Cost guide
How much does chimney sweeping cost?
Chimney sweeping costs £60 to £100 for a single open flue and £80 to £150 for a stove, which has to be partly dismantled to reach the flue. A CCTV inspection is £80 to £200 and nest removal £90 to £250.
Typical prices
Ranges, not quotes. A quote depends on the flue and the appliance sitting on it.
| Work | Typical UK price |
|---|---|
| Open fire, single flue | £60 to £100 |
| Wood burner or multi-fuel stove | £80 to £150 |
| Second flue, same visit | £40 to £70 |
| CCTV flue inspection | £80 to £200 |
| Nest removal and cowl fitted | £90 to £250 |
| Certificate | included |
Book in late summer. Sweeps are at their busiest from September, the price is the same in July, and a flue that turns out to need work is much easier to sort out before the weather turns.
What moves the price
- Open fire or stove. A stove needs the baffle and throat plates out and back, which is most of the extra time.
- How many flues. A second one at the same visit is always cheaper than a second visit.
- Access. A flue reachable only from the roof, or one that needs scaffolding, is a different job.
- Condition. A flue not swept in five years may need more than one pass.
- Birds. A nest is removal work and usually a cowl afterwards, and between March and August nesting birds are legally protected.
- Season. Autumn is the busy period everywhere and prices and waiting times both rise.
Who quotes for it
One of the 2,228 cleaning companies listed on this site takes on chimney sweeping.
The one that does is in Runcorn (1).
Questions about chimney sweeping
Can I sweep it myself?
You can, though a registered sweep also provides a certificate an insurer accepts, a draw test and a trained eye on the pot and flaunching.
Is a wood burner cleaner than an open fire?
It burns more efficiently, which means less soot and more creosote if it is run cool. A stove slumbered overnight lays deposits faster than an open fire does.