Novi, Oakland County
Chimney repair in Novi
Most Novi houses went up after 1970, so the chimneys here are younger than in the older suburbs. Forty-some winters is still enough to crack a crown and wash out the mortar in the top few courses.
What forty years does to a Novi chimney
Village Oaks, north of 9 Mile between Meadowbrook and Haggerty, has close to 600 houses built through the 1970s and 1980s, mostly colonials, ranches and bi-levels. Houses from those years are now in the age range where the original crown gives out. It starts as hairline cracks across the top. Snowmelt gets into them and freezes overnight, and by spring the cracks are open and the brick under the crown is taking water.
The next thing we see is mortar washing out of the joints near the top, and bricks that flake or turn white on the face. On a chimney that runs up an outside wall, that wear can go most of the way down one side.
Newer houses wear out at the cover
The Maples of Novi, south of 14 Mile and east of Novi Road, was built from 1990 to 1996. Houses from that stretch, and the ones built after, are more likely to have a factory-built fireplace inside a framed chase. On those, the metal chase cover on top is what fails. It rusts, sags in the middle and holds water around the flue pipe. When it's rusted through, we replace it with a stainless cover made to fit, and check the wood framing under it while the old one is off.
Starting prices
The written quote has the exact number for your chimney. These are where the common Novi repairs start:
- Crown repair from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch. Crown rebuild from $1,500 plus $1 per square inch.
- Tuckpointing $595 to $4,995, depending on how much of the chimney needs new mortar.
- Replacing 1 to 15 damaged bricks: $850 plus $75 a brick.
- Stainless chase cover, one hole, from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch.
- Rotted wood frame under a chase cover $895 to $2,349, only if we find it once the old cover is off.
How quoting works
We go up and look at the whole chimney, along with the spot that made you call. You get photos of what we found and a written quote. Nothing starts until you approve it. If you want us to look before you decide on anything, start with a chimney inspection for $49.
Questions
Our Novi house is from the early 1990s. Is it too new to need chimney repair?
Not at that age. A house built in 1991 has been through more than thirty winters. On a brick chimney that usually shows up at the crown first. On a framed chase it's the metal cover on top, which starts to rust and hold water around the flue. We look at whichever you have and show you photos before we quote anything.
Can you fix just the top of the chimney, or does the whole thing need rebuilding?
On most Novi chimneys the damage stays in the top few feet, so the repair stays there too. A new crown, the last few courses relaid, or tuckpointing near the top is the usual job. We only talk about rebuilding a section when the brick is loose or the chimney is leaning.
Chimney repair in Novi
Pick a day and a 3-hour arrival window online. If you'd rather talk it through, call (248) 266-9991.