Our 1920s Leslieville semi had a chimney that hadn’t been touched in decades. A roofer noted “significant mortar joint deterioration” during a routine inspection. We finally got it done.
Assessment:
Hired a masonry contractor for an assessment. He found:
- Mortar joints recessed 1/2 to 3/4 inch throughout (code says replace at 3/8 inch recession)
- One face of the chimney had a structural crack running through 3 brick courses
- Chimney crown had a circumferential crack and was admitting water
- Cap was missing — original had been a metal cap, long gone
Scope and quotes:
- Quote A: $3,800 (tuckpointing exterior, crown repair, new stainless cap)
- Quote B: $3,200 (same scope)
- Quote C: $2,600 (tuckpointing only, recommended crown repair separately)
- Quote D: $4,200 (proposed partial rebuild from roofline — we felt this was overselling)
Structural crack note:
Showed the crack photo to a structural engineer (one-hour consultation, $280). He said the crack was from thermal movement — not settling — and could be tuckpointed after cutting out the affected courses and repointing. No structural rebuild needed. This saved us significant money vs the contractor who wanted to rebuild.
We went with Quote B at $3,200. Included:
- Full tuckpointing, 4-sided exterior
- Structural crack courses: cut out, repointed in Type S mortar
- Crown repair with elastomeric sealant + rebuild of the most deteriorated section
- New 8-inch stainless steel rain cap
Result:
First winter after repair: no water intrusion into the firebox (previously got a trickle during heavy rain). The crown sealant is holding well. Mortar is matched reasonably well in colour to the original.
Lesson: Don’t assume a masonry contractor’s recommendation to “rebuild” is correct. Get an independent assessment if anyone recommends a more extensive repair than tuckpointing.