Chimney repair costs $200 to $4,000 in 2026 depending on what broke, and most single repairs land between $300 and $1,200. A cracked crown might be a $300 patch. Repointing a two-story chimney with scaffolding can pass $4,000. The repair itself is often cheaper than people fear; the surprise is usually that two or three problems get found at once.
- Minor crown repair: $200 to $700
- Tuckpointing (repointing mortar): $500 to $2,500, about $1,200 average
- Flashing repair or replacement: $300 to $1,800
- Full crown replacement: up to $3,000
- Scaffolding, if needed: adds $200 to $600
What does each chimney repair cost?
Here are the 2026 ranges for the common repairs, pulled from the Angi and HomeGuide cost guides on July 10, 2026:
| Repair | 2026 cost | What it fixes |
|---|---|---|
| Crown repair (patch and seal) | $200 to $700 | Hairline cracks in the concrete cap on top |
| Crown replacement | $1,000 to $3,000 | A crown too far gone to patch |
| Tuckpointing | $500 to $2,500 | Crumbling mortar joints between bricks |
| Flashing repair | $300 to $1,800 | The leak point where chimney meets roof |
| Spalling brick replacement | $250 to $1,000 for a small area | Bricks with faces popping off from freeze damage |
| Chimney cap install | $150 to $400 | Keeps rain and animals out of the flue |
Add $200 to $600 if the crew needs scaffolding, and up to $300 for a permit in towns that require one for masonry work. Tall chimneys on steep roofs collect both charges.
How much does it cost to repoint a chimney?
Tuckpointing averages about $1,200 in 2026, with a normal range of $500 to $2,500. A two-story chimney that needs scaffolding runs $1,500 to $4,000.
Repointing means grinding out failing mortar joints and packing in fresh mortar. It is priced by the square foot of chimney face, so a short chimney with damage on one side costs a fraction of a full wraparound job. Done right, new mortar buys you 25 to 30 years.
How much does chimney crown repair cost?
Sealing a cracked crown costs $200 to $700. Replacing a crumbled crown costs $1,000 to $3,000, since the old concrete has to come off and a new crown gets formed and poured in place.
The crown is the sloped concrete cap that sheds water off the top of the chimney. When it cracks, water gets into the brick below and every other repair on this page follows within a few winters. If you only fix one thing this year, fix the crown.
How much does chimney flashing cost to fix?
Flashing repair runs $300 to $1,800 in 2026. Resealing loose flashing sits at the low end. Cutting out and replacing rusted step flashing under the shingles sits at the high end.
Flashing is the metal joint between the chimney and the roof, and it is the most common source of a ceiling stain near the fireplace. Roofers and chimney companies both handle it. If your roof is due for replacement soon, coordinate the two jobs so you do not pay for flashing twice.
What are the signs a chimney needs repair?
White staining on the brick, mortar crumbs at the base, brick faces flaking off, rust streaks below the cap, and any damp smell or ceiling stain near the fireplace. Each one is water finding a way in.
Catch these early and you pay patch prices. Wait a few freeze-thaw winters and patch prices turn into rebuild prices. A partial rebuild of the chimney above the roofline costs $1,000 to $3,500, and a full teardown and rebuild can pass $10,000. We cover the warning signs in detail in a separate guide publishing this September.
Does homeowners insurance cover chimney repair?
Insurance covers sudden damage, not wear. A chimney cracked by a lightning strike, a fallen limb, or a chimney fire is usually a valid claim. Mortar that eroded over 30 years is maintenance, and every policy excludes it.
If a chimney fire caused the damage, get a Level 2 camera inspection and give the report to your adjuster. It is the document that separates fire damage from deferred maintenance.
Who repairs chimneys, a mason or a chimney sweep?
Both, and the right choice depends on the job. Masonry work like repointing and rebuilds is mason territory. Crowns, caps, flashing, and anything involving the flue itself is standard work for a CSIA-certified chimney company, and many employ their own masons.
Get two or three bids for anything over $1,000. Chimney repair pricing is loose, and we have seen the same crown job quoted at $400 by one company and $1,500 by another. The high bid is not automatically the honest one.
Can I repair a chimney myself?
Crown sealant and a new cap are realistic weekend jobs if you are comfortable on the roof. A tube of crown sealer costs about $50 and a decent stainless cap runs $60 to $200.
Repointing, brick replacement, and flashing are not weekend jobs. Bad DIY mortar traps water instead of shedding it, and bad flashing leaks into the roof deck where you cannot see it. The failure shows up two winters later at a higher price than the original repair.
How we checked these prices
The figures here come from the published 2026 chimney repair guides at Angi and HomeGuide, pulled July 10, 2026, and lined up against each other. Where they disagreed, we kept the wider range instead of pretending they agreed. We do not sell chimney repair, and we recheck these numbers in September before the heating season.
Related costs: a chimney sweep runs $150 to $375, and if the inspection turns up flue damage, a new chimney liner costs $1,500 to $5,000. Everything chimney lives in the Chimney and Venting hub.
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Chimney repair cost FAQ
How much does it cost to rebuild a chimney?
A partial rebuild from the roofline up costs $1,000 to $3,500 in 2026. A full teardown and rebuild of a large masonry chimney runs $4,000 to over $10,000, which is why catching mortar damage early matters.
What is the most common chimney repair?
Crown cracks and failed mortar joints. Both are freeze-thaw damage: water gets into a small crack, freezes, and opens it wider every winter until brick starts moving.
How long does chimney repair take?
Caps and crown sealing are done in a couple of hours. Repointing one face takes a day. A full repoint with scaffolding or a partial rebuild runs two to four days, weather permitting.
Is chimney repair worth it on an unused fireplace?
The masonry still needs to keep water out of your house even if you never light a fire, so crown, cap, and flashing repairs are still worth doing. If you are sure you will never use it, pricing a removal against a repair is fair, and we cover removal costs in a separate guide.
What happens if you ignore chimney repairs?
Water damage compounds. A $300 crown seal skipped this year becomes spalled brick and wet attic framing in a few winters, and repair pricing moves from hundreds to thousands. Chimneys rarely fail suddenly, they fail on a payment plan.