Chimney rebuilding in Mercer County, NJ
More than half the homes in Hopewell Borough were built before 1940, and close to four in ten in Hightstown and Trenton. A chimney that old can reach the point where fresh mortar will not hold the top together. Then we take it down to solid brick and build it back.
NJ HIC 13VH13268400 · Licensed and insured · Free inspection · Open 24 hoursModern Home Roofing & Chimney rebuilds brick chimneys across Mercer County, NJ, including Hopewell Borough, Hightstown, Trenton and Princeton. More than half of Hopewell Borough's homes date from before 1940, and many chimneys that old have loose top courses and cracked crowns. We take the stack down to solid masonry and rebuild it. NJ HIC 13VH13268400.
The oldest chimneys in the county
Hopewell Borough's median house dates to 1938, Hightstown's to 1950, and Pennington's and Trenton's to 1953. In all four, more than a third of homes were built before 1940. A chimney from before 1940 has been through more than eighty winters, and Central Zone storms that turn from rain to snow and back keep pushing water into the joints.
When the crown is cracked through and the top courses shift under a hand, repointing will not hold them. The fix is to take the stack down to where the brick is solid and build it back up with a new crown, cap and flashing. If the chimney still vents a boiler or a furnace, the flue is open during the rebuild, which is the easiest time to deal with the liner.
On a Trenton rowhouse, the chimney can stand close to the wall shared with the next house. Then the flashing and the roof seam around it are part of the rebuild, and we talk with you about the neighbor's side before any brick comes down.
So we do not call for a rebuild from the sidewalk. We get to the top and show you how far down the loose brick goes.
How we decide whether a Mercer County chimney needs rebuilding
A rebuild costs more than repointing, so we only price one when the brick at the top will not take new mortar. These are the signs we look for.
At the inspection, we look at
- Top courses that shift when we press on them.
- A crown cracked all the way through.
- How far down the joints have washed out.
- A stack that leans or has pulled away from the house.
- Brick with its face flaking off.
- The flue liner, where we can see it, and what still vents into it.
Sometimes the damage stops a few courses down, or repointing is enough. If so, that is what we price. Chimney repair in Mercer County
How a chimney rebuild works in Mercer County
How long it takes depends on how far down the stack has to come. All seven steps are on the chimney rebuilding page.
Free inspection
We get up to the top when it is safe to and photograph the brick, crown, cap, flue and flashing. You see how far the damage goes before we talk about price.
Written estimate
How far down we expect to go, what goes back up and the price, on paper. Any permit goes on it too.
Down to solid masonry
We take the chimney apart brick by brick until we reach solid masonry. With the stack open, we check the liner and the framing and show you what we find.
Build it back and clean up
New brick and mortar go up course by course, with a new crown, cap and flashing. Then we haul the old brick away and go over the photos with you.
Do you need a permit for a chimney rebuild in Mercer County?
It depends on your town. Rebuilding a chimney is not on New Jersey's list of ordinary maintenance or minor work, so the construction office in your town decides what paperwork it needs. Princeton has historic districts, where exterior work needs a preservation plan, though replacing a worn feature with the same material, color and size counts as ordinary maintenance. We check with your town before we start, and any permit goes on the estimate.
What you can check on us first
- Our New Jersey Home Improvement Contractor license is 13VH13268400. Look it up with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
- We carry insurance and can send you the certificate before work starts.
- The inspection is free, and the estimate comes to you in writing.
- We are open 24 hours.
If it is in Mercer County, yes. We cover all 12 municipalities, from East Windsor to West Windsor. Put your ZIP code in the estimate form and we confirm it when we call you back.
That is up to your town. Rebuilding a chimney is not on New Jersey's ordinary maintenance or minor work lists, so the construction office decides what it needs. We put that question to the town first, and the estimate includes any permit.
Yes, with the town's okay. Princeton has historic districts, where exterior work needs a preservation plan, though replacing a worn feature with the same material, color and size counts as ordinary maintenance. We do not assume a chimney rebuild falls under that. We ask Princeton and its construction office before we start, and anything they need goes on the estimate.
Often, yes. The estimate says how far down we expect to go, based on what we see at the top. If the brick turns solid sooner, we stop there. If the damage runs deeper, we stop and show you before going on.
It adds a step. The flashing and the roof edge around the chimney may run onto your neighbor's side, and we do not touch their roof without their okay. We photograph both sides at the inspection so you can talk to them before the work starts.
It depends on how far down the stack comes, how tall it stands above the roof, and whether the liner, crown, cap and flashing need work. We do not quote over the phone. The written price comes after we have been to the top and seen how deep the damage runs.
Find out how far down the loose brick goes
Tell us your town and what you are seeing at the top of the chimney. We call you back shortly, go up for a free look, and hand you photos and a price in writing. If a repair will hold, we price the repair.
Or call 732-682-9251