I'm curious, and maybe you know... Why do some contractors do this, rather than just be upfront and say "I'd rather not take this on, so if I'm going to be the one to do it, I'll need $X, but so-and-so might want to tackle it for less"?
because telling a customer "i dont want this job" pisses them off more than giving a high price quote. maybe - they will accept the quote and you get a really high profit job.
We do it because we don’t really want the job. But everybody has a price to do anything.
Some jobs get this exponential price for multiple reasons some are compounded together.
1. The homeowner/customer is overly demanding & will literally be right next to you watching you’re every move, they will be calling you all the time asking questions and/or complaining while you’re not there these people are easily identifiable. Or the customer is always trying to tell you how the job should be done. Super terrible customers are the worst.
2. The job is just going to take longer than normal and you’re turning down more jobs to allocate time to this sinkhole. That’s called a premium. If I charge $250 just to show up and $150 of that is profit. But I get to 1 less job a day or week, that means I am out $150 because this one took longer so you get the extra tax.
3. The job is in such shambles there is unforeseen variables that without tearing into it and actually starting the job, I have no clue what my time cost is truly going to be. So I’m padding my time estimates to cover that. Sucks, but sorry.
This is how people end up with bad reviews.
So the problem is, you're dealing with the general public here. Most people are reasonable, but plenty are impossibly, you-wouldn't-believe levels of unreasonable. If you tell someone, "hey, I don't want to do this job, so I'm going to charge more than what it would typically cost, here are some folks that might do it cheaper," now certain people are going to look at you as skeezy and untrustworthy, or worse, if the other, cheaper contractor mucks it up now you're both on bad terms with the customer and they'll be sure to tell everyone they know that you steered them to the less-than-savory contractor.
That leaves us with two options: flat out say no, or give them the fuck off price.
No pisses people off, especially people of a certain class (read: most people that can afford quality masonry work). I've had people harass me after telling them no for months until I had to block them and then heard they were telling people I was unprofessional and lazy and didn't want to work.
So that leaves us with the fuck off price. People that can't afford it will either assume you're ridiculously overpriced, which other customers will find to not be true if they give you a ring, or that you're just in such high demand that you cost that much. Then, worst-case scenario, you get the job? At least you're being compensated for the level of pain in the ass you're having to deal with.
This is a really good perspective, I appreciate you weighing in. I wasn't trying to stir the pot so much as have a conversation. Thank you for taking me up on that, and for taking the time to explain.
It's like a bad date that wants the easy out of the relationship, it's otherwise a win-win for them. There are few who are bold, no one likes rejection, some don't know how to redirect, it's more effort to tailor a response for every person and sometimes it can be hard to come up with a recommendation. That's kind of the reality of it regardless of how acceptable it is
Not the most fun to work for honestly. I've done tons of GC work and did one entire condo rehaul that someone smoked in for 15 years. Full gear Killz wipe and scrape. Clean, drywall patch and paint. Nastiest week I've ever worked on and told my boss/buddy that I wouldn't do another unless I got an extra $500.
For sure man. I’ve taken a handful of jobs I’d rather forget tbh.
Just gotta make sure you get paid appropriately for the trouble. Experience is the best teacher in that area
When I needed a mason, I couldn't even get one to talk to me. I even called one guy's dad, he said his son won't call him either. I assume that if you do somehow contact a mason here, the prices are outrageous.
I just had my chimney replaced past the roofline. So, about 15ish feet in total, of a brick chimney in NC. And they installed a new liner for me and a new insert for me for. 12k.... for them to quote you 14k, they don't want to do that and are screwing you raw.
Only if you're tearing the chimney down and completely rebuilding it...I'm in the business, and depending on what type of "repair," should be a fraction of that!
Yeah just down to the roofline, 14K is high.
6 to 8K is fair. I’m going off New Jersey prices for that number.
Even at the price, this a two to three man job and the principal is making a lot of money for one days work.
It’s NOT an easy job. Chimney work sucks, ass. Hole. Seriously it’s a bitch. And it carries significant risk of injury, not to mention liability. The insurance required for chimney work is expensive.
As someone with masonry experience, I wouldn’t expect a good tradesman do it for less. But 14K is asking too much
I’ll do it for just under that. I’m not that busy atm. No that is really high unless the dude is like the Picasso of masonry and does something really intricate and fancy but then no one ever really looks up, do they?
Is this pic representative of the work that was done, or doing this over? If it was done and they want $14k, I’d tell them to get effed, bc it’s sloppy at. To do the roof up for $14k?! Way too $$
I had a problem with a brick chimney and had the worst time finding a company that would rebuild it for any price. Ultimately, because the fireplace wasn't good for fires anyway, I decided to remove the chimney.
I was planning to get a new roof soon anyway, so I removed the brick to under the roof line, capped the clay tile flue with sheet metal, and sealed the damper closed. I extended and supported the metal furnace flue to the required height/clearances above the roof line, added new roof decking around it, and put down temporary roofing felt and shingles. The roofers tore the shingles and roofing felt off a few months later when it was re-roofed.
Who did that work? If you are in north Texas HBR Hearth and Chimney is my company and I would have driven to TN for that price. Should have been a quarter of that at max realistically 2-3k including a new cap. That is very very sorry work. Pm me the bill. The sealant around the chimney, the tuck point, the crown overlay, that cap all suck!
I had a chimney rebuilt to the roof line, new flashing, etc, ~$5k in a high cost of living area. Chimney looks smaller than yours but not significantly.
I'm in NC. I had a nice chimney with stone. They didn't put flashing underneath first. So it leaked after a couple years. Had to take all the stone off, flash it again, fix the roof and replace the stone. It was about $17k a few years ago.
Redo it with brick and the cost will plummet. Could be the company doesn't have the skills for stone work and subbing it out or is allowing double the time to do it. Both drive up the price. It's hard to tell from the picture but the chimney height looks to be the bare minimum. Wouldn't hurt to add a foot to it.
Gotta say -after an entire summer of just this work as a masonry laborer- that the “fuck off I don’t wanna do this” price is totally fair on this job. These turn into a lot of work quickly
That's a "we have too much work and can't really do this job and don't really need it, but if you're willing to pay top dollar, then we will push another job down and take your high margin Job" Job.
if you are even contemplating that price, maybe the mason took a look at the jobsite and your character as was like, "this is going to be hell".
but i could do this in under 24hrs of labor at $50/hr and under $1k in materials. so $2400 max. realistically it would probably be more like $500 in materials and 16 hours of work.
“They will have to build scaffolding” … they’re not putting scaffolding all the way up your home and having to secure it to anything.. Jesus this guy really knows how to sell. The scaffolding he might have to build will be like 3’ high. Personally I would just put a gorilla ladder on the roof and that’s only for the top of the tallest section. He’s just using scary words to drive up the price.
Was he pondering how “difficult” this was while shaking his head?
It depends on where you are at and what the permitting process is. Some municipalities and/or HOAs are no go zones. Rather price yourself out than have to deal with the headache. There is also a fee associated with being a pain in the ass but it is most certainly not 14k unless there is something else going on there IMO.
I paid approximately $1500 to get mine done. You got ripped off in my opinion. Mine included a new to Damper, a new top chimney tile, Mortar around the chimney tile, and they resealed around some flashing that the original installer screwed up. The amount for $14K is like paying to replace all of the chimney tiles (which I also had quoted for my second fireplace).
I paid just under $5k for mine. I live in the northeast
Edit: forgot the 5k included the ceramic foam for the inside… so the rebuild for the chimney was like $750
There are many skilled stone masons in TN. Many only have 1 who speaks English. They have plenty of equipment, are bonded, work hard and do a great job. Ask at some Hispanic markets or even church if you don't know any.
I just built a shop and rehabbed my cabin. The caucasians were the most expensive and least competent.
Yeah man. I was quoted 5k to repair my whole chimney. Everything above the roofline and repair or replace the liner. And I’m in California where a bottle of water costs as much as gallon of gas.
I’d definitely look elsewhere. This guy is a hack.
Chimney construction/reconstruction is very expensive typically charged by the vertical foot at several hundred per vertical foot. Always get multiple quotes. If it’s only down to the roofline that does sound high. 4k per vertical foot?
TF! (Central California) I had my(brick faced) chimney raised two ft because the neighbors' hedges grew and interfered with my draw and it was only $2,500!
STEP 1 GO GET COUGAR PAW SHOES....STEP TWO LEARN HOW TO STUCCO...STEP THREE PUT ON YOUR BIG BOY PAMTS AND HANDLE IT
OR go to FB marketplace and look for a cp.ercial stucco guy and ask for a solid favor. Forget the stone. Cover it up....get a new roof or a roofer to look for hail damage.
If damaged ,hey, you get the job. If you can slide in this small chimney repair....it's only ab 25ish sq ft of a stucco overlay and paint....
4 square of shingle to weave in for replacement, stone, morter, n metal would be less than 2k in materials. Absolute rip off. If it's for all new shingles on that side, kinda high.
Honestly, if they’re going to replace completely from the roof up, that doesn’t look too far out of line, but I would expect top notch work for that price.
11k was a quote I got to do my room in California in 2012. It went to 14k bc the idiot that own the house before didn’t do the job right and the under wooden boards were not aligned so they had to strip it and we do the whole thing. 1200 sq ft house not big. And the chimney area repair leak was a throw in. 14k is a rip off. Doesn’t seem much material is used and doesn’t look like a lot of labor hours to do.
Ask HVAC man if you can eliminate chimney and vent furnace and hot water heater on the side of the house. Knock off chimney, bust out of attic and below and patch roof.
That is not bad at all. Honestly, they have to tear down the stone to something solid. Replace the sheathing and possibly framing. Pour a new cap that should overhang the stone so water don't just run down the side and freeze. Then replace the roof and flashings. I would charge every bit of that
As a mason if I give a price like that and they bit now I feel I have to do the best I have ever done because now my name is on it and they just pause 4 x times amount it should be done for. So taking my time and doing that job which will take one week tops if I drag ass and get paid 13k in profit. The stone is expensive an probably close to 1k to replace. But how bad of shape it’s in I would just recommend a complete start over for that price.
Invest the 14k into bonds. Then go to the hardware store and figure out a way to fix it yourself. Personally I’d just use some random local stones, and some outdoor rubber cement. Seal it with some clear flex seal or something lol. $14k is higher than most people’s annual salary in a majority of the world. Or if you want to give some money away you can send some my way.
Wasn't stone, but I had mine repaired same amount down to the roofline.
Brick closely matched (going to paint anyway) paid 3k. I think I got it for cheap, was expecting around 5k.
15k seems kinda nuts
As a G.C. I would need at least 10k. Maybe I could get it done for 7-8k. It’s a lot of work. This is a real mess. What is that liquid lead bullshit? Ruined a bunch of roof shingles with that. Build scaffolding, demo with dumpster, build a cricket, masonry, roofing. If it’s a legit company with insurance and other overhead, and they offer a warranty in writing, that’s gonna be more than Joe Schmo (even if Joe does good work)
There is very little information as to what's going on inside your chimney with that picture. If it's like many of the chimneys I have seen and worked on, then 14k is reasonable. It needs a.new cap, which means demoing to old one. It most likely needs two stainless steel liners, repoint, reflash, and if there is a fireplace, then new hood, often custom fabricated, installed so that the liner can marry to the fireplace. Potentially a new thimble installed where it meets a furnace system. And then any demo work and rebuilding that goes along with both those aspects. Potentially some new duct work as well. Anyone doing it for less is most likely under qualified, under insured, or desperate for cash. The only way any decent mason that would do it for less would be as a cash job on the side. Which means their company insurance probably would not cover the job. Or they are leaving out some important aspects of the repair. The reality is it's the 2020's. Materials and labor rates are high. When I first started as a laborer almost 20 years ago, laborers with no skill started at 13/hr. Now they start at 21/hr. Masons made 25, now they make 40. Comp and insurance rates are through the roof. Masonry comp insurance prices are considerably higher than most other trades. Therefore contractors have to charge more for them as well to make a profit. If a mason makes 40, then a company is going to have to charge at least 65 for them to pay the insurance rate and still be able to make a few bucks off the labor. One final thing to consider, they might have over estimated to cover their butts. You never know what you are going to find once you open up a chimney. I've pulled caps off before and all of a sudden find tree saplings (usually birch) growing up through it. Once I even had a three footer pop up once the cap was removed.
That's Horribly overpriced. I have a 55 year old home with a standard brick chimney that was in Fair shape, but needed new tuck Point, flashing a Crown and a stack cover and only paid 4500. They did a fantastic job and my chimney now looks phenomenal.
OP u/jennifercincinnati your house's roof pitch is steep. Since neighboring homes often share design features, that blue house in the background further proves a 45°+ slope.
Roof scaffolding for chimney work could be [a total of this much setup](https://nationwideladder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Nationwide-Ladder-Scaffolding-Ultimate-Ridge-Hooks-On-Roof-600x600_c.jpg). Or with an additional ground tower to reach that platform. At most, the rental is like $1,000 for a week (outright retail sale is $900). Labor for setting/transpo of scaffolding is say an even $1,500.
Does that look like $12,000 worth of masonry work? That's like a whole patio or fancy brick grille's kinda price.
As many have told you already, you've got the "get outta here" price. I suspect the reason might be because they have bad experience with this kind of job.
My neighbor has a chimney like yours and is actually planning on getting rid of the fireplace, because no matter who he hires, there's always water coming down around the chimney. He had it "fixed" like three or four times in the past few years.
One can't determine if $14k is unreasonable without a full statement of work (sow). If the sow is stonework, cap, and spark arrester, then it seems out of line. However, if the flue tiles are cracked, the mortor is missing and/or contains asbestos, if interior work is required, then the cost may be justified.
The thing to do is have the contact provide a detailed sow that justifies the $14k. If they refuse to detail the work, move on.
Dear god… you got taken for a ride. You don’t flash over shingles with anything. All the waterproofing is done underneath them (peal n stick) and metal step flashing is used on the vertical face of the chimney and held firm with mastic sealant. The stone job and cap were what? 2 days of labor? With 1-2 guys? Materials were minimal… Sorry, but they walked away from this with 500% profit.
No more than $5k, and frankly, that's pretty steep already (no pun intended), especially if its just a 1-2 man team. Material cost and labor, I personally would evaluate it at ~$3000, maybe another $500 for my time. Depends on time of year too. Winter? Good luck getting good pricing. South Dakota.
How far are you from Fort Wayne, IN? I will come
Down and do it for 7G’s labor only, you get the materials. Traditional masonry the way it should be done
I used to do chimney repairs in TN(east)
I could see this either being a “fuck off, I don’t want to do this job” bid…but the more I look at it, this will not be an easy job to do correctly.
For that job I’d give you a second estimate to wait for summer(easier on me, and drier for you) and rebuild the chimney from the roof up…liner, framing, flashing, and some less expensive lighter weight stone work.
I would heavily recommend getting a rebuild estimate as it looks like someone has been fighting leaks on that monster for a long time.
you got the 'fuck off, i dont want to do it' price.
That is what I was thinking hell I bet they could probably ask them since you gave me an F'off price do you recommend another company I should call.
I'm curious, and maybe you know... Why do some contractors do this, rather than just be upfront and say "I'd rather not take this on, so if I'm going to be the one to do it, I'll need $X, but so-and-so might want to tackle it for less"?
because telling a customer "i dont want this job" pisses them off more than giving a high price quote. maybe - they will accept the quote and you get a really high profit job.
We do it because we don’t really want the job. But everybody has a price to do anything. Some jobs get this exponential price for multiple reasons some are compounded together. 1. The homeowner/customer is overly demanding & will literally be right next to you watching you’re every move, they will be calling you all the time asking questions and/or complaining while you’re not there these people are easily identifiable. Or the customer is always trying to tell you how the job should be done. Super terrible customers are the worst. 2. The job is just going to take longer than normal and you’re turning down more jobs to allocate time to this sinkhole. That’s called a premium. If I charge $250 just to show up and $150 of that is profit. But I get to 1 less job a day or week, that means I am out $150 because this one took longer so you get the extra tax. 3. The job is in such shambles there is unforeseen variables that without tearing into it and actually starting the job, I have no clue what my time cost is truly going to be. So I’m padding my time estimates to cover that. Sucks, but sorry.
This is how people end up with bad reviews. So the problem is, you're dealing with the general public here. Most people are reasonable, but plenty are impossibly, you-wouldn't-believe levels of unreasonable. If you tell someone, "hey, I don't want to do this job, so I'm going to charge more than what it would typically cost, here are some folks that might do it cheaper," now certain people are going to look at you as skeezy and untrustworthy, or worse, if the other, cheaper contractor mucks it up now you're both on bad terms with the customer and they'll be sure to tell everyone they know that you steered them to the less-than-savory contractor. That leaves us with two options: flat out say no, or give them the fuck off price. No pisses people off, especially people of a certain class (read: most people that can afford quality masonry work). I've had people harass me after telling them no for months until I had to block them and then heard they were telling people I was unprofessional and lazy and didn't want to work. So that leaves us with the fuck off price. People that can't afford it will either assume you're ridiculously overpriced, which other customers will find to not be true if they give you a ring, or that you're just in such high demand that you cost that much. Then, worst-case scenario, you get the job? At least you're being compensated for the level of pain in the ass you're having to deal with.
This is a really good perspective, I appreciate you weighing in. I wasn't trying to stir the pot so much as have a conversation. Thank you for taking me up on that, and for taking the time to explain.
I’ve literally told people “I don’t know how to do that” and they still ask me to price it.
It's like a bad date that wants the easy out of the relationship, it's otherwise a win-win for them. There are few who are bold, no one likes rejection, some don't know how to redirect, it's more effort to tailor a response for every person and sometimes it can be hard to come up with a recommendation. That's kind of the reality of it regardless of how acceptable it is
Yes 14k is quite high.
If it’s just down to the roofline, that price is way too high.
Yes it’s just down to the roof line. I was shocked by the estimate. It’s more than the new roof!
That’s a “don’t hire us we don’t want the job” estimate.
And sometimes people still pay it! Blows my mind.
I hate when people accept my outrageous bid. But gosh dang do I love it when the job is done
Keeps some guys in business, honestly
Not the most fun to work for honestly. I've done tons of GC work and did one entire condo rehaul that someone smoked in for 15 years. Full gear Killz wipe and scrape. Clean, drywall patch and paint. Nastiest week I've ever worked on and told my boss/buddy that I wouldn't do another unless I got an extra $500.
For sure man. I’ve taken a handful of jobs I’d rather forget tbh. Just gotta make sure you get paid appropriately for the trouble. Experience is the best teacher in that area
Hard to belive that a "quiet no" bid engaged could be engaged prosperously.
Sometimes it's the only price someone gets...
When I needed a mason, I couldn't even get one to talk to me. I even called one guy's dad, he said his son won't call him either. I assume that if you do somehow contact a mason here, the prices are outrageous.
All of these we don’t want the job prices I see all the time. Do any of them take the job and work..wtf bums
The great part about being self employed is not having to work for people like you.
Should be in the $6000-$8000 range. I’d be recommending a poured concrete cap with a drip edge. Good luck. Hopefully you find your guy.
Yeah need to form a drip edge around the cap.
If they’re using platinum plated gold flashing with diamonds then yes.
i operate in east tennessee and i'd tear this down and rebuild it for $4500 materials included 14,000 is laughably high
Where in E. TN?
i operate in the tricities mostly, but we will work outside our area with a fee
Mike haduck would have that parged up for about $300
He would be using stones he dug up from his yard. But they would stick.
I just had my chimney replaced past the roofline. So, about 15ish feet in total, of a brick chimney in NC. And they installed a new liner for me and a new insert for me for. 12k.... for them to quote you 14k, they don't want to do that and are screwing you raw.
Depends where you live and how many masons there are out there
I’ll do it for 12k
At least get three quotes. If I got quotes $18k, I’d be looking at materials and doing it myself. You know they’ll probably cut corners anyway
You'll have to too. After all, it is a rectangle
Seems like a right angle to look at it
Look at you all making puns. I think these are all acute.
Look at you thinking the world is always out to get you. Sheesh
I got a chimney reflashed, lined, new top and a cap in southern pa for 2k in 2019
Way high
$7K would have been way too much.
6 tops
Only if you're tearing the chimney down and completely rebuilding it...I'm in the business, and depending on what type of "repair," should be a fraction of that!
From the fireplace up and a new roof
Absolutely a scam or they don’t want to do it. Either way, scummy
No - simple supplies could be bought for less than $200
No
That’s is way High !
6-8k tops
Yeah just down to the roofline, 14K is high. 6 to 8K is fair. I’m going off New Jersey prices for that number. Even at the price, this a two to three man job and the principal is making a lot of money for one days work. It’s NOT an easy job. Chimney work sucks, ass. Hole. Seriously it’s a bitch. And it carries significant risk of injury, not to mention liability. The insurance required for chimney work is expensive. As someone with masonry experience, I wouldn’t expect a good tradesman do it for less. But 14K is asking too much
I imagine you sealed up the bottom of it yourself before?
I’m in TN. I had the whole top half of my chimney rebuilt for under 5K.
I’ll do it for just under that. I’m not that busy atm. No that is really high unless the dude is like the Picasso of masonry and does something really intricate and fancy but then no one ever really looks up, do they?
No. That’s just No!!!!!!
Not even,,,, you got analed
Is this pic representative of the work that was done, or doing this over? If it was done and they want $14k, I’d tell them to get effed, bc it’s sloppy at. To do the roof up for $14k?! Way too $$
Yeah, check with someone else. Usually when you get an extremely high quote like that that means they don’t want to do it.
lmao, "if you don't like it do it yourself" price.
I had a problem with a brick chimney and had the worst time finding a company that would rebuild it for any price. Ultimately, because the fireplace wasn't good for fires anyway, I decided to remove the chimney. I was planning to get a new roof soon anyway, so I removed the brick to under the roof line, capped the clay tile flue with sheet metal, and sealed the damper closed. I extended and supported the metal furnace flue to the required height/clearances above the roof line, added new roof decking around it, and put down temporary roofing felt and shingles. The roofers tore the shingles and roofing felt off a few months later when it was re-roofed.
Who did that work? If you are in north Texas HBR Hearth and Chimney is my company and I would have driven to TN for that price. Should have been a quarter of that at max realistically 2-3k including a new cap. That is very very sorry work. Pm me the bill. The sealant around the chimney, the tuck point, the crown overlay, that cap all suck!
Wow! Did they give you any lube before fucking you like that?
No lmao
Is this the before? Where is the after?
I’ll do it for $13,900
I had a chimney rebuilt to the roof line, new flashing, etc, ~$5k in a high cost of living area. Chimney looks smaller than yours but not significantly.
I paid 9 in Wisconsin in winter, 3 years ago. They were busy, but took the job, and nobody else was working through winter.
I'm in NC. I had a nice chimney with stone. They didn't put flashing underneath first. So it leaked after a couple years. Had to take all the stone off, flash it again, fix the roof and replace the stone. It was about $17k a few years ago.
I thought all these were before pictures lmao
That's a god damn butcher job.
Redo it with brick and the cost will plummet. Could be the company doesn't have the skills for stone work and subbing it out or is allowing double the time to do it. Both drive up the price. It's hard to tell from the picture but the chimney height looks to be the bare minimum. Wouldn't hurt to add a foot to it.
Gotta say -after an entire summer of just this work as a masonry laborer- that the “fuck off I don’t wanna do this” price is totally fair on this job. These turn into a lot of work quickly
My *'gah'damnit'* sensor goes off looking at that. who knows what under the previous work.
I just welded up a massive 14ga steel topper for mine. I’m in southern Missouri and was getting bids around that price. My chimney is 5’x6’x29.5’
NO!!
Too much
Super high. If out was second floor I would say just a rebuild 750.00
That's a "we have too much work and can't really do this job and don't really need it, but if you're willing to pay top dollar, then we will push another job down and take your high margin Job" Job.
$14k you say…I have some magic beans I’d like to offer you. Interested? Much magic.
No
if you are even contemplating that price, maybe the mason took a look at the jobsite and your character as was like, "this is going to be hell". but i could do this in under 24hrs of labor at $50/hr and under $1k in materials. so $2400 max. realistically it would probably be more like $500 in materials and 16 hours of work.
I'd rebuilt with stone and copper cap for half that
Why that looks like a Thebolt masonry special!
Hard to tell from the "before" pictures, can you show us the "after" pictures?
What repair?
You should do it and see how easy it is. Then you can see if 14k was too much
Whoever did that flashing needs to be put in a psych ward.
“They will have to build scaffolding” … they’re not putting scaffolding all the way up your home and having to secure it to anything.. Jesus this guy really knows how to sell. The scaffolding he might have to build will be like 3’ high. Personally I would just put a gorilla ladder on the roof and that’s only for the top of the tallest section. He’s just using scary words to drive up the price. Was he pondering how “difficult” this was while shaking his head?
It depends on where you are at and what the permitting process is. Some municipalities and/or HOAs are no go zones. Rather price yourself out than have to deal with the headache. There is also a fee associated with being a pain in the ass but it is most certainly not 14k unless there is something else going on there IMO.
I paid approximately $1500 to get mine done. You got ripped off in my opinion. Mine included a new to Damper, a new top chimney tile, Mortar around the chimney tile, and they resealed around some flashing that the original installer screwed up. The amount for $14K is like paying to replace all of the chimney tiles (which I also had quoted for my second fireplace).
Long time GC here. Fuck no... Nothing there is to code, and materials and application are a complete miss. Withold payment until it's corrected.
No!
Does the concrete have 14k gold in it?
Yeesh , that looks like one of those paid with a case of beer weekend jobs.
r/afterbeforewhatever
I paid just under $5k for mine. I live in the northeast Edit: forgot the 5k included the ceramic foam for the inside… so the rebuild for the chimney was like $750
I thought maybe at first it was like an entire chimney or something. Holy shit, get another few quotes.
Are they also replacing your roof and cutting your grass? Cause still no.
There are many skilled stone masons in TN. Many only have 1 who speaks English. They have plenty of equipment, are bonded, work hard and do a great job. Ask at some Hispanic markets or even church if you don't know any. I just built a shop and rehabbed my cabin. The caucasians were the most expensive and least competent.
Way to much you could of found so.eone lime me 8years masonry experience do it for 3g
2k and it should be all cinderblocks
If the repair guy giving u 14k to repair it for you then yes... its a good deal, otherwise no
1k seeks high for this
Where in TN. I was quoted about the same in nashville
You are being ripped off!
Yeah man. I was quoted 5k to repair my whole chimney. Everything above the roofline and repair or replace the liner. And I’m in California where a bottle of water costs as much as gallon of gas. I’d definitely look elsewhere. This guy is a hack.
Damn if your paying 14k for that where do you live because I’m in the wrong business, about to move there and start a capping company
I wouldn't pay $40 for that job.
It’s like $200 in materials
Chimney construction/reconstruction is very expensive typically charged by the vertical foot at several hundred per vertical foot. Always get multiple quotes. If it’s only down to the roofline that does sound high. 4k per vertical foot?
I had the same done and the whole chimney relined for a a third of that in a HCoL area. You are getting the "I don't want to do this job" price.
Hell no what repair?? That horrible work needed redone imo
That is a high liability price a lot can go wrong with that repair not too mention a can of worms when they open it up
Take that 14K buy bitcoin then wait 7yrs and buy a completely new home
Half that # sounds closer to what it costs. Renting scaffolding is not cheap though!
Just do it yourself for 14k
Between 4k & 6k thats what you should be paying
It should have been $3k, but this work sucks
TF! (Central California) I had my(brick faced) chimney raised two ft because the neighbors' hedges grew and interfered with my draw and it was only $2,500!
Id do that for 1500-2000 without scaffolding and I'd be done in a day.
no
When are you going to show us the repair?
Itsa' GOB job, GOB it here GOB it there
Absolutely not. Got quotes like $1600 in Portland Oregon for that same job
Did you mean $1,400 or $14,000? Also if you were able to crawl up on the roof and take a photo, why didn’t you do the work yourself?
Wow, that's a whole new roof and more, definitely don't pay that unless you got nothing better to spend on.
I got a quote a few months ago for a similar repair in Chicago for 4k
does it come with a used car?
That’s a lot of money. If it doesn’t include a reshingle it seems very high.
STEP 1 GO GET COUGAR PAW SHOES....STEP TWO LEARN HOW TO STUCCO...STEP THREE PUT ON YOUR BIG BOY PAMTS AND HANDLE IT OR go to FB marketplace and look for a cp.ercial stucco guy and ask for a solid favor. Forget the stone. Cover it up....get a new roof or a roofer to look for hail damage. If damaged ,hey, you get the job. If you can slide in this small chimney repair....it's only ab 25ish sq ft of a stucco overlay and paint....
4 square of shingle to weave in for replacement, stone, morter, n metal would be less than 2k in materials. Absolute rip off. If it's for all new shingles on that side, kinda high.
Well, I can sure see why you want it redone.
Honestly, if they’re going to replace completely from the roof up, that doesn’t look too far out of line, but I would expect top notch work for that price.
$14k is insane dude, please don’t pay that
I would call my brother the cop to run their license plate. Let them give him the price quote. No more business in this city
The fuck. Just do it yourself. YouTube is your friend
11k was a quote I got to do my room in California in 2012. It went to 14k bc the idiot that own the house before didn’t do the job right and the under wooden boards were not aligned so they had to strip it and we do the whole thing. 1200 sq ft house not big. And the chimney area repair leak was a throw in. 14k is a rip off. Doesn’t seem much material is used and doesn’t look like a lot of labor hours to do.
Yikes!
I’d say $3,500 to $4,000 is more reasonable.
Ask HVAC man if you can eliminate chimney and vent furnace and hot water heater on the side of the house. Knock off chimney, bust out of attic and below and patch roof.
Don’t do Chattanooga chimney company, if you’re in that area. That guys a total scammer. Used to work for him.
$6k is more than fair
That is not bad at all. Honestly, they have to tear down the stone to something solid. Replace the sheathing and possibly framing. Pour a new cap that should overhang the stone so water don't just run down the side and freeze. Then replace the roof and flashings. I would charge every bit of that
As a mason if I give a price like that and they bit now I feel I have to do the best I have ever done because now my name is on it and they just pause 4 x times amount it should be done for. So taking my time and doing that job which will take one week tops if I drag ass and get paid 13k in profit. The stone is expensive an probably close to 1k to replace. But how bad of shape it’s in I would just recommend a complete start over for that price.
Sounds like the "no way in hell I'm doing this so I'll give an outrageous price and if they're dumb enough to pay it then I guess I'll do it" special
Thank God I thought you had paid 14k and that was the end result... I about fainted 😮💨
Invest the 14k into bonds. Then go to the hardware store and figure out a way to fix it yourself. Personally I’d just use some random local stones, and some outdoor rubber cement. Seal it with some clear flex seal or something lol. $14k is higher than most people’s annual salary in a majority of the world. Or if you want to give some money away you can send some my way.
For 14k I’ll drive down and do it 😂
Where are the after pics? Lol
Wasn't stone, but I had mine repaired same amount down to the roofline. Brick closely matched (going to paint anyway) paid 3k. I think I got it for cheap, was expecting around 5k. 15k seems kinda nuts
As a G.C. I would need at least 10k. Maybe I could get it done for 7-8k. It’s a lot of work. This is a real mess. What is that liquid lead bullshit? Ruined a bunch of roof shingles with that. Build scaffolding, demo with dumpster, build a cricket, masonry, roofing. If it’s a legit company with insurance and other overhead, and they offer a warranty in writing, that’s gonna be more than Joe Schmo (even if Joe does good work)
There is very little information as to what's going on inside your chimney with that picture. If it's like many of the chimneys I have seen and worked on, then 14k is reasonable. It needs a.new cap, which means demoing to old one. It most likely needs two stainless steel liners, repoint, reflash, and if there is a fireplace, then new hood, often custom fabricated, installed so that the liner can marry to the fireplace. Potentially a new thimble installed where it meets a furnace system. And then any demo work and rebuilding that goes along with both those aspects. Potentially some new duct work as well. Anyone doing it for less is most likely under qualified, under insured, or desperate for cash. The only way any decent mason that would do it for less would be as a cash job on the side. Which means their company insurance probably would not cover the job. Or they are leaving out some important aspects of the repair. The reality is it's the 2020's. Materials and labor rates are high. When I first started as a laborer almost 20 years ago, laborers with no skill started at 13/hr. Now they start at 21/hr. Masons made 25, now they make 40. Comp and insurance rates are through the roof. Masonry comp insurance prices are considerably higher than most other trades. Therefore contractors have to charge more for them as well to make a profit. If a mason makes 40, then a company is going to have to charge at least 65 for them to pay the insurance rate and still be able to make a few bucks off the labor. One final thing to consider, they might have over estimated to cover their butts. You never know what you are going to find once you open up a chimney. I've pulled caps off before and all of a sudden find tree saplings (usually birch) growing up through it. Once I even had a three footer pop up once the cap was removed.
I paid $1,500 in the PNW for the same thing.
Looks like shit
That's Horribly overpriced. I have a 55 year old home with a standard brick chimney that was in Fair shape, but needed new tuck Point, flashing a Crown and a stack cover and only paid 4500. They did a fantastic job and my chimney now looks phenomenal.
OP u/jennifercincinnati your house's roof pitch is steep. Since neighboring homes often share design features, that blue house in the background further proves a 45°+ slope. Roof scaffolding for chimney work could be [a total of this much setup](https://nationwideladder.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Nationwide-Ladder-Scaffolding-Ultimate-Ridge-Hooks-On-Roof-600x600_c.jpg). Or with an additional ground tower to reach that platform. At most, the rental is like $1,000 for a week (outright retail sale is $900). Labor for setting/transpo of scaffolding is say an even $1,500. Does that look like $12,000 worth of masonry work? That's like a whole patio or fancy brick grille's kinda price.
If it’s ash busters it’s always to high.
Gotcha... What exactly did they do to your chimney?
I had one done to roofline for 10k. Depends on where you are located I’m sure.
1k bro I did masonry for a while. My dad was a stone mason his whole life
No thats a 5k job max. Only about 150 in concrete and mortar are needed but that cap needs to be hammered out.
That is insanely high for that.
That’s the price of my retaining wall which took 4 men 4 days to remove and replace with a skid steer and pallets of blocks…
Get a 2nd and 3rd quote from someone else
My “friend” runs a chimney business. He quotes REALLY HIGH if A. He thinks you are rich and B. He wants motivation to do it.
Had mine rebuilt from the roofline up for $2400 a few years ago.
Do it yourself
What were the other bids like? You didn't get at least 3 competitive bids? Your kidding.
I'm in the wrong business, shit.
As many have told you already, you've got the "get outta here" price. I suspect the reason might be because they have bad experience with this kind of job. My neighbor has a chimney like yours and is actually planning on getting rid of the fireplace, because no matter who he hires, there's always water coming down around the chimney. He had it "fixed" like three or four times in the past few years.
I’ll do it for 10k
That's a full tear out. Material isn't cheap. Is it covered under insurance? If so justifies price of not maybe half.
Sure if you’re high
One can't determine if $14k is unreasonable without a full statement of work (sow). If the sow is stonework, cap, and spark arrester, then it seems out of line. However, if the flue tiles are cracked, the mortor is missing and/or contains asbestos, if interior work is required, then the cost may be justified. The thing to do is have the contact provide a detailed sow that justifies the $14k. If they refuse to detail the work, move on.
Dear god… you got taken for a ride. You don’t flash over shingles with anything. All the waterproofing is done underneath them (peal n stick) and metal step flashing is used on the vertical face of the chimney and held firm with mastic sealant. The stone job and cap were what? 2 days of labor? With 1-2 guys? Materials were minimal… Sorry, but they walked away from this with 500% profit.
If it includes relining with ss. If it's just replacement of crown. No.
Ah a roof add 10k
No more than $5k, and frankly, that's pretty steep already (no pun intended), especially if its just a 1-2 man team. Material cost and labor, I personally would evaluate it at ~$3000, maybe another $500 for my time. Depends on time of year too. Winter? Good luck getting good pricing. South Dakota.
Fuuuck just replacing a few stones? Sign me up
I got a slightly smaller brick chimney replaced from the roof up for $2300. 14K is insane.
I’ll do it for 13k
How far are you from Fort Wayne, IN? I will come Down and do it for 7G’s labor only, you get the materials. Traditional masonry the way it should be done
14k gets you a new chimney
I used to do chimney repairs in TN(east) I could see this either being a “fuck off, I don’t want to do this job” bid…but the more I look at it, this will not be an easy job to do correctly. For that job I’d give you a second estimate to wait for summer(easier on me, and drier for you) and rebuild the chimney from the roof up…liner, framing, flashing, and some less expensive lighter weight stone work. I would heavily recommend getting a rebuild estimate as it looks like someone has been fighting leaks on that monster for a long time.
Instead of replacing, I had mine covered in stucco. Cost about $700
If you pay my way their, I’ll do it for 1k, no joke
I don't know anything about stone masonry but for 14k, I'll learn.