Service
Chimney Flashing Cost (2026)
Chimney flashings are the four separate lead pieces that seal a stack to the tiles. Replacing a full set on a mid-terrace chimney is typically £420–£680; a front apron only is £180–£280. Cheaper 'flashband' repairs never last — insist on Code 4 or 5 lead.
- Front apron only: £180–£280
- Full set (apron, soakers, back gutter): £420–£680
- Add step flashing along side: £120–£220
- Code 4 lead standard, Code 5 on exposed stacks
- Chased 25mm into brick course, wedged & pointed
- Lifetime of properly-fitted lead: 60–80 years
The four pieces that make a flashing
A stack in the middle of a pitched roof needs four lead components: a front apron below, soakers stepped up each side, a back gutter behind, and stepped cover flashings over the soakers. Skip any of them and you have a leak within two winters.
- ▸Front apron — sheds water down the tiles below
- ▸Soakers — one per tile course up each side
- ▸Step flashing — laps over the soakers, chased into mortar
- ▸Back gutter — collects water flowing down the roof above
Why flashband is a false economy
Self-adhesive flashband tape costs £8 a roll and looks fine for a summer. It expands and contracts at a different rate to lead and brick, lifts at the edges, and by year two it's flapping. Every 'chimney leak' call-out we do involves peeling flashband off first.
What a proper job looks like on the day
Strip the old lead. Rake out the mortar joint 25mm deep along the chase line. Cut and dress new Code 4/5 lead over the tiles. Fold the top edge into the chase, wedge with lead wedges every 300mm, then point in a 3:1 sand-cement mortar. Total time on a standard chimney: 4–6 hours for two people.
FAQs
Do I need Code 4 or Code 5 lead?+
Code 4 (1.80mm) is the standard for domestic chimney flashings. Code 5 (2.24mm) is used on very exposed stacks or where longevity matters — listed buildings, tall Victorian stacks.
Can you flash around cement fibre tiles?+
Yes — same lead detail, but we use a bedding of butyl mastic under the apron because cement-fibre tiles are smoother than clay and give lead less to grip on.
Will my insurance cover flashing replacement?+
Only if a specific storm event caused sudden damage. Age-related failure isn't covered — it counts as maintenance.
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