Chimney Rebuilds in Arleta, Scoped From the Photos Up

Most chimneys we see need repairs, not a rebuild. The report recommends a rebuild only when the photos show something repointing cannot fix: brick that crumbles when touched, a stack that has cracked through and shifted, a chimney leaning away from the house, or a crown and top section so wet for so long that the brick has spalled several courses deep. In those cases the report marks the finding fix before the next fire and adds a rebuild assessment as the next step. The assessment is its own document, with photos of each face, measurements of any lean, and a sketch showing where sound masonry ends and failed masonry begins.

Across the Valley, our rebuild reports mostly concern the brick above the roof. Sun, rain and the 1994 quake all hit that part of an unreinforced stack hardest. On a partial job we remove courses until the photos show solid masonry, which tends to be near the roof deck, and lay new brick up from that line. A full rebuild, from the foundation up, is rarer and usually follows major earthquake damage or a chimney that was badly built to begin with.

The rebuild scope lists the height to be removed, the brick and mortar to be used, how the new section will be reinforced and anchored to the house framing, the liner going in, the new crown and cap, and the flashing. It also lists the permit steps, because rebuilds in the City of Los Angeles and in the other cities we serve need a building permit, and the city inspector signs off on the work in stages. Some homeowners choose to replace the top section with a lighter framed chase and metal flue instead of masonry. Where that is an option, the scope gives both paths side by side, so you can compare the work involved.

Rebuilds are quoted in writing after the assessment, with each part of the work on its own line. During the job, we photograph each stage: the old stack coming down, the reinforcement before it is covered, the liner, and the finished chimney. Those photos go into a completion report along with the permit sign-off, which is the record a future buyer's inspector will ask for. The reinforcement photo matters most, because once the brick is up there is no other way to show it is there.