Scaffolding for Chimney Work
Scaffolding for a chimney repair costs €350 to €1,200 in Ireland. On a two-storey house nearly every chimney job needs it: the work is at the highest point of the roof, it takes hours, and it needs both hands and somewhere to put mortar, lead and bricks. On a bungalow, most jobs are done from a roof ladder or a small tower.
When it's needed, what it looks like, and how to make one scaffold cover every job.
Free, no obligation. One local company prices it, not five.
- €350 to €1,200scaffolding for a chimney
- Two storeysnearly always needs it
- €700 to €1,600three repairs from one scaffold
What decides the access
| Your house | Stack at the eaves or gable | Stack at the ridge |
|---|---|---|
| Bungalow | A tower or a roof ladder | A roof ladder and a small platform |
| Two storeys | Scaffold up that wall | Scaffold, with a platform over the roof |
| Three storeys | A full-height scaffold | A full-height scaffold with a roof saddle |
| Terrace, no side access | Scaffold from the front or back, over the roof | The same, sometimes through the house |
Why not just a ladder
A ladder gets someone to the gutter. It does not get them to a stack at the ridge with a bucket of mortar, and it gives them nowhere to stand for six hours. Work done off a roof ladder alone is rushed. Repointing and lead need time and two hands.
Pay for it once
The scaffold is the same price whether one job is done from it or four. If the stack needs repointing, look at the lead and the flaunching while it is up: all three in one visit are €700 to €1,600. If there are two stacks, ask for both to be checked. If the ridge tiles or a few slates need attention, that is the day to do them.
On a semi or a terrace, ask your neighbour. A shared stack is one scaffold and one repair, split between two houses.
Access and the work, priced
| Job | Typical cost | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Scaffolding for a chimney | €350 to €1,200 | Two storeys or three, a stack at the ridge or the eaves |
| Repointing, flashing and flaunching in one visit | €700 to €1,600 | One scaffold for all three |
| Repointing a chimney stack | €300 to €1,500 | The size of the stack, how deep the joints have gone, the access |
| Lead flashing renewed round one chimney | €400 to €1,800 | Slate or tile, a back gutter, how much lead |
Repair work on a house is at the reduced 13.5% VAT rate. Ask for a written price that includes it, and says whether scaffolding is in it.
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More on chimney repairs
Costs, leaks, mortar, flues and rebuilds.
What chimney repairs costEvery job, priced. Repointing is €300 to €1,500.
A leaking chimneyWhere the damp shows tells you where the water gets in.
Repointing a stackWhen new mortar is enough, and when it isn't.
Lining a flueFor stoves, tar and cracked flues. €800 to €2,500 fitted.
Rebuilding a stackA lean, bulging or loose bricks. €800 to €2,000 above the roofline.
Capping and cowlsAn unused flue capped with a vent is €300 to €900.Chimney repair in every county
- Carlow3,372 homes built before 1946
- Cavan4,152 homes built before 1946
- Clare6,309 homes built before 1946
- Cork37,465 homes built before 1946
- Donegal6,974 homes built before 1946
- Dublin79,150 homes built before 1946
- Galway10,117 homes built before 1946
- Kerry7,666 homes built before 1946
- Kildare5,606 homes built before 1946
- Kilkenny6,287 homes built before 1946
- Laois4,323 homes built before 1946
- Leitrim2,466 homes built before 1946
- Limerick11,830 homes built before 1946
- Longford2,224 homes built before 1946
- Louth6,764 homes built before 1946
- Mayo7,592 homes built before 1946
- Meath6,839 homes built before 1946
- Monaghan3,868 homes built before 1946
- Offaly4,608 homes built before 1946
- Roscommon4,227 homes built before 1946
- Sligo4,130 homes built before 1946
- Tipperary12,246 homes built before 1946
- Waterford7,755 homes built before 1946
- Westmeath4,684 homes built before 1946
- Wexford8,936 homes built before 1946
- Wicklow8,488 homes built before 1946
Check your chimney
Four taps: what's wrong, the height of the house, what the stack is built of and what it's used for. You see the likely job and our price for it. Your number is only asked for at the end, if you want one chimney repair company that covers your county to ring you.
Questions people ask
Is scaffolding in the price I'm given?
Ask. Some prices include it and some add it. A written price should say.
How long does it stay up?
A few days for most repairs. It goes up the day before and comes down the day after.
Can a cherry picker be used instead?
Where there is room to park one and the stack is within reach, yes, and it can be cheaper for a short job.
Does scaffolding on the footpath need a licence?
Yes, from the council. The scaffolder arranges it, and it can add time in a town or city street.
Is a chimney scaffold safe for my roof?
It should not rest on the slates. A proper one bridges the roof on boards and padding. Ask how it will be supported.
Get a price for your chimney repair
One chimney repair company that covers your county. Free, no obligation. Nothing is booked until you say yes.