Rebuilding a chimney with no experience

[Ed J]

Hi All, I’ve never done DIY before and our chimney stack is leaking. Some bricks in the stack are broken and it generally looks like a rebuild is in order. We have a wood burner running through one pot and Esse gas Aga type stove that runs through the other. To start off, could an amateur with no building experience rebuild a chimney? Where could I find a ‘how to guide’? Can anyone recommend any good (and easily understandable) books? We are basically broke at the moment and I can’t afford £1000s to have a builder do the job. Thanks in advance for any assistance.

[Theo]

How do you propose to get access? Where is the chimney and how are you getting at it? Detached, semi, terrace? One/two/three stories? Is the chimney stack accessible from the ground (eg end terrace), or is it in the middle of the roof? Or is the problem internal (maybe in the loft)?

Are the flues lined?

A big chunk of the cost is likely to be access (scaffolding, cherry picker?). Work out how you're going to do that first of all.

With scaffolding being on a daily rate, it may be cheaper to get a pro who can do it quickly, rather than learning as you go with the meter running.

Theo

[Tricky Dicky]

I think I would get some experience brick laying at ground level before trying to work on scaffolding 5/6 metres above.

Richard

[williamwright]

You don't need a builder, with all his overheads and rake-off. You need an experienced brickie paid by the hundred of bricks. Not day rate. Discuss access with him. He might be able to get a better deal than you on scaffolding. Likewise materials, but be prepared to buy access eqpt and materials direct if he doesn't want to get involved.

Don't try to do this yourself. A brickie will be ten times faster than you and he'll do a better job.

Bill

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

And at the moment in the windy season, a cherry picker is not a good idea. What about insurance? If you have done your best at maintain it then you might get at least some of the money back if its storm damage. If its a shared chimney, the chances are that your neighbour has the same issue and the cost shared is not too bad normally. Also when we had a leak it turned out to be lead flashing issues which did not cost so much. Avoid cowboys who put their foot through your roof to get extra work. Brian

[Another John]

You've had some first-class advice already I see!

(Speaking from experience) I'd like to reinforce the fundamental point: don't attempt this job yourself: you _will_ regret it, in several ways!

You need to ask around of your neighbours, friends etc, to see if you can identify a good jobbing builder _who has done chimneys before_.

If it needs doing, and if you don't have the cash, then try and get a loan. I'd say that rebuilding a chimney is just about the hardest, and most dangerous, job you could think of, in DIY.

Very best of luck: we all wish you welll!

John

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Yes indeed, which is why you need to first find out why its leaking and that there are no other things afoot that might need another tradesman.

Try to see other work they may have done. Avoiding saying he, as my late Girlfriend was an excellent bricklayer, its not a gender thing at all. Brian

[Jimmy Stewart ...]

get a yoof to do it...they are told they can do anything ....but can't

[The Natural Philosopher]

last time i hired some it was so much to erect and dismantle and peanuts to leave it standing there for weeks

[nightjar]

On 12/02/2021 16:38, Theo wrote: ...

Scaffolding costs are primarily in the erection and dismantling. When I last had some done, it was priced per month and the cost of keeping it up longer, had I needed it, would have been minimal. Indeed, the main problem seems to be in getting them to come to take it down if they don't have another job they need it on.

[Andrew]

There's more to building a class 1 chimney than just slapping bricks together. Also needs to be effectively lined, and the design considered. Since the original chimney was built, other properties could have been built nearby that affects it's performance.

eg

[Theo]

Is it feasible to line a chimney from the fireplace end, rather than having to go on the roof?

If the OP has a leaking chimney it sounds like they need lining sorted out, and the brickwork is secondary (unless it's falling down).

(lining would not be something I'd want to DIY, given the risk of poisonous gases if I got it wrong)

Theo

[alan_m]

Scaffolding for chimney isn't a hire by the day tower.

In my experience once scaffolding is erected the company often doesn't care too much, within reason, how long it's up and the original price will cover a month or two. The last time I phoned up to have some removed I was informed it may take 3 weeks!

To the OP: Even with bricklaying or DIY experience rebuilding a chimney is the last job many experienced DIY people would tackle.

[John Rumm]

Difficult to say without much more information. As others have said, as a first time bricklaying exercise, a chimney is probably not the place to start.

Having said that, if its just a few broken bricks, then (depending on where and why they are breken) replacing them is not that difficult to diy.

[Andrew]

Indeed. I would suggest he finds some forums dedicated to log burners and suchlike and ask advice there.

people have died from CO simply by keeping a smouldering disposable BBQ inside a closed tent or caravan awning before now.

[alan_m]

If building a chimney a cherry picker is the last thing you want. You need somewhere close by the top if the chimney to store a ton of bricks! The platform of a cherry picker is not that place.

30+ years I had my chimney, above roof level, rebuilt with new brick because the 70 year old chimney has a one inch crack. The discarded material filled a large skip. Two large chimney pots were removed - they were F***** heavy. They were replaced by ventilated caps.

The job was completed in a day by two skilled brickies and a labourer from scaffolding erected previously.

[Pancho]

Nah, all he needs do is watch a few old Fred Dibnah videos.

[alan_m]

Cheaper to leave it up than to dismantle to then have to take it to the yard for storage :)

[tony sayer]

I once did a single flue for a mate many years ago he had a decent scaffold in place and did the bit of labouring needed it was around three bricks a side square and around six feet or so, its upright and works OK and is still standing but I've done a bit of brickwork before NOT something I'd like to try as a beginner!

[Bert Coules]

For a similar job I got a quote from a local roofer - basically a general builder who specialises - who not only did superb work at a very reasonable rate but also supplied his own means of access in the form of various ladders and platforms.

Please don't try doing it yourself.