Hi there,
WOW! talk about apples and oranges.. 1] Your handyman's idea I would through it out the window. This normally don't work for to long. 2] You can toss that $6100.00 idea out as well. there is no need for you to be tearing down a chimney if you do not have to. If your brick and mortar joints are in good shape, leave it. 3] This sounds practical. All they should be doing is cutting into the mortar joints and remove / replace the old flashing. The fact that they are including a pan in on this deal is fine. If your mortar joints look a little tough, you can ask them how much it would be for re tucking. Since they are there and have everything set up, the cost will be minimal.
If you have any other questions, please let me know. I wish you the best.
Hi There,
You can install step flashing into existing chimneys. All step flashing is, is pieces of tin be it galvanize, lead or whatever that is sitting on the brick with mortar joint. The call this step because it is a step since the chimney is along side the roof, and the roof is at an angle and this tin goes between the roof and the chimney. I can not see why they can not install this while the chimney is intact.
As for the pan, all that is the same as the step flashing except it overlays everything instead of contouring to your roof. I enclosed a picture, is you chimney like this one with the pan going around it. Set for comparison and that is it. let me know if this is close to what you have now.
Yes it can be. The pan flashing just like the step flashing is between the brick and in the mortar joints. The mortar joints can be removed one side at a time and new replacement flashing installed. We do it all the time. If the Contractors do not want to do it ask your handyman. Sometimes contractors will want to work in more work for a job to make worth their while. Please note this is not what I am saying about these contractors. It seems to happen more often if work in the area is slow. Again I am not saying this is what they are doing. This site is to help you the home owner in an unbias option. Giving you the heads up so you will not be taken at the bank.
Do Note: If your mortar joint on your chimney is bad, this may be a good time to take care of it. More often than not you can reuse your brick. This decision has to be yours. I wish you the best.
Handyman
25 yrs in home repair/building - 10 yr in live theatre set design/building