Chimney Take-Downs

Chimney Take-Downs in your area

Taking a chimney stack down is a common job on post-war housing in Mildenhall where fireplaces have been blocked up for decades and the chimney serves no purpose but to absorb water and eventually let it in through failing flashings or cracked flaunching. A redundant stack also loses heat through the masonry. Removing it to below roof level and properly patching the roof covering is often the most cost-effective long-term decision.

The work involves erecting scaffold around the stack and setting up a debris chute or catch system to bring the brickwork down safely without damaging the roof tiles or slates below. We take the stack down to just below the ceiling joist level, cap the flue with a concrete or lime mortar fillet, and then cut in new tiles or slates to match the existing roof covering as closely as possible. Where the original flashings leave a visible shadow line on the chimney breast brickwork inside, we can advise on how to address that. The internal chimney breast can be retained or removed separately — that is typically a builder's job rather than a roofer's.

Chimney take-down is not safe without proper scaffold. The stack sits above the roofline and bricks need to be lowered or shuttled down in a controlled way. We have seen plenty of roofs damaged by debris from poorly managed chimney removals — it is not a job to cut corners on.

We'll match replacement tiles or slates to your existing roof as closely as possible — on a clay plain tile roof common in this part of Suffolk, a good match is usually achievable. The roof patch is pointed and checked for weathertightness before we leave. Most chimney take-downs in Mildenhall take one to two days including scaffold.

Chimney stack removal to below roofline level in Mildenhall, including scaffold, debris removal, and roof patch, typically costs between £800 and £2,000 depending on stack size and height.