Ann Arbor, Washtenaw County
Chimney repair in Ann Arbor
On Ann Arbor's oldest streets, most chimney repairs come down to soft brick and worn lime mortar near the top, plus whatever patches earlier owners put on to stop a leak.
Old brick near Kerrytown and Water Hill
The Old Fourth Ward, the historic district east of Kerrytown, was built up mostly in the 1800s and early 1900s. The block of Ann Street between Division and State has only 19th-century buildings on it. On the other side of downtown, Lower Water Hill, between Main and Brooks south of Summit, has houses on Miller Avenue that go back to the 1840s. Chimneys that old were laid with soft brick and lime mortar. The mortar was meant to wear away before the brick, and after this many winters it has.
What we find up there is usually age mixed with old patches. The photo shows a common one. Someone spread roofing tar over the crown and the top courses to stop a leak. Tar traps water in the brick, the faces pop off when it freezes, and the pieces end up on the roof.
Starting prices
These are where our prices start. Your written quote has the exact number for your chimney.
- Tuckpointing runs $595 to $4,995, depending on how much of the chimney needs new mortar.
- Replacing 1 to 15 damaged bricks is $850 plus $75 a brick.
- Crown repair starts at $1,000 plus $1 per square inch of crown. A full rebuild starts at $1,500 plus $1 per square inch.
- Flashing repair or replacement runs $595 to $3,495.
- Waterproofing sound masonry runs $795 to $2,725.
On a tall two-story house where a ladder isn't safe, a lift or scaffolding adds $1,249. We tell you up front if yours needs one.
Mortar that suits the brick
Soft 1800s brick and modern hard mortar don't get along. If the mortar ends up stronger than the brick, the brick cracks and flakes instead of the joint. We choose a mortar to suit the brick that's there and match the color of the old joints, so the repair doesn't stand out from the sidewalk. In a historic district like the Old Fourth Ward or Division Street, we check with the city on what the review needs and plan the job around it.
How we quote it
We look at the whole chimney along with the spot you noticed. You get photos of what we found and a written quote. If a smaller repair would hold for a few years, we tell you, along with what it won't fix. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you'd like us to look before you decide anything, a chimney inspection is $49.
Questions
Someone spread tar over the top of our Ann Arbor chimney. Can it be cleaned off?
Sometimes. If the brick under the tar is still sound, the tar can come off and the joints can be repointed. More often the tar has been holding water in the brick for years and the faces have broken off, so the top courses need new brick and a new crown. We can't tell which until we're on the roof. We send photos of what's under the tar before we quote.
Do I need a permit for chimney repair in Ann Arbor?
It depends on the job, and on whether the house is in one of the city's historic districts. We check with the city for your repair, say on the quote whether it needs a permit or a district review, and include any permit cost in the price.
Chimney repair near Ann Arbor
Chimney repair in Ann Arbor
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.