Specialist chimney repointing across Worthing — repointing, flaunching renewal, cowls and capping, using the correct lime or cement mortar for your property's era. Worthing's exposed stacks weather faster than most; we make the repair last.
Chimney repointing in Worthing costs £150–£800+ per stack depending on scope and access. We use hydraulic lime mortar on pre-1930 properties and cement-based mortar on later stock, matching the original. Flaunching, cowls and capping are itemised separately. Free survey — call 01903 905 128.
We access the chimney from roof level and check all four faces of the pointing, the flaunching around the pots, the lead flashing and the pot stability — not a ground-level guess.
Raking out and repointing
The failed mortar joints are raked out to a sound depth and repointed with the correct mortar, giving a weathertight finish that keeps water out of the stack and the flue.
Flaunching, cowls and capping
The mortar fillet holding the pots (the flaunching) is renewed where cracked, and cowls or caps are fitted to disused flues to stop water and nesting birds. Each is priced separately.
Correct mortar for the era
Pre-1930 Worthing stacks need hydraulic lime; later stock takes cement-based mortar. Using the wrong one damages older brick — we carry both and apply the right one without being asked.
Local Worthing Knowledge
Why Worthing Chimneys Weather Faster
Chimney stacks are the most exposed part of any roof, and in Worthing that exposure is unusually severe — which is why repointing is such a common local job. A chimney stands proud of the roofline into the full force of the weather, and Worthing's prevailing south-westerly winds drive salt-laden rain straight onto the seaward face of every stack in town. That seaward face weathers noticeably faster than the sheltered side, and it is where repointing failure almost always starts.
The elevated parts of Worthing suffer most. Stacks on the higher ground of Salvington, High Salvington and the Findon Valley fringe take stronger winds and more freeze-thaw cycling than the sheltered coastal plain, and their mortar cracks within a few winters if it was laid in a rigid mix. On the seafront and the West Worthing streets nearest the Channel, it is the salt that does the damage — salt crystals grow within the mortar joints (subflorescence) and lever the pointing apart from the inside out. Either way, Worthing stacks need attention on a shorter cycle than inland equivalents.
The town's split housing stock dictates the correct repair. The Victorian and Edwardian chimneys in Heene, Broadwater, Tarring and central Worthing were built with soft lime mortar and soft brick, and they must be repointed in hydraulic lime — modern cement is harder than the surrounding brick, traps moisture and causes the brick faces to spall and crumble. Using cement on a Victorian Worthing stack does lasting damage. The 1930s–1960s stacks on the West Worthing and Durrington estates, by contrast, take a cement-based mortar. Getting this right is the single most important decision on the job, and it is one the cheapest quotes routinely get wrong.
As a worked example: a Victorian chimney on a terrace off Grand Avenue in Heene, with the seaward face pointing failed and the flaunching cracked, would typically be £350–£550 — raked out and repointed in hydraulic lime to match, the flaunching renewed, and a cowl fitted to the disused flue, all in one visit. A simpler single-flue stack on a 1950s Durrington semi needing repointing on the weather face alone might be £150–£300. We price per stack after inspecting it directly.
More Detail
The Full Picture on Worthing Chimney Care
A chimney is a small building perched on top of your roof, and it needs the same attention to weatherproofing that the roof itself gets — arguably more, because it is more exposed. Beyond the repointing of the brickwork joints, a complete chimney service in Worthing takes in the flaunching (the mortar fillet sealing the pots), the lead flashing and soakers where the stack meets the roof, the pots and any cowls or caps, and the general stability of the stack. A problem in any one of these lets water into the structure below.
Lead flashing failure is the most common route for water to enter around a Worthing chimney. The lead soakers and step flashing that seal the join between stack and roof slope are worked hard by the coastal weather, and on older properties the original lead may be thin (Code 3 or less) or simply worn out. When we repoint a stack we always check the flashing, and where it has failed we replace it in Code 4 lead as a minimum, dressed properly and finished with patination oil — not sealed over with mastic, which is a short-lived bodge.
Disused flues deserve a specific mention on Worthing's older housing. Many Victorian and Edwardian properties in Heene and Broadwater have chimneys serving fireplaces that are no longer used, and an uncapped disused flue is an open invitation to rain and nesting birds, leading to damp in the stack and the rooms below. A ventilated cowl or cap closes the flue to weather while still allowing the airflow that prevents condensation — a small, cheap addition that we fit as part of a repointing visit and that solves a surprising number of unexplained damp problems.
Pricing
Chimney Repointing Prices in Worthing (2026)
Chimney Repointing Prices in Worthing (2026)
Repointing (weather face)£150–£400
Full repoint (all faces)£300–£800+
Repoint in hydraulic lime+£80–£150
Flaunching renewal£150–£300
Cowl / cap fitted£100–£200
Full flaunching + repoint + cowlFrom £400
Chimney inspection£120–£160
Building Regulations and NFRC guidance require chimney repairs to maintain the weathertightness and structural stability of the stack; on pre-1919 masonry, lime mortar is specified because cement traps moisture and damages soft historic brick.
Source: NFRC / Building Regulations guidance
Prices are indicative 2026 ranges for Worthing at southern-England labour rates. Every job is quoted individually after a free survey. Call 01903 905 128.
Staining on the wall around the stack usually traces to failed flashing or perished flaunching letting water track down inside.
Cracked or missing pointing
Weathered mortar joints on an exposed Worthing stack let water into the brickwork, then into the rooms below.
Leaning pots or loose flaunching
The cement bed the pots sit in cracks and washes out over time, leaving pots loose — a safety risk in coastal gales.
Lead flashing lifting or split
The lead where the stack meets the roof is the single most common chimney leak point; old, thin or lifted lead needs renewing.
How We Work
Our Chimney Repairs Process in Worthing
Inspect stack & flashings
We assess the brickwork, pointing, flaunching, pots and the lead where the stack meets the roof to find the real leak path.
Rake out & re-point
Perished joints raked back and re-pointed with the correct mortar for a coastal, exposed stack.
Re-flaunch & secure pots
The mortar bed around the pots renewed so they sit solid, or pots removed and capped if the flue is redundant.
Renew leadwork
New Code 5 lead soakers, front apron and back gutter dressed in properly — the detail that stops most chimney leaks.
Weatherproof & finish
Optional breathable water-repellent to the brickwork, all debris cleared, work photographed and guaranteed.
Timescales
How Long Does Chimney Repairs Take?
Typical timescales for Worthing properties. Every roof differs — your written quote confirms the schedule for your job.
Timescale
Stage
What happens
1 day
Re-point & re-flaunch
Pointing and flaunching renewal on an accessible stack with tower or scaffold.
1–2 days
Flashing renewal
Stripping and renewing the full lead flashing set around the stack.
2–3 days
Rebuild above roofline
Taking down and rebuilding a spalled stack from the roofline up.
Same day
Removal & make-good
Removing a redundant stack and weathering the roof over, on a straightforward roof.
Access & Scaffold
Access for Chimney Repairs in Worthing
We plan safe access before we start and set it out in your written quote — you’ll never get a surprise scaffold charge on the day.
Chimney work almost always needs a scaffold or tower for safe, stable access to the stack — itemised in the quote.
Access is planned to reach all faces of the stack, including the roof-slope side for leadwork.
On terraced streets we coordinate scaffold with neighbours where the stack is shared or on a boundary.
We confirm the access method and cost before starting — never an add-on afterwards.
Guarantee
Our Worthing Chimney Repairs Guarantee
10yr
Workmanship guarantee
Pointing, flaunching and leadwork backed in writing against defects.
Code 5
Lead as standard
We use Code 5 lead to flashings and gutters — the right weight for coastal exposure.
Safety
Made secure
Loose pots and unstable stacks made safe — important on exposed Worthing roofs.
Local Conditions
Worthing Weather & What to Expect
Chimneys take more weather than any other part of a Worthing roof — they stand proud in the full force of the Channel wind and salt spray, so pointing, flaunching and lead fail here first. A leaning stack or loose pots is also a genuine safety risk in a coastal gale.
We use flexible modified mortar and Code 5 lead as standard, and won't point or flaunch in wet or freezing conditions, so the mortar cures hard and lasts.
Reviews
Chimney Repointing Reviews — Worthing
★★★★★
"Repointed our Victorian stack in Heene in lime mortar, not cement. They explained why it mattered for the old brick. Flaunching and a cowl done too."
Patricia K. · Heene BN11
★★★★★
"Seaward face of our chimney had blown out completely. Repointed and reflashed, and two winters on it is holding perfectly."
Robert H. · West Worthing BN11
★★★★★
"Straightforward repoint on our Durrington semi. Fair price, one visit, no mess left behind."
Graham T. · Durrington BN13
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Chimney repointing costs £150–£800+ per stack depending on how many faces need doing and the access. Repointing the weather face alone is £150–£400; a full repoint £300–£800+. Call 01903 905 128 for a free survey.
Lime. Pre-1930 Worthing stacks in Heene, Broadwater and Tarring were built with soft lime mortar and soft brick, and must be repointed in hydraulic lime. Cement is harder than the brick, traps moisture and causes the brick to spall.
Because it is the most exposed part of the roof. Worthing's south-westerly winds drive salt-laden rain onto the seaward face, and on elevated Salvington and Findon Valley the freeze-thaw cycling cracks rigid mortar quickly. The seaward face always fails first.
Flaunching is the mortar fillet that seals the base of the chimney pots and sheds rainwater off the stack top. Cracked or missing flaunching lets water into the stack and is a common Worthing finding. Renewal is £150–£300.
If a flue is disused, a cowl or cap stops rain and nesting birds getting in while still allowing ventilation to prevent damp. We fit cowls and caps from £100–£200 as part of a repointing visit.
Given the coastal exposure, we suggest a three-year inspection cycle rather than the standard five, particularly on seafront and elevated properties where the mortar weathers faster.
Repointing is one part of chimney repair, focused on the mortar joints, flaunching and capping. Larger work — rebuilding a leaning stack, major lead flashing renewal — falls under our full chimney repairs service. We will advise which you need.