Chimney Services
How we rebuild chimneys in Markham
The Florida Building Code and brick industry guidance, applied to rebuilds in Markham.
Full-thickness walls in the new courses
Chimney walls must be at least 4 inches thick, nominal, under Florida's residential code, built of solid masonry units or of hollow units filled solid with grout. Rebuilt courses are laid to that thickness all the way around the flue.
Where a chimney holds more than one flue, the code also calls for masonry at least 4 inches thick between adjacent flue linings in most cases. We lay out the new courses around each flue before mortar goes down, so the rebuilt section matches the code and lines up with the chimney below it. Shortcuts such as thin brick slices never go into a rebuild of ours.
Where the old chimney was built thinner than the code now requires, we explain what the rebuilt section will need and how it will meet the older masonry below it.
Tying the roof flashing into the new brick
The flashing where a chimney meets the roof has two layers: base or step flashing woven into the roofing, and counterflashing let into the masonry and turned down over it. On a rebuild, the slot for the counterflashing is built into the fresh joints.
Rebuilding and reflashing therefore belong in one plan. New brick with old, reused flashing leaves the weakest joint in the wrong place, and fresh flashing cut into a chimney that is about to come down is wasted money. We schedule the two together and agree with your roofer, if you have one, on who finishes each layer.
Sealant alone along the top edge of flashing is a short-term fix. On a rebuilt chimney the counterflashing sits in a mortar joint or a cut slot, where it stays tight far longer.
What a rebuild estimate should show
A rebuild estimate should read like a plan. Ours shows where the teardown stops, the number of new courses, the brick and mortar, the crown, the flue lining decision, the flashing and cap, and access, each with its own price.
That lets you compare quotes by what they include instead of by the total alone. Our pricing is upfront with no hidden fees, and a rebuild confirmed within 72 hours of the inspection is 10% off. The inspection and the estimate are both free, and our team will go through any line with you before you decide.
If a line on another quote is missing from ours, or the other way round, ask us about it. We would rather explain the difference than have you compare two different jobs.
