Chimney liner install pricing

I got some pricing for pulling my gas insert and liners, and installing the new liner for my woodstove. I have no problem with paying a fair price, so I'm just looking for a nod from the pro's here on this being a fair price. I'm in southeastern PA.

Mantel shield: $50 x 2 for my 48" wide wood lintel
chimney liner (6" x 25'): $520
quick connector (6"): $65
liner cap (screen / no wind guard): $65
standard top plate: $65
insulation kit: $389
6" spark arrestor: $0
labor: $899
remove gas insert: $150
level 2 inspection: $300
=================
TOTAL: $2553

I may pull the gas insert myself to save that $150, so just wanting to be sure everything else looks fair. It's certainly more than I've paid for any other chimney liner, but this is the first insulated liner I've done (old chimney is stone with no clay liner, so they want to do an insulated liner), and the insulation adds $400. The level 2 inspection is because it's a 240 year old chimney, and this company had a house fire in a similarly old chimney last year, due to unknown combustables running thru the chimney.

Thanks!

Yep. I guess their "level 1" is to stick their head in from both ends and look around, or perhaps use a mirror to see farther into the chimney. "Level 2" is to lower a camera down into the chimney and look for any potential problems. After their fire last year in a similarly old home, they're pretty adamant about doing this inspection. They actually bring in an outside inspections company for this part of the job, perhaps to distribute or defer the liability.

mellow said:

Just food for thought, I was charged $150 to send a camera down mine. It is a very good thing to do and sometimes they can even give you the video of it if your into that sort of thing.

I did the camera for peace of mind, then installed an insulated liner myself.

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Good to know. I think the camera work might be more expensive in this case because they have to get WAY up there (cannot reach this chimney with a 40' ladder), and they're calling out a separate company to do it, not the same company that's doing the rest of the work. I hate paying for stuff like that like I hate paying for insurance, but I think it would be foolish to skip it if there's any concern about the chimney construction, so I'll be going thru with it. $300 is mighty cheap insurance when it comes to the possibility of a fire.

clemsonfor said:

BUT the whole point of a liner it to eliminate any old or suspect chiney as well as to allow your device to function properly?

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According to more than one local chimney sweep, they have found wood running right THRU some very old chimneys in this area. This particular stove shop had a customer with a serious fire last year, due to exactly this problem. They peered in from above and below before installing the liner, and did not see anything of concern, but that's apparently because the wood was charred completely black and was not easy to identify mid-chimney. In any case, the liner was up against it, and about a year after the install, finally got hot enough to set fire.'

Again... a very unlikely scenario, but $300 for the camera work is very cheap insurance to this owner of a 240 year old house.

Well, this is interesting. My liner install price just went way up. My chimney is approximately 40 feet, and the internal flue is 18" x 18". No problems there. However (PROBLEM!), it necks down to 9" x 9" at the top, and the interior is completely WOOD in this area! That's right, folks... they necked an 18" x 18" masonry flue down to 9" x 9" with wood timbers, at mid-attic height. The exterior of the chimney is all masonry, but tapers from approximately 8' x 6' external down to 5' x 3' external at this point. The upper part of the masonry stack is supported by wood timbers inside the chimney.

Who was saying the camera inspection was a waste of time?

Good question. The inspector has to talk with the installer (two separate companies), and do a little brainstorming. The inspector said the full code fix would be to remove the upper 10 feet of masonry stack, which takes you down into the attic thru a metal roof, and into an exterior stucco over stone wall, remove the timbers, build a new stack with new flue, and repair the raised seam metal roof to suit. All more than 40' off the ground, at a cost of perhaps more than $20,000. He's confident they can find a safe and much less costly solution, although he anticipates it will not be code, and will require the granting of a code variance. I think he'll be talking with the installer in the next day or two to kick around some options.

mellow said:

If you are talking that much money you should look into Supaflu: http://www.supaflu.com/ .

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Perhaps an option, although considering it is wood timbers that necks the flue down from 18" to 9", I imagine even a cast lining might be a problem. After all, it cannot be thicker than 1.5" if reducing 9" to 6", and it would be cast right on the wood. Perhaps fine while in good shape, but likely due to crack as the wood exhibits seasonal movement year to year.

One idea the inspector tossed out in our quick conversation at the conclusion of the inspection was possible double-insulating a stainless liner, with two layers of fiberglass and foil insulation. However, he's an inspector and not the installer, and the installer may have other ideas.

Good idea. I'll put them on my call list for tomorrow. Thanks!