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Hi all
I’ve got a leaking chimney stack (damp patches in ceiling) and got a quote to have it fixed. We live in london but it still seems a little steep to me at £4000 (VAT on top will take it to nearly 5 big ones!). I’d assumed a couple of grand but am I out of touch with reality?
The text from the quote is below. Any views - however sarcastic - welcome!
“To erect a scaffold to the rear side elevation to give access up to the roof level. Remove the top of the rear chimney stack, apply 2 coats of water proof cement/brick sealer to the chimney, build a new waterproof cement rendered chimney top with two new vented chimney pots fitted. We will check the existing flat roof coverings, lead flashings and roof slates and notify client if any remedial works are necessary.”
We live in london
surprised its not double the £4k, however the
notify client if any remedial works are necessary
will open a blank bank transfer to them
any pics of the chimney that needs work done?
Hi bruneep - I don’t have a photo but could perhaps get one tomorrow
It looks like a fairly standard 4 pot chimney on a side return with two pots on our side and two on the neighbours. All the lead flashing and mortar looks sound but render could be a bit dodge and blown in places
That sounds to me like the builder knows the issue is with the flashing/slates and not the chimney so yes, prepare to get stung after the chimney work is completed. Once the scaffold is up you’re totally at his mercy. Get a cost for replacing/repairing the flashing before work is started.
Do you actually know the damp on the ceiling is from the chimney stack? Seems unlikely that the stack is the cause, more often the flashing at the base of the stack is the culprit.
Description a bit nonsense, waterproof cement? Brick sealer? All unnecessary I think! If they’re stripping ex render and redoing and reseating pots there’s no need for anything apart from the render & cement pointing which is the waterproof bit? Seems steep but don’t know how big the chimney is and london I guess? I would expect no more than £2kish in Scotland
Have you seen it from the roof? Agree with Paino id have alarm bells ringing about mission creep! If they know what they’re doing they should have figured out where the leaks are coming from or have a good idea!
Is it a general builder doing it or someone who specialises in chimneys?
We've just had a quote for similar work which was just over half your quote and that's in Oxfordshire. Some of the quotes we've had were up to £6k for the same work.
The waterproof cement/render thing along with the brick sealer makes me think it sounds like a bodge job!
If I was doing any work to a chimney one major cost will be a proper scaffold right around the the chimney non of this hire a tower scaffold , up 8m up maybe more and struggle to get to the roof side . Right away that could easily be £1500/£2000 out of the 4k
Thanks all
- it’s a general builder rather than chimney specialist
- the job will include a scaffold (not a tower) so reassuring to hear that it’s a good chunk of the price
- the builder hasn’t been up on the roof and I guess you’ll never know until you get up there but he got a fair look from the neighbours loft conversion
- I agree with all the waterproofing stuff - that’s cobblers in my opinion.
Take a look at Building Sheriff , normally pretty good for a ball park estimate
London trades are flat out and pricing accordingly. I needed 2 eicr s for rental property and don't know any electricians, so messaged a few local ones, they didn't want to know as too busy, fair enough at least they were honest.
So I asked my maintenance guy for an electrician, he did the 2 jobs within a week at a fair price.
So much building work on, every street has a few skips. Stamp duty on the next level of housing pays for an extension.
Bargain. I know of a company that charged more than half a million pounds to rebuild a 12 pot chimney stack from roof level up to +6ft.