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Chimney repair in Aliso Viejo CA - back to solid brick that matches the old

Crumbling joints, flaking brick or a crack up the side? We find out how far the damage goes, then fix what's actually failing.

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(949) 619-8220Request an estimate
Brick chimney on a bright blue house with green trim, photographed against a clear sky.

Does my chimney need new mortar, a liner or a rebuild?

Chimney repair in Aliso Viejo fixes the part of your chimney that's failing, whether that's the mortar joints, the flue liner or the brick itself, so the chimney is sound again.

Most calls start with something you can see from the yard, like mortar washing out of the joints, brick faces flaking off, a crack running up the side or a chimney that's started to lean. If it's only the mortar, new joints, the job called tuckpointing, usually take care of it. Once the bricks themselves are cracked, flaking or leaning, we take the chimney down to sound brick, typically around the roofline, and build it back up.

First I figure out whether your chimney needs new joints, a new liner or a partial rebuild, because that choice drives most of the price and the schedule, along with whether the city needs a permit. Sometimes it's just a few loose bricks lower down, and that's a smaller brick repair job. You'll see which of these apply to your chimney in the estimate I leave you.

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What happens when you call about your chimney in Aliso Viejo?

  1. Call or send a message

    You call (949) 619-8220 or use the form, and we set a time for me to come out. Tell us what you've noticed, like a crack, a lean or flaking brick, so I know where to look first.

  2. I come out and look

    I look at the brick, the joints and the flue, and answer whatever you want to ask while we're standing there. The estimate I leave says whether you need new joints, a liner or a partial rebuild and what that costs, so you're not guessing.

  3. We sort out the permit

    Before we start, I check with the city's Building Department about your job, and when it needs a permit, we handle the application and the inspections. If brick or mortar has to be stockpiled in front of your house, the city also requires a WQ permit, and you can reach the department at (949) 425-2540 with your own permit questions.

  4. Work, cleanup and a walkthrough

    Aliso Viejo allows construction Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with none on Sundays or federal holidays, so we schedule your crew days inside those hours. When the work's done, we clean up and walk the finished chimney with you.

What good chimney repair in Aliso Viejo looks like

A rebuild starts by taking the chimney down course by course until we reach brick that's solid, because new brick laid on loose brick just moves the problem up a few feet. Then we lay it back up with brick and mortar picked to sit right next to what's left, so the repair doesn't stand out from the street.

The city's building office lists seismic zones D and E among its design requirements, and in California nearly all earthquake damage to homes comes from the ground shaking. A brick chimney stands up past the roof on its own, so when we rebuild one here, we build it with that shaking in mind, and we won't stack new brick on a base that's already moving.

What chimney repair can include:

  • New mortar joints
  • Replacing cracked or flaking brick
  • Partial rebuilds to sound brick
  • Stainless steel or cast-in-place liners
  • Parts for factory-built chimneys

Repair the chimney or replace part of it

A national seismic retrofit plan set lays out a few ways to handle a damaged brick chimney. You can cap it at the roof or ceiling, replace it above the shoulder, where it narrows over the firebox, on top of a masonry firebox or a factory insert, or replace both firebox and chimney with a factory insert and a metal flue. If your firebox is sound, I lean toward keeping it and rebuilding only what's failed, because you keep more of the brick your house was built with.

What shapes the cost of chimney repair

Most of the cost is in how much brick comes down and goes back up, since a rebuild from the roofline takes far more labor and material than new joints. A liner adds its own cost, and steel, clay tile and cast-in-place each go in differently. Matching older brick, a tall chimney or steep roof, permits, and hauling the rubble away all add to it. On a factory-built unit, the original maker's parts set much of the price.

Your chimney, explained before you pay

I've run this business since 2023, and I still come out to every job, write the estimate myself and work on it alongside our masons and helpers. So the person who explained your chimney is the one up there fixing it, and if something turns up once the brick comes down, you hear it from me before we go further.

I'd rather take extra time walking you through your chimney than sell you work it doesn't need. I'll tell you what I know, what I won't know until it's open, and when a job needs an engineer or another trade. We keep your yard and roof tidy while we work and clean up when we're done. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Get your cracked chimney looked at

Damage that stops at the joints is a smaller job than a rebuild, so call (949) 619-8220 and I'll come take a look.

(949) 619-8220

Get a free estimate for your chimney repair

Tell us what you're seeing, and if it's factory built, the maker. We reply within one business day, I come out, and the on-site estimate is free with no pressure to book.

(949) 619-8220

Chimney repair questions we hear

How much does chimney repair cost in Aliso Viejo?

Chimney repair and rebuilding across the US usually runs about $1,000 to $5,000 for a typical project, so treat that as a national ballpark, not our price. Where your job lands depends mostly on whether it's joint work, a new liner or a partial rebuild. I'll put your number in writing once I've looked at the chimney.

What is the best liner for an old brick chimney?

For most people keeping their chimney, a stainless steel flexible liner is the usual pick, because it threads down the existing flue without tearing anything out and works with gas, oil and wood-burning appliances. Clay tile only makes sense when the chimney is being rebuilt anyway, and a cast-in-place liner, a cement-like mix pumped around a form inside the flue, suits damaged or oddly shaped chimneys where the other two fit poorly. I'll tell you which fits yours once I've seen the flue.

How do I find parts for a factory-built chimney?

Start with the maker's name, because factory-built chimneys and fireplaces are made by specific manufacturers and their parts don't swap from one brand to another. A repair needs parts from the same maker as the original, so before we order anything, I find out who made yours.

Who should I hire to repair a brick chimney in California?

Hire a contractor licensed for masonry work, since the Contractors State License Board's C-29 Masonry Contractor classification covers laying brick and stone and fire brick for firebox work. We're licensed and insured, and it's fair to ask anyone you're considering which classification they hold.

Can you reuse my old bricks when rebuilding a chimney?

A rebuilt chimney can go back up with new brick or salvaged brick, so it's worth asking which yours will use before work starts. At the estimate, I'll tell you which of your old bricks are sound enough to go back in and where new brick that matches would serve you better.

Whose name goes on the permit for chimney work in Aliso Viejo?

The city issues a construction permit in the name of either the licensed contractor or the property owner, and whoever holds it is responsible for the construction, so ask whose name will be on it before work starts. When we handle the application, I'll tell you that up front. The city's permit application also names CR&R as the only hauler allowed to take waste out of the city, so it's worth asking how the old brick will leave.

Chimney repair around Aliso Viejo

We're based in Aliso Viejo and do chimney work in Laguna Niguel, Mission Viejo and the cities around them. Pick your area below, or call if yours isn't listed.

Call (949) 619-8220