney in Ottawa?
A partial rebuild usually doesn't need one. A full rebuild, a change to the stack or a new wood stove can need a building permit from the City of Ottawa. We tell you up front which applies to your address, and the building office can confirm.
Can I use the fireplace while the chimney is being rebuilt?
No. The flue is open while we work, and the debris falls down it. Plan on a few days without the fireplace. We cover the firebox opening inside so soot and brick dust stay out of the house, and we clean up before we leave.
When is the best time to rebuild a chimney?
Between late April and October, when the mortar can cure properly. Fall is busy, so book in summer. If your chimney is dangerous in the middle of winter, we can take down the unsafe part and cover it until spring.
Our Other Chimney Services
Chimney Liner Installation
A new pipe inside the old flue for stoves, inserts and furnaces.
Chimney Cap Installation
Caps, rain caps and chase covers that keep water and animals out.
Chimney Crown Repair
The concrete lid on top of the brick, sealed or rebuilt.
Chimney Repointing
Crumbling mortar chiselled out and replaced before the brick fails.
Chimney Leak Repair
Flashing, crown and cap fixed where the water is really getting in.
Free estimate
Tell Us About Your Chimney
Leave your name, number and a line about the chimney. We call back to set up a look, and the written price follows.
- Written price before any work
- Free estimates around Ottawa
- Drop sheets and a tidy finish every visit