Wigan · Greater Manchester
Chimney stack repairs in Wigan
Before repairing a stack at a Wigan property, we ask what lies beneath it. If a chimney breast has been removed inside, the support for the stack above needs checking by an engineer before any work on the roof.
Guide price from£480per stack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- WN1, WN3, WN5
- Population
- about 180,000
- Area
- Greater Manchester
- Pricing region
- North West
Is Greater Manchester prone to ground movement?
Wigan, Greater Manchester: about 180,000 residents across postcode districts WN1, WN3, WN5. Nearby places we cover include Hindley (2 miles), Ashton-in-Makerfield (4 miles) and Westhoughton (5 miles).
Clay soils are found in parts of Greater Manchester. Parts of Greater Manchester lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Typical buildings in Greater Manchester: Red-brick terraces, mill-town stone terraces, inter-war semis and post-war estates.
Methods for chimney stack repairs
Flaunching and pot resetting
Old cracked flaunching is broken out, pots are lifted and reset or replaced, and new flaunching is formed to a fall so water runs off. Unused flues can be capped with ventilated caps, which keeps rain out while letting the flue breathe.
Best for: Loose pots and cracked mortar at the top of the stack
Repointing and brick repairs
Eroded joints are raked out and repointed in a mortar suited to the brick, often a lime-based mix on older stacks. Spalled or cracked bricks are cut out and replaced with matched reclaimed or new bricks. On many stacks this, with new flaunching, is all that is needed.
Best for: Upright stacks with weathered joints and some damaged bricks
From first photo to finished repair
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.
Scaffold to the stack
Safe access is set up with a working platform around the stack. On terraces we may need to agree access over a neighbour’s roof, and a council licence is arranged where the scaffold stands on the pavement.
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.
Symptoms that point to chimney stack repairs
- Bits of brick, mortar or render landing in the garden or gutter
- Mortar washed out of joints, leaving bricks standing proud
- Chimney pots that are loose, tilted or cracked at the base
Guide prices for chimney stack repairs in Wigan
The ranges below reflect typical North West costs for chimney stack repairs, including VAT. Scaffold, access and making good can push a job to the top of the range.
| Item | Guide price | Per |
|---|---|---|
| Repointing, flaunching and minor brick repairs | £480 – £1,900 | per stack |
| Partial or full stack rebuild | £2,900 – £9,600 | per stack |
| Stack restraint or strappingest. | £385 – £1,150 | per stack |
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.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I budget for chimney stack repairs in Wigan?
Guide prices for chimney stack repairs in Wigan start from about £480 per stack, including VAT, on North West rates. Your fixed written price follows photos or a survey and depends on the extent of the work and access.
Can you survey a property in Wigan?
Yes, Wigan is covered, along with postcode districts WN1, WN3, WN5. We also cover nearby Hindley and Ashton-in-Makerfield.
Why do houses in Greater Manchester crack?
Greater Manchester is mostly glacial till over sandstone and mudstone, with the Lancashire coalfield beneath much of Wigan, Bolton, Salford and parts of the east. Historic mine workings, made ground and old mill sites are common. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
Do I need scaffolding for chimney repairs?
In almost all cases, yes. Safe work on a stack needs a stable platform at stack height, which usually means scaffold. Ladders and roof ladders do not give a safe place to repoint, lift pots or rebuild brickwork.
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.
Related work in Wigan
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Structural crack repairs
- Mining subsidence repairs
- Retaining wall repairs
- Bowing wall repairs
Chimney stack repairs near Wigan
If a stack in Wigan has shed bricks or a pot, photograph it from a safe place and send it over so we can advise on next steps.