Chimney Repairs South Wales › Cardiff › Guide
Walk down almost any street of Victorian or Edwardian terraces in Cathays, Canton, Splott or Roath and you will see stacks sitting on the dividing wall, each serving fireplaces in two homes. When one needs work, it is rarely just one household's problem. This guide explains how those repairs are normally handled.
Why a shared stack is different
A shared stack rises from the wall between two houses, with flues from both sides running up through the same brickwork. Whatever is wrong at the top affects both properties, and a scaffold on one side usually has to cross or touch the other roof as well. That is why we never treat it as a one-house job. We want to know early whether both owners are aware of the problem.
What we check before quoting
We start from the ground and, with your permission, the loft or bedroom side. From the street we look for leaning, open joints, missing pots and debris on the pavement. Inside, we look for stains on the chimney breast and wall beneath it. Then we go up properly with scaffold or a safe access arrangement, and look at the stack close to. Please do not climb up yourself to check.
- Straightness of the stack and any visible cracks
- Condition of brickwork and mortar at the top
- State of pots, cowls and the mortar bed holding them
- Signs of water inside both houses
The usual repair routes
Where the brickwork is sound, repair may mean renewing the flaunching and pots and rebuilding the top few courses. Where bricks are crumbling or the stack has moved, taking it down to solid work and rebuilding to match is the safer answer. We explain which applies and why, so each owner can see what they are being asked to agree to.
Neighbours, access and who pays
We are happy to speak to the neighbour about scaffold, working hours and access to their loft or roof. We do not give legal advice. Who pays, and how the cost is divided, is for the two owners to agree between themselves. Sorting that out first stops a job stalling halfway. If the neighbour is away or unreachable, tell us early and we will advise on what can sensibly be done.
What happens on the day
Scaffold goes up first, protecting the pavement and both roofs. The stack is repaired or taken down in stages, with debris lowered carefully rather than dropped. New brick is matched as closely as we can to the old. Once finished, the roof slopes either side are checked and made good, and the scaffold comes down. We tell you if anything else on the roofline needs attention.
- Scaffold and roof protection on both sides
- Repair or rebuild of the stack above the roofline
- Fresh flaunching, pots and cowls where needed
- Roof made good and site cleared
Need a chimney looked at in Cardiff? See chimney repairs in Cardiff, or for the lead and mortar side of it, chimney flashing repairs and chimney repointing and repairs.
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Common Questions
Do both neighbours have to agree to the work?
Both households need to know, because the scaffold and access affect both roofs. How you reach agreement and share the cost is for the owners to settle between you. We can talk to your neighbour about access, but we do not offer legal advice.
Can one house have its half of the stack repaired?
Not really. The stack is one piece of brickwork, and repairing half of it leaves the weak half exposed. We usually quote for the whole stack above the roofline so that the repair holds and nobody pays for scaffold twice.
What if my neighbour will not agree?
We cannot enter their property without permission, and we do not advise on the legal side. Tell us what is happening and we will explain what is physically possible from your side, and what the risks are if the stack is left.
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