Chimney stack repairs in Ferndown

Postcodes: BH22
Population: about 18,000
Area: Dorset
Pricing region: South West

What is the ground like in Dorset?

Ferndown is in Dorset and takes in postcode districts BH22. About 18,000 people live there. We also take enquiries from nearby Wimborne Minster (4 miles), Bournemouth (6 miles) and Christchurch (7 miles).

Clay soils are found in parts of Dorset. Ground movement here is more often linked to soils, drains and trees than to mining. Typical buildings in Dorset: Stone and brick villages, Victorian villas in Bournemouth, and inter-war and post-war semis.

What should you budget for chimney stack repairs in Ferndown?

These are guide prices for Ferndown, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.

Guide prices inc VAT on South West rates. Items marked est. are our estimates.
Item	Guide price	Per
Repointing, flaunching and minor brick repairs	£515 – £2,050	per stack
Partial or full stack rebuild	£3,100 – £10,300	per stack
Stack restraint or strappingest.	£410 – £1,250	per stack

Repair options we may recommend

Partial or full rebuild

Where the lean is pronounced or the brickwork is badly decayed, the stack is taken down to sound masonry, often to roof level, and rebuilt plumb with new flashings and flaunching. Original bricks are cleaned and reused where possible to keep the appearance.

Best for: Badly leaning or decayed stacks

Stack restraint or strapping

A stack that has leaned slightly but is otherwise sound can be restrained with stainless straps or ties fixed back to the roof structure or the gable. This stops further movement without taking the stack down, and is often combined with repointing.

Best for: Slightly leaning stacks with sound brickwork

What to expect when we carry out chimney stack repairs

Look from the ground
Photos from the street and garden, ideally with a zoom, show us the lean, the pots, the flaunching and the state of the pointing. Damp patches inside are worth photographing too, as they help trace the route water is taking.
Check what is below
We ask whether any chimney breasts have been removed, and check the loft and rooms below for cracking. If a breast has gone without proper support, we recommend an independent chartered structural engineer before any stack work.
Repair, restrain or rebuild
The agreed work is carried out: repointing, new flaunching and pots, restraint, or taking the stack down and rebuilding it. Lead flashings where the stack meets the roof are checked and renewed if needed.

Is it time for chimney stack repairs? Common signs

Damp patches on the chimney breast inside, especially after rain
Mortar washed out of joints, leaving bricks standing proud
Bits of brick, mortar or render landing in the garden or gutter

Rules for chimney stack repairs in England

In England, underpinning and other work that alters or strengthens a wall or foundation is building work under the Building Regulations (Part A, structure), so building control approves and inspects it. Like-for-like repairs often are not, and we tell you which applies before a price is agreed. Work to a party wall, or excavation close to a neighbour’s foundations, can also need a notice under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Your chimney stack repairs questions

How much will chimney stack repairs cost in Ferndown?

Guide prices for chimney stack repairs in Ferndown start from about £515 per stack, including VAT, on South West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.

Do you cover Ferndown?

Yes. We take enquiries from across Ferndown, including BH22, and from nearby places such as Wimborne Minster and Bournemouth. Send photos for a free initial view and we will tell you what happens next.

Is the ground in Dorset prone to subsidence?

Dorset mixes chalk downs, Oxford and Kimmeridge Clays in the vales, and the sands and gravels of the Poole basin. Clay vales can shrink and swell, and parts of the coast are known for landslip. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.

Is a leaning chimney dangerous?

A leaning chimney can become dangerous, because stacks are heavy and stand high above the roof. A slight, long-standing lean may be stable for now, but a lean that is worsening, or loose bricks and pots, should be looked at quickly. Keep people away from below if anything looks loose.

What is chimney flaunching?

Flaunching is the sloped bed of mortar on top of a chimney stack that holds the pots in place and throws rainwater off. When it cracks, water gets into the stack and pots can work loose. Renewing it is one of the most common stack repairs.

Other structural repairs in Ferndown

Chimney stack repairs near Ferndown

The quote tool gives guide prices for stack repointing, restraint and rebuilds in Ferndown; send photos to narrow down which you need.