How much does a chimney cost ?

Chimney is usually used for venting smoke from a fireplace, furnace, stove or boiler   to the outside area.  In most cases, chimneys are normally vertical in shape. They can be of various sizes and shapes.  They are often found on top of buildings, ships and steam locomotives. Many big companies do erect such structures for the purposes of getting smoke out of their workplaces. Houses using all kinds of furnaces and fireplaces also require chimneys. Oftentimes, some houses are building already with chimney while others may require special constructions to have the chimney in place. If you’re in need of construction a chimney over your house, you’ve got to know more about the materials involved as well as the cost estimates.

Basically, the kinds of chimney used at homes are engineered. They differ from the masonry structured chimney found on the rooftops of company houses. Let’s take a look at the cost of building and installing such an engineered chimney.

Cost estimates for 10 inch engineered chimney.

In the first place, the size of the chimney matters. The 10 inch engineered chimneys are usually the ideal for homes. The cost is around $150 to $225 per foot for shorter length chimney. Some longer ones may cost around $90 to $120 per foot.  It all depends on the size you want. There’s always the need to determine the actual size of chimney you want on time before getting a contractor involved.

Materials.

The basic materials required for  constructing the  chimney include  ceiling cover base support, storm collar, attic insulation shield,  starter section, boot flashing, round termination cap, pipes of  diverse lengths  and so on. In most cases, these materials are sold as one package. The cost is around $900 - $1,200 per package. You don’t purchase them anyhow. You have to locate them from reliable dealers known for distributing quality chimney product. You can search for them online.

Installation process and cost

.

Chimney installation is usually carried out by an expert contractor. The installation involves cutting a hole through the ceiling and the exterior roof. This usually requires great expertise.  A carpenter may be engaged for the purpose of creating the hole through the ceiling. Alternatively, the contractor can carry out the installation process alone. The general cost of installation is around $500 to $750 per chimney. It all depends on your negotiation with the contractor.

Additional costs.

The size of the pitch involved can lead to additional cost when installing the chimney.  If your house roof has a very steep or high pitch, the cost will escalate.  A special flashing piece may be required to complete the task. This will attract an additional cost of about $120 - $150.

If extra materials are also required for the construction process, the total cost will also be higher.

Re-pointing and rebuilding.

There may also be the need to re-point and rebuild an existing chimney. You don’t need to replace an existing chimney entirely if the house was erected with it. All you need is to have it re-pointed or replaced with a new engineered type.  Re-pointing is all about repairing the mortar and the loose bricks while rebuilding involves changing most of the chimney parts with better ones.  This requires   the expertise of a contractor. In most cases, the cost of rebuilding is around $225 to $300 per liner foot. On the other hand, the cost of re-pointing is around $37 to $60 per row.

Other tips to note.

Building a chimney requires great skills and expertise. You have to locate a reliable contractor that can handle such a task. There’s also the need to go for quality materials when constructing the project. It’s important you purchase every material needed in one pack so as to avoid getting fake products. The total amount you’ll spend in constructing the chimney depends a lot on the materials and the expertise of the contractor involved. You have to make proper inquiries before you engage anybody. There’s also the need to check out the local regulations governing the installation of chimneys in your city or metropolis before you erect the project. Many states and cities in the US have special laws and standards concerning this. You have to check them before engaging an expert contractor for the project.

To get a better idea of costs, here are some chimney estimates from professionals.

Request a quote