Bath · Somerset
Chimney stack repairs in Bath
Damp on a chimney breast in a Bath home often starts at the top of the stack, where cracked flaunching or failed pointing lets rain in. Fixing the stack and capping unused flues usually stops it at the source.
Guide price from£515per stack inc VAT
- Postcodes
- BA1, BA2
- Population
- about 100,000
- Area
- Somerset
- Pricing region
- South West
Why does the ground in Somerset matter for chimney stack repairs?
Bath (BA1, BA2) has around 100,000 residents and sits in Somerset. Neighbouring towns we cover: Keynsham (6 miles), Trowbridge (8 miles) and Kingswood (8 miles).
Parts of Somerset have clay that can shrink near trees in dry spells. Parts of Somerset lie on a former coalfield, so a coal mining search is worth checking if movement has no obvious cause. Housing stock in Somerset: Bath stone Georgian terraces, Victorian houses in Taunton and Weston-super-Mare, and post-war estates.
What to look for before calling about chimney stack repairs
- Bits of brick, mortar or render landing in the garden or gutter
- A stack visibly leaning when you look along the roof ridge
- Mortar washed out of joints, leaving bricks standing proud
Chimney stack repairs prices in Bath
These are guide prices for Bath, using South West rates and including VAT. Your written quote follows photos or a survey, and is fixed once the repair is specified.
| 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 |
How we usually approach 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
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 happens during chimney stack repairs, step by step?
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.
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.
Weatherproof and clear
Caps or cowls are fitted where agreed, the roof around the stack is checked for slipped tiles, and debris is cleared from gutters. You receive photos of the finished stack taken from the scaffold, since it is hard to see from the ground.
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.
Questions about chimney stack repairs in Bath
How much will chimney stack repairs cost in Bath?
Guide prices for chimney stack repairs in Bath 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 Bath?
We do. Bath and the surrounding area are covered, including nearby Keynsham and Trowbridge. A free initial assessment from your photos is the first step.
Is the ground in Somerset prone to subsidence?
Somerset mixes Lias clays, Mercia Mudstone, limestone hills and the peat and alluvium of the Levels around Bridgwater, which can settle. The former Somerset coalfield around Radstock and Midsomer Norton left recorded workings. Only an investigation can say why a particular building has moved.
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.
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.
Other structural repairs in Bath
- Crack stitching
- Bay window subsidence repairs
- Concrete repairs
- Resin injection ground stabilisation
- Roof structure repairs
Chimney stack repairs near Bath
Send zoomed photos of the chimney stack at your Bath home, from the street and the garden, for a free initial assessment.