Chimney repointing and stack work across Brighton — repointing, flaunching, cowls and capping, using lime mortar on period properties and the correct specification for exposed coastal stacks. Serving Brighton and East Sussex with a 10-year guarantee.
Chimney repointing in Brighton typically costs £150–£800+ per stack depending on scope and access. Flaunching renewal, cowl fitting and capping are itemised separately. We use lime mortar on Brighton's period properties, where modern cement mortar would trap moisture and damage the historic brickwork.
Raking out failed mortar joints and repointing with the correct mortar — lime on period properties, appropriate mixes on modern stacks. £150–£800+ per stack depending on scope and access.
The flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the chimney pots. When it cracks, water enters the stack. We rake out and renew flaunching to shed water correctly.
Fitting cowls to prevent downdraught, bird entry or rain ingress, and capping redundant flues to keep water out while maintaining ventilation. Itemised per pot.
Chimney leadwork — the apron, step and back gutter — renewed in code 5 lead for exposed coastal stacks, dressed correctly and finished with patination oil.
Brighton chimneys take a beating. The seafront and cliff-top stacks of Kemp Town, Brunswick and the exposed properties of Saltdean and Rottingdean face the full force of salt-laden south-westerlies, which strip mortar and corrode lead faster than any inland position. The elevated stacks of Hollingbury and the exposed ridge properties of Fiveways catch wind and frost that accelerate mortar decay. Stack exposure, more than age alone, drives repointing frequency across the city.
Brighton's Victorian and Regency chimneys were built in soft handmade brick bedded in lime mortar. When these stacks are repointed in modern OPC cement — as they too often are by roofers who don't know better — the hard cement traps moisture against the soft brick, causing it to spall and crumble from behind the pointing. The damage is expensive to reverse. We use lime mortar on all of Brighton's period stacks as standard, matching the original specification the brickwork was built for.
Brighton's prevailing weather comes from the south-west, off the Channel. On most Brighton chimneys, it's the south-west face of the stack that fails first — the mortar there is stripped by driven rain and salt while the sheltered north-east face may still be sound. A proper survey checks all four faces, because repointing only the visibly failed face leaves the others to fail within a season or two. We assess and price the whole stack.
The most common Brighton chimney leak isn't the pointing — it's the flaunching (the cracked mortar bed around the pots) or the lead apron where the stack meets the roof. Water enters through cracked flaunching or failed lead and appears as a damp patch on the chimney breast inside, often misdiagnosed as a roof leak. We check the whole stack — pointing, flaunching, pots and lead — to find the true source rather than guessing.
Brighton's popularity of wood-burning stoves has brought many disused chimneys back into service, and that changes what a chimney needs. A flue that's been capped or unused for decades — common on Brighton's period properties where open fires were long ago replaced by central heating — must be sound, lined and correctly terminated before a stove is connected. Reinstating a Brighton chimney for a wood-burner often reveals the decades of neglect the stack has suffered: failed pointing, cracked flaunching, corroded lead, and a flue that needs lining. We carry out the stack work that safe reinstatement requires, coordinating with the stove installer on flue and terminal requirements. Getting the masonry, pointing and lead right is the roofing half of a wood-burner project, and on Brighton's exposed period stacks it's not a step to skip — a stove draws air through the flue, and a defective stack that leaked slowly before can behave very differently once it's in use again.
| Repointing (per stack, scope-dependent) | £150 – £800+ |
| Flaunching renewal | £150 – £400 |
| Cowl fitting (per pot) | £80 – £200 |
| Flue capping (per pot) | £100 – £250 |
| Lead apron / flashing renewal | £300 – £700 |
| Lime mortar (period stacks) | included |
Indicative Brighton pricing. Every quote follows a free survey. Prices include VAT where applicable.
Key fact: Historic England guidance is clear that lime mortar, not cement, should be used on old and historic masonry — cement is harder than the surrounding brick and traps moisture, causing the spalling and decay commonly seen on Brighton's incorrectly repointed Victorian and Regency chimneys.
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“Repointed our Regency stack in lime mortar — they explained why cement would have damaged the soft brick. Renewed the flaunching and lead too. Knowledgeable about period property and a proper job.”
“Exposed ridge position meant our chimney took a battering. They repointed all four faces, not just the failed one, and explained why. Sound advice and no more leaks.”
“Cliff-top stack, constant salt exposure. Repointed, new cowl, code 5 lead apron. They knew exactly what the coastal position needed. Two winters on and it's held perfectly.”
Chimney repointing in Brighton costs £150–£800+ per stack depending on scope, height and access. Flaunching renewal is £150–£400, cowl fitting £80–£200 per pot, and lead apron renewal £300–£700. We itemise everything so you see exactly what you're paying for.
Brighton's Victorian and Regency chimneys were built in soft handmade brick bedded in lime mortar. Modern cement mortar is harder than the brick and traps moisture, causing the brick to spall and crumble. Historic England guidance requires lime on old masonry, and we use it on all Brighton's period stacks.
Most Brighton chimney leaks come from cracked flaunching (the mortar bed around the pots) or failed lead where the stack meets the roof — not the pointing itself. Water enters and appears as damp on the chimney breast inside. We check the whole stack to find the true source rather than guessing.
Usually yes. Brighton's prevailing south-westerly weather means the south-west face fails first, but repointing only that face leaves the others to fail within a season or two. We assess all four faces and advise — on exposed seafront and cliff-top stacks, whole-stack repointing is almost always the sensible spend.
Flaunching is the mortar bed that holds the chimney pots and sheds water off the stack top. When it cracks — common on Brighton's weather-exposed stacks — water enters the stack and causes leaks. Renewing flaunching is often the fix for a leaking chimney that's otherwise sound.
A cowl helps if you have downdraught, bird entry, or rain coming down an open flue. On exposed Brighton stacks, cowls also reduce weather ingress. For redundant flues, capping while maintaining ventilation keeps water out. We advise on what your specific stack needs during the survey.
Yes. Chimney leadwork — the apron, step flashing and back gutter — is a common source of leaks. We renew it in code 5 lead for Brighton's exposed coastal stacks, dressed in correct lengths with patination oil applied. It's frequently the real fix for a chimney leak misattributed to the pointing.
Free survey, written quote, no call-out fee. NFRC registered and fully insured, with a 10-year guarantee on all work across Brighton and East Sussex.
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