How much does chimney repointing cost?
Short answer. Chimney repointing is priced by how much of the chimney needs new mortar, how tall it stands above the roof, and how hard it is to reach, so a few courses above the roofline cost far less than the full stack. Matching the right soft mortar on older brick and coordinating with new flashing also affect the price.
What repointing involves
The mason grinds or rakes out deteriorated mortar, cleans the joints, packs in fresh mortar in layers, and tools it to match the original joint profile. A common preservation guideline is to remove old mortar to a depth of about two to two and a half times the joint's width, so the new mortar has enough grip and does not pop out.
What drives the price
- Area. Spot repointing of the top few courses, where weather hits hardest, versus the entire chimney.
- Height and pitch. Tall chimneys on steep roofs need roof brackets, scaffolding or a lift.
- Mortar type. Older Georgia homes often have softer lime-based mortar. New mortar should be no harder than the brick, or the brick faces crack and spall, and custom mixes cost more.
- Color matching. Getting new joints to blend takes extra effort.
- Hidden damage. Loose bricks, a failed crown or water-damaged courses can turn repointing into a partial rebuild.
How to tell if you need it
- Joints recessed well back from the brick face.
- Mortar that crumbles when scratched with a key.
- Gaps, missing mortar or loose bricks near the top.
- Damp patches on the chimney breast inside after wind-driven rain.
Coordinate with the flashing
Counterflashing is set into mortar joints, so repointing the lower courses disturbs it. The best sequence is repointing first and reflashing right after, ideally during a roof replacement so the step flashing is new too. See chimney leaks and crickets and roof flashing explained.