Chimney repair in Taylor

Ranches first, colonials later

Taylor was still a township through most of its building boom. The city wasn't incorporated until 1968, and the population kept climbing after that, from about 70,000 in 1970 to a peak of about 77,500 in 1980. So the city has two layers of houses. Most are the post-war ranches with one brick chimney. Scattered among them are colonials and other houses from the 1960s and 1970s, often two stories, with a taller chimney to match.

What wears out

On a ranch from the 1950s, the crown is usually the first thing to go. It's a slab of mortar or concrete that was poured flat, and water sits on it. Hairline cracks open a little more every winter, and once water gets under the crown it starts working on the top courses of brick and the mortar between them. Some of these chimneys also have a bare flue with no cap, like the one in the photo, so rain falls straight down the tile. On any of them, check the flashing after a re-roof. Sometimes the old flashing gets bent back and sealed instead of replaced, and it starts leaking a few years later.

Starting prices

These are where the common repairs start. Your written quote has the exact price.

• Crown sealing from $249 to $875, for a crown that's cracked but still solid.
• Crown repair from $1,000 plus $1 per square inch.
• Single-flue cap $375. Cap repair and re-seating $195.
• Flashing repair or replacement from $595 to $3,495.

Most Taylor ranches have low, single-story roofs, so a ladder is usually enough. The two-story colonials are where a lift sometimes comes in. If yours needs a lift or scaffolding, that adds $1,249, and we tell you before we quote.

How quoting works

We look at the whole chimney first, including the flue, then show you photos and go through what a smaller repair would and wouldn't fix. The price comes in writing, and nothing starts until you approve it. If you'd like us to look at everything before you decide, a chimney inspection in Taylor is $49, and the $49 is credited toward the repair.