Cost of rebuilding two chimney stacks

[Fraise]

Hi,

I'm new here and this is my first post.

I'd like to know if anyone could give me a rough estimate to remove two chimney stacks from the roof of my large detached house. I live in London on the Surrey borders. The house was built in 1904, and a new roof was put on 12 years ago, but nothing was done to the chimney stacks, which are rendered and quite large. They are not leaning or anything, but I've been advised they should be replaced.

It would also require scaffolding to the front of the house.

Can someone tell me roughly what the cost if the whole job would be, including how many days work it should take approximately?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[ree]

Why should they be replaced - for what reason(s)?

Chimney stacks are part and parcel of an Edwardian house, and you will disfigure the appearance, and lower any sale price by removing unique features such as stacks. Just saying.

 

[Fraise]

Hi Ree,

Thank you for your reply.

According to a local builder and surveyor, who looked at the chimney stacks with binoculars, they said the stacks needed taking down and replacing.

They are not leaning or anything, ant they work OK. The bricks have been rendered with cream pebbledash, and have been like that for years. So except for just one crack in the rendering, you can't even the the brickwork or pointing, and I assume they are in fairly good order as there are no problems. However, they are exposed to the elements, and the builder said the bricks look perished , after he went up and lookes after chopping off a piece a small part of the rendering.

He did say he will rebuild them the same way as they are now, but to be honest, they just look like chimney stacks to me.

The reason I'm so concerned is that I joint own the freehold of the house with another person, and it's he who is insisting we have the chimneys done. But they look fine to me, and according to builders I know personally, they said they couldn't understand why it would be necessary to demolish both chimneys when they're upright, strong and sturdy. All one needed was some rendering and reprinting.

Can bricks crumble or decay with time? In ver confused, and I'm very worried.

I'm also curious to know IF they really needed demolishing and rebuilding, plus scaffolding to get up there, what should the rough visit be and how many days should it take? Have you any ideas on this?

Many thanks for your time

 

[ree]

Pics would be needed to answer your questions about access and time etc.

I still dont know why the surveyor (was he a RICS surveyor?) was looking thro his bino's in the first place? Who engaged him/her to do what?

Its sometimes the case that roofers traipsing about a roof can cause even more harm than was originally damaged.

 

[catlad]

Chimneys generally get rendered when they are in poor condition.