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. Every sweep in the country is busy 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 a property with scaffolding needs, 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.
Questions about chimney sweeping
Can I sweep it myself?
You can, and it will not produce a certificate an insurer accepts, nor a draw test, nor somebody who will notice the cracked 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.