Is removing a Chimney in Australia Expensive? (Things To Know)
Chimneys are sometimes structural support of the house, so when you remove them, a structure replacement is needed, or it can damage your home.
Average Chimney Sweep Cost By States
| New South Wales | $4953 |
| Queensland | $5000 |
| Victoria | 4995$ |
| Northern Territory | $5200 |
| Western Australia | $5200 |
| South Australia | $5990 |
The cost of chimney removal can vary widely depending on the size and shape of the chimney, as well as its location. Generally, most chimneys in Australia can be removed for between $700 and $5,253.
If you’re reading this from Melbourne and want to know the exact pricing to remove the chimney, then click here to go to our chimney removal Melbourne page.
Is Removing a Chimney Necessary?
Yes, removing a damaged chimney that cannot be repaired must be removed for better insulation in your house and safety, as various gases like carbon monoxide are highly poisonous and can kill humans when inhaled. If the damaged chimney is not removed, these gases might enter your home, which may risk your life.
Chimney Removal Cost Breakdown
Removal of chimneys is labour-intensive work and can be dangerous at times. The workers need to be professional, and sometimes help is required from the local demolition crew and local workers.
Materials
During the breakdown of the chimney, the frame has to be supported with steel bars, or the building can collapse; this costs about 100$ to 400$ per foot. And the demolition costs about 25$ to %50$.
Labour
You need to hire a structural engineer before the removal of the chimney starts. This will cost about 500$, and the labour charge will be like 50$ per partisan.
Cost Of Removing Chimney Styles
You may wish for just a partial reduction of the chimney, so there are various types of removal.
- Total demolition- A complete demolition or removal includes removing the chimney breast and chimney stack. The chimney stack is the portion of the chimney that you typically don’t see and extends beyond the roof. In contrast, the chimney breast is the part you see that surrounds a fireplace. Complete chimney removal or demolition costs $4,000 to $10,000.
- Chimney Stack Removal-Chimney stacks are removed if they are found leaking or are damaged. The removal costs range from $1,000 to $1,500, but the price may increase if you need roof repair afterwards.
- Chimney Breast Removal– Some homeowners remove the chimney breast as it takes up much-needed space. Demolition crews/workers will often need to add extra structural support during removal to protect the rest of the structure. You may need to repair the walls after the removal. Removing a chimney breast costs $1,500 to $2,500, but you may spend an additional $2,500 for new walls afterwards.
- Flue and Liner Removal-A flue allows combustion gases to escape the fireplace and is often fixed or paired with metal or cement to prevent any corrosion. Some older homes/old houses may or may not have a liner or need to be upgraded. The cost to remove the lining for the flue is about $1,000 to $5,000, maybe more sometimes.
Factors for chimney removal
Permits
A chimney removal often needs a license as it is a too dangerous task, and people can get hurt. A structural engineer can help to inspect the work and get a permit quickly. A license for chimney removal costs about 20$ to 50$.
Fireplace Removal
Wood Stove
removing a wood stove is very common for nature-cautious and nature-loving people. It costs somewhere around 500$ to 1000$.
Electric fireplace
For the electric fireplace, you need to hire a local electrician who will remove the wire and the caps. They will charge around 50$ to 100$. The total cost of removing the electric fireplace will be about 500$ to 1500$.
Gas fireplace
For removing a gas fireplace, the disconnection of the gas lines is needed, or the chimney cap is removed. It costs around 500$ to 2500$.
Outdoor fireplace
The removal of the outdoor fireplace will include the cost of disconnecting the gas line and not forgetting about masonry demolition. It will cost around 5004 to 2000$.
Asbestos Removal
Homes built in the 1980s or earlier may reveal some asbestos during a chimney removal. Asbestos removal ranges from $200 to $700 per hour.
Steel beam support
Removing the chimney without providing steel bar support can be risky as the chimney was an essential support to the house’s structure.
Cleanup costs
After the chimney is demolished, there will be a lot of debris all around and cleaning them will cost much time and money. It costs around 300$ to 500$.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take a chimney to get removed?
Removing a chimney is mainly done by two people and takes much time as it needs to be done brick by brick. Typically demolitions take up to 5 days or seven days or more sometimes.
How will chimney removal impact the value of my home or residence?
Replacing older chimneys, like wood-burning stoves, with something more eco-friendly, can increase the value of your home. Some homeowners opt to remove vents as they have a LEED certification, which may or may not also increase the value of their home/residence.
Bbut in general, many potential purchasers/buyers look for working chimneys or fireplaces in homes, so removing a chimney or a fireplace could reduce your home’s value by up to 5000$.
Can I remove the chimney by myself?
The answer will be a big NO as it will be hazardous, the chimney might collapse and cause harm to you. Your house and the debris collected from the chimney is not a single person’s task. You should hire an engineer to examine the structure before doing anything to the chimney.