Chimney repairs in Bootle, L20, are mostly on Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses with brick stacks shared between neighbours. Water getting in at the flashing, crumbling pointing and loose pots are the usual faults, and a stack that has been neglected can start dropping masonry. We inspect, explain the cause and options with photos, then quote in writing.
Chimneys along a Bootle terrace
Walk along almost any terraced street in Bootle and the stacks march along the rooftops at regular intervals, each one shared by two houses. That shared arrangement shapes every repair. The masonry is common to both homes, and a leak can show up on either side, or both. When one household has its half repaired and the other does not, the stack may keep letting water in.
Because of this, we always ask whether the stack is shared and whether your neighbour knows about the problem. The simplest repairs are those where both households agree to fix the whole stack at once.
When masonry starts to fall
A stack that has been left for many years can reach the point where bricks and lumps of mortar fall into the street, the yard or the gutter. That is a safety issue, not just a maintenance one.
If anything has fallen from your chimney, keep people well clear of the area below, do not climb up to look, and call us. Where the pavement is at risk, you may also want to tell the council.
Making the stack safe may mean taking down the loose top courses first. After that, the choice is usually between a chimney rebuild and, if no flues are needed, removing the stack below the roofline. On a shared stack either option needs your neighbour on board, and the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 may apply.
Regular repairs we carry out in L20
- Replacing failed lead and cement fillets with new lead flashing.
- Raking out and repointing stacks where joints have eroded.
- Renewing flaunching and rebedding or replacing pots.
- Capping disused flues with a vented cap so they stay dry.
- Clearing and re-lining back gutters behind stacks on the slope.
Landlords and tenants
Bootle has many rented homes. If you are a tenant, report chimney damp or falling masonry to your landlord or housing provider. If you are a private landlord, we can send quotes and photos directly to you or your agent, and arrange access with your tenant.
A simple process
We start with a phone call to understand what you have seen. Then we inspect, from the street, a ladder or a drone where that is suitable, and send a written quote with photos. Access is set up safely, the repair is done, and you see photos of the result. For an idea of what affects the price before we visit, our chimney repair cost guide explains the main factors.
Areas around Bootle
We work in Walton to the east and up the coast to Waterloo and Crosby. Find out more about our chimney repairs in Liverpool and Sefton, or see the full range of our chimney repair services on the homepage.
Chimney problems in Bootle?
Call 07777 659786. Tell us if the stack is shared and what you can see, and we will call you back.
Frequently asked questions
Bricks fell from my chimney into the street. What should I do?
Keep people away from the area below, and if the pavement is affected consider letting Sefton Council know. Do not go up to look. Call us and we will advise on the next step, which may include making the stack safe before a full repair.
Is the council responsible for my chimney?
For a privately owned or privately rented house, no. The chimney belongs to the property, so the owner or landlord is responsible. If you rent from a housing association, report it to them.
Does sea air affect chimneys in Bootle?
Bootle is close to the Mersey estuary and can catch wind and driving rain off the water, which is hard on exposed brickwork and lead. Conditions vary from street to street, so we judge each stack on its condition.
Can a whole row of neighbours get their chimneys done together?
Yes, and it can make sense where stacks are shared along a terrace. Coordinating scaffold for several houses at once is often practical. Each household would get its own quote for its share of the work.