Chimney repair in Tampa FL - a chimney that stays dry where it meets the roof
Water stains by the chimney, loose bricks or crumbling mortar up top? We find the cause and fix what's actually wrong.
Why is my chimney leaking, and what will fixing it take?
Chimney repair in Tampa runs from one fix up to rebuilding part or all of the chimney and relining the flue, which is the passage smoke travels up. That one fix can be the flashing, the metal seal where the chimney meets your roof, the cap over the flue, or the crown, the concrete top that sheds rain. At Cornerstone Tampa Concrete and Masonry, I find out which one your chimney needs before we touch it.
Most calls start with a water stain on a ceiling or wall beside the chimney, or mortar crumbling out of the joints up top. Price and schedule come down to how much is failing, so a new flashing or cap is a small job, worn joints call for tuckpointing where we rake out the old mortar and pack in new, and cracked or flaking brick needs brick repair or a partial rebuild. Height, roof pitch and weather move the schedule too, and the written estimate I send after my visit gives you the figure for your chimney.
Why homeowners pick us for chimney repair
You get a straight answer about what's wrong with your chimney and a repair sized to the problem, with no sales pitch.
I come out myself
I come out to see your chimney, write the estimate, then work on it alongside our crew.
In business since 2013
I learned masonry working next to my father and opened this business in 2013.
Licensed and insured
Ask any contractor to show you both before they get on your roof, and we'll do the same.
Matched to older brick
On older chimneys we match the mortar and brick to what's there, so the repair doesn't stand out.
Stainless in place of galvanized
We put in stainless parts in place of galvanized, and one Florida chimney company says coastal air corrodes galvanized fast.
The chimney repairs we handle
Which repair fits depends on where the trouble starts and how far it's spread into the brick, and I'll show you what I see so the choice makes sense.
Talk to us about your chimney
Call (813) 471-5857 or send the form with what you're seeing, and I'll set a time to come look.
Why homeowners trust Cornerstone for chimney repair
Most of our work is mortar and brick repair on older homes, so I read a chimney from the top down. I check the flashing, joints, cap and crown, find which one is letting water in, and fix that. If something bigger is going on, you hear it from me on the spot so you can decide.
A leak at the roof line is often the flashing, and a single piece tears when the house and chimney settle at different rates. We build it in two overlapping parts, a base piece and an upper piece tucked into the mortar joints, so each can move on its own. The work is backed by our satisfaction guarantee.
Chimney repair questions we hear in Tampa
How much does chimney repair in Tampa cost?
Chimney repair in Tampa usually costs about $500 to $7,000 per project, and that's the going rate around here, not our price. Where your job lands depends on whether it's one fix like flashing or a cap, or a partial or full rebuild with relining, plus how tall the chimney is and how hard the roof is to work on. The written estimate gives you the number for your chimney.
How long does a chimney repair take?
One chimney company says most single repairs, like a cap, flashing or crown seal, take a day, while a partial rebuild takes 2 to 4 days. A full rebuild with relining runs 4 to 7 days depending on weather, so plan for the longer stretch if your chimney needs more work.
Who handles building permits in Tampa?
The City of Tampa's Construction Services Division handles building permits and inspections, and its residential permits cover only single-family homes and duplexes. If you live in a condo and the job needs a permit, it takes a commercial one even though people live there. When a job needs a permit, we pull it, handle the paperwork with whichever office covers your address and line up the inspections.
What license should a chimney contractor in Tampa have?
In Hillsborough County, construction work the State of Florida regulates needs a contractor license, issued by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation or by the county. A certified state license covers work anywhere in Florida, while a registered one only covers the cities or counties where the holder has a certificate of competency, so ask which kind a contractor holds.
Who approves work on houses in Tampa historic districts?
The city's Architectural Review Commission reviews construction in Hyde Park, Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights, and the Barrio Latino Commission does the same in Ybor City. Approval from either means applying for a certificate of appropriateness, which staff can issue for many jobs while others go to a public hearing, and you book a time to submit by calling city staff at (813) 274-3100, Option 3. If your house is in one of those neighborhoods, tell me at the estimate so we check with the city before we pick the cap, flashing or brick.
How do I know what kind of chimney inspection I need after a storm?
One publisher's summary of the NFPA 211 chimney standard says chimneys should be inspected at least once a year, and a fuller Level 2 inspection applies when a property is sold or after an outside event likely to have caused damage. That level adds accessible attics and basements and the accessible inside of the flue, so ask for it before you plan repairs after a storm or a sale.
What happens when you call about chimney repair in Tampa?
I plan the job around what your chimney needs and when you're home, and you deal with me at every step, not a call center.
You call
You call (813) 471-5857, I pick up, and we set a time for me to come look at your chimney.
We walk it together
I walk the job with you, look at the flashing, joints and top, and tell you right there what I'd do and why.
Your written estimate
I follow up with a written estimate that spells out the repair, so you can read it over and decide in your own time.
The work and walkthrough
Once you say go, we take care of the permit if there is one, my crew and I do the work, and I walk the finished chimney with you.
Chimney repair in Tampa and the cities nearby
We're based in Tampa and work on plenty of older brick chimneys in the cities around it on both sides of the bay, like Brandon and St. Petersburg. Pick your city below, or call and ask if yours isn't listed.
Get a chimney estimate from Cornerstone
Call (813) 471-5857 or send the form to set up your estimate, since a leak stopped at the flashing usually stays a small job.