How much does chimney tuckpointing cost, and is it different from repointing?
Short answer. Chimney tuckpointing is priced like repointing, by the area of mortar to be replaced, the chimney's height and access, and mortar matching, so a few weathered courses above the roof cost far less than the whole stack. Strictly speaking, tuckpointing adds a thin contrasting line of mortar on top of the new joint for a crisp look, but many contractors use the word to mean ordinary repointing.
The terms, untangled
- Repointing: removing deteriorated mortar and replacing it with new mortar, tooled to match.
- Tuckpointing: originally a decorative technique in which joints are filled with mortar colored to match the brick, then a narrow ribbon of contrasting material is applied to imitate fine, crisp joints. Today many people say tuckpointing when they mean repointing.
Ask any contractor which one they mean, because the decorative version takes more skill and time.
Price drivers
- How much of the chimney needs it, often just the top few feet where weather is harshest.
- Chimney height above the roof and the roof pitch.
- Mortar matching on older homes, where softer lime-based mortar keeps the brick from cracking.
- Loose or damaged bricks found once old mortar comes out.
- The decorative ribbon, if you want true tuckpointing.
Quick self-check
- Scratch a joint with a key. If it powders easily, the mortar is spent.
- Look for joints sunk back from the brick face, or gaps you can see into.
- White mineral deposits on the brick mean water is moving through the masonry.
Do not forget the flashing
New mortar does not stop a leak caused by flashing, and counterflashing lives in the very joints being ground out. Plan the masonry first and the reflashing right after, or schedule both around a roof replacement. See chimney leaks and crickets and what to expect on roof replacement day.