What an inspection should cover, and why yours costs nothing

How much is a chimney inspection when a company charges?

Inspection prices can describe different scopes. Access, the number of appliances and the reason for the assessment all matter. Before comparing fees, ask which areas are included and what limitations or further evaluation may apply. A low or high fee alone does not establish completeness.

Before comparing inspection fees, ask what is included and when additional evaluation may be proposed. Roof access, the number of appliances and a transaction-specific request can affect scope. A written description of the visit helps distinguish different services without assuming that price alone reflects completeness.

None of that tells you whether the inspection is any good. The value of an inspection lies in what it finds and how clearly it explains it.

So before you compare prices, compare checklists. Ask what each company looks at, whether someone goes on the roof, whether the attic is included, and what you get at the end. A cheap inspection that skips the top of the chimney can miss the very problems that cost the most later.

A yearly check, or a deeper look for a sale

Our inspection and written estimate are free. Discuss the reason for the visit when booking, particularly after damage or when a sale or another party requests a particular assessment. A free visit is not a promise that every specialist evaluation or opening of concealed construction is included.

A home sale, suspected chimney fire, severe storm or appliance change can call for a different assessment scope. Explain the reason for the visit and any requirements from the buyer or other party when booking, including whether further access or specialist work may be needed.

Knowing which one fits keeps you from paying for more than you need, or getting less than the situation calls for.

What our free inspection covers

Inspection scope depends on the system, access and reason for the visit. The following are potential areas of attention, not a guarantee that every surface can be reached or every hidden condition ruled out. Ask what further evaluation may be needed.

• The top: the cap, the crown and the top of the flue liner, from the roof when it's safe to be up there.
• The outside walls: brick, mortar joints and signs of water, from the roof and the ground.
• The roof joint: flashing on all four sides, plus a cricket where the chimney is wide.
• Accessible attic areas near the chimney, where safe access permits observation of staining, framing and visible clearances.
• The fireplace: the firebox, the hearth, the damper and the smoke chamber.
• The flue: deposits, liner condition and anything blocking it, as far as can be seen.
• Accessible gas or factory-built components within the agreed inspection scope, with model instructions used for any further service.

Fireplace inspection cost for gas and factory-built units

Gas fireplaces and factory-built wood fireplaces have their own checklists, and some companies charge more to inspect them. The manual for the unit sets out what to look at: the burner, the pilot, the venting and the glass on a gas unit, and the refractory panels, doors and listed chimney pipe on a factory-built wood unit.

Our pros read the rating plate, check the unit against its manual and tell you what's in good shape and what isn't. The fireplace inspection cost on those units is the same as on a brick chimney with us, which is nothing.

Have the manual and model information available if you can obtain them safely. They help identify the appliance and relevant instructions. They do not guarantee that discontinued documentation or replacement parts will be available at the first visit.

Why we don't charge for the look

It's a fair question. Our business is fixing chimneys and fireplaces, and we'd rather you see exactly what's going on before you spend anything than pay for a visit and then pay again. A free look means you call when something seems off instead of waiting until it's a bigger problem.

That only works if the inspection is real work. So our pros show you what they find, explain what's urgent and what can be planned for later, and quote any repair before you decide. There's no pressure to decide that day, and if nothing needs doing, you'll hear that on the spot.

Chimney inspection price against the repair price

When an inspection is free, the number that matters is the repair it recommends. Compare repair quotes by what they say failed and how they propose to fix it, rather than by the total alone. A lower quote for a patch and a higher quote for a replacement are pricing different diagnoses.

If two companies disagree about what's wrong, ask each to show you. A good inspector is glad to point to the crack, the gap or the rust behind a recommendation. If someone can't show you the problem, that's worth noticing before you sign anything.

When to book one

Arrange annual professional attention and additional assessment after suspected damage, a chimney fire or a long period of disuse. A sale or another third-party request may call for a particular scope, so establish those requirements when booking. No visit can guarantee that another party will have no further questions.

If you're seeing a stain, a smell or smoke that doesn't go where it should, don't wait for the yearly visit. Those are exactly the calls a free inspection is for.

Reserve a free look from our pros

Confirm the purpose and scope of your visit when booking. Our inspection and written estimate are free. Additional access or specialist evaluation should be identified separately, so you can understand the next step before authorizing work. First service qualifies for 10% off. Discuss chimney inspection at (352) 675-6366.