Question answered
How long does chimney repointing take?
The short answer
Repointing a single chimney stack is usually a short job measured in days rather than weeks, once the access is in place. The length depends on how tall and exposed the stack is, how much mortar has failed, whether bricks or flashings need work too, and whether the weather lets the new mortar set. Wet or very cold days can stop the work. A full rebuild takes longer than a repoint.
The pointing itself goes quicker than owners expect. How long you are on site depends on access, how sound the brick is and, above all, the weather on the working days.
What happens on the day, step by step
Once the access is up, the work follows a fixed order. The failed pointing is cut back to a sound depth, the open joints are cleared with a brush and dampened so the fresh mortar grips instead of drying out too quickly, and the new mix is pressed home and finished. Each face of the stack is done in turn.
The detail that takes time is the raking out. Hard mortar has to be cut back without chipping the brick, and on an old stack that is slow, careful work. The more joints have failed, the longer it takes. A stack with every course open takes longer than one with a few gaps on the windward side.
Where the survey finds more than loose pointing, the extra jobs add time. Renewing the flaunching, the angled mortar collar at the base of the pots, is one example. Re-fixing a lifted flashing is another. Replacing a spalled brick is another. We list those in the survey photographs, so you know before the work begins.
Scaffold and access come before the mortar
On a house with a chimney, the first visit is often the scaffold or tower going up, and the last is it coming down. Those visits fall on different days from the pointing, and they depend on the scaffold firm's diary as well as ours.
Scaffold that takes up the public footway needs a licence. In West Sussex that is a Highways Act section 169 licence from West Sussex County Council, which the scaffold firm requests, and the council wants 10 working days' notice. Inside Brighton and Hove the city council deals with it instead. That notice can be the longest part of the programme, so it is worth asking early.
A stack at the back or side of a bungalow with space around it can be quicker to reach than a tall terrace stack on a busy road. Our page on inspecting a chimney stack shows how we assess access on a first look.
Weather decides more than the workload
New mortar must set before rain or a hard frost gets to it. Rain washes the fine material out of an open joint and leaves a weak, sandy surface. Frost can freeze the water in the mortar before it hardens and break the bond. Strong wind dries the joints too fast and cracks the surface, while bright sun on a south face does the same.
A good roofer stops when conditions turn against the job. On the coast, that can mean waiting for a gale to pass before anyone is safe on the scaffold, as well as waiting for the mortar. Lime mortars cure slowly and need more care in the days afterwards than a cement mix does.
That is why spring to autumn is easier to plan around, although a dry spell in winter works too. We tell you which days are firm and which depend on the forecast, so nobody is surprised by a gap in the middle of the job.
Repointing, repair and rebuild take different time
Repointing is the shortest. Add flaunching, lead and brick replacement and the job stretches. A rebuild, where the upper courses are taken down and laid again, is a different order of work, because the stack is dismantled, the bricks are cleaned and relaid, and the mortar has to set before the pots and flaunching go back. Our chimney leaks page helps you work out which of those a stack is likely to need.
If water is already coming in, making the roof safe comes first. A temporary cover or a quick fix to the worst fault can buy time while the proper repair waits for the right weather or the scaffold.
Rendering is another variable. A coat of render needs coats and drying time between them, so it takes longer than repointing. Our page asking whether to render a stack covers the choice.
Keeping the repair working after we leave
Good pointing should be left alone to cure. Do not hose the stack or fix anything to it for the first period after the work. In the following weeks, watch the loft and the ceiling beside the chimney for damp, and look at the stack after the first strong storm.
A protective coating is sometimes suggested as a finishing step. Whether it helps depends on the product and the brick; our waterproofing page explains the limits of sealants and why breathable ones are the safer choice.
You are shown photographs from the survey first; a written quote with a single total comes next. Whichever roofer you ask, find out if the figure covers scaffolding and VAT. At the end of the job the roof area is cleared and the waste is carried off. If you want to understand your options before booking, the full list of chimney work is on our chimney repairs page.
Repair timing: two more questions
Can chimney repointing be done in winter?
It can, on dry days when the temperature stays above freezing while the mortar sets. A roofer will wait out rain and frost rather than risk weak joints. If the stack is leaking now, a temporary measure can hold things until conditions allow the permanent repair.
Will I need to be at home while the work is done?
Usually you do not need to be indoors all day, but someone should be reachable for access to the loft or garden. Most of the work happens outside on the scaffold. We agree the access with you when the quote is accepted.
Tell us about your roof
Describe what is happening and we will call you back to arrange a visit.
- Photographs of what we find
- A written quote with one total price
- Or call 01903 299063
10-year workmanship guarantee, in writing.