Chimney & fireplace
Chimney Estimate Calculator
Builds a chimney quote, where what you cannot see until you are on the roof moves the number.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus materials and the call-out, then tax. Chimney estimating has an unusual problem: much of the work is above the roofline and inside a flue, neither of which is assessable from the ground. A quote given from a description or a photograph is a guess about the crown, the cap, the flashing and the flue interior, all of which are where the cost sits. The workable approach is to charge for the inspection, then quote the work from what it found.
What moves the number
- Whether an inspection has established the actual condition.
- Staging requirements, which on a tall or steep roof are significant.
- Whether more than one component is being addressed in the same visit.
- Season, since masonry work has temperature constraints.
Where this one goes wrong
Price the inspection and then quote the work, rather than quoting work you have not seen. A chimney's condition is genuinely concealed, and an estimate given from the driveway is either padded or wrong. It also means the inspection is paid for whether or not the work follows, which is honest. Bundle components while access exists: the crown, cap and flashing all need the same staging, so doing them together costs much less than three separate visits, and saying so is worth more to the customer than a cheaper headline on one item. Masonry work has a temperature window, so late season quoting needs to be honest about scheduling.
Before you quote
- Charge for the inspection and quote from its findings.
- Bundle the roof-level components while the access is up.
- Be honest about the seasonal window for masonry work.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
Why will nobody quote chimney work over the phone?
Because the condition is concealed. The crown, cap, flashing and flue interior are where the cost sits and none are assessable from the ground. A figure given without seeing them is either padded to be safe or wrong, which is why a paid inspection first is the honest sequence.
Should I do several chimney jobs at once?
Usually yes. The crown, cap and flashing all need the same roof access, and staging is a real share of the cost, so doing them in one visit is far cheaper than three. A contractor who mentions this rather than quoting one item at a time is saving you money.
Can chimney work be done in winter?
Sweeping and inspection yes, and that is often when people want it. Masonry repair and crown work have temperature requirements for the mortar and concrete to cure properly, so those have a seasonal window, and promising them in freezing weather produces work that fails.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 2 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $125.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $65.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 2 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $125 |
| Parts and materials | $65 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $410 |
| Labour | $250 |
| Before tax | $410 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $410: $250 of labour, $65 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $63 | $286 |
| $94 | $348 |
| $125 example above | $410 |
| $188 | $536 |
| $250 | $660 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 2 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $125.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $65.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.