Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost - Camera Evidence Before Any Quote

Every visit starts with

Level 1 sweep and inspection to the NFPA 211 annual standard - flue, crown, cap, and flashing checked and photographed

Worth knowing

Chimney sweep logs do not sweep chimneys. They loosen some creosote - which then falls where a brush and vacuum still have to collect it.

Styles & brands we work with

‹

›

Before & after – our own jobs

‹

BeforeAfter

BeforeAfter

BeforeAfter

›

How Much Does Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost in Arlington Heights?

Chimney liner installation in Arlington Heights, IL typically runs $2,400 to $5,800 depending on flue height, liner material, and whether any masonry repair is needed at the same time. A full chimney rebuild – tearing down and relaying courses of deteriorated brick from the roofline up – adds $3,500 to $9,500 on top of liner work, or can be quoted as a combined project. At Level Two Chimney Co., we put a written price in front of you before anyone touches your chimney – that’s not a sales pitch, it’s how we’ve operated since 2009.

Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost Breakdown (2026)

Liner costs in Arlington Heights split cleanly by material and method. Stainless steel flex liner – the most common solution for gas appliances and older wood-burning fireplaces – covers most jobs in this market. HeatShield resurfacing works when the existing tile liner is structurally sound but has mortar joint failure; it costs less because there’s no new liner to install. Cast-in-place liner systems run higher because labor is more intensive. Here are the ranges we see on actual jobs in this area in 2026:

What moves a job toward the higher end of any of those ranges: flue height above 25 feet (common on the two-story brick colonials throughout the Scarsdale and Country Club neighborhoods), a second-story interior access chase, or deterioration that wasn’t visible until the camera went down. That’s exactly why Level Two runs a camera-scan NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection before quoting – not after. A written price based on a flashlight look is a guess. A written price based on documented camera footage is a number you can actually plan around.

Materials sourced from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, Olympia Chimney, Famco, and Copperfield come through Haven’s buying network, which keeps material costs from inflating at the retail markup most contractors pass straight through to the homeowner.

What Affects Chimney Liner & Rebuild Pricing in Arlington Heights

• Flue height and chimney configuration. Most ranch-style homes in south Arlington Heights have flue runs of 14 to 18 feet. The larger two-story colonials along Dunton Avenue and near the downtown Metra corridor regularly have 22-to-28-foot flues, which increases both material cost and labor time. Taller flues take more liner footage, heavier insulation, and more time to anchor properly.
• Liner material and appliance type. A gas insert liner in a lighter alloy costs less than a wood-burning liner that has to handle continuous high temps. If you converted from a wood-burning fireplace to a gas insert at some point – something we see often in homes built in the 1970s and 1980s in Arlington Heights – the existing liner may be the wrong diameter or alloy entirely, and re-lining is the right move rather than relying on the old tile.
• Condition of existing tile liner. Tile liners in Arlington Heights homes from the 1960s and 1970s typically show mortar joint failure by now – that’s a combination of age, the freeze-thaw cycles we get through January and February, and decades of thermal expansion. If the tiles themselves are intact, HeatShield resurfacing is the cost-efficient fix. If tiles are cracked or collapsed, they need to come out before a new liner goes in, which adds labor.
• Extent of masonry deterioration. Spalling brick (where the face of the brick flakes off after water penetrates and then freezes) on the above-roofline section is extremely common in this market. Arlington Heights gets significant freeze-thaw cycling, and chimneys built before 1990 were often laid with softer brick that absorbs more moisture. A partial rebuild of three or four courses runs $1,800 to $3,500. If deterioration extends further down the stack, cost climbs proportionally.
• Access and roofline complexity. A standard gabled roof with safe ladder access is the baseline. Steep-pitch roofs, slate or tile roofing, or chimneys set in a difficult dormer position require additional staging time and sometimes equipment. This is also where we want to be direct: work at elevation on a deteriorated chimney stack carries real injury risk. Our uniformed, background-checked technicians are trained for this specific work – it’s not a job to DIY or hand to a general handyman.
• Permit requirements in Arlington Heights. Cook County and the Village of Arlington Heights require permits for structural chimney rebuilds and in some cases for liner replacement tied to appliance changes. Permit fees typically run $85 to $250 depending on scope. We pull permits when required – if a contractor tells you no permit is needed for a full rebuild, ask them to put that in writing.

Before

After

How to Save on Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Arlington Heights

The single most effective way to avoid overpaying is to understand what you actually need before you agree to anything. A liner job that gets upsold into a full rebuild because the tech found “damage” during a flashlight inspection is one of the more common complaints we hear from homeowners in Arlington Heights who come to us for a second opinion. The camera tells the story. If we can’t show you footage of the damage, you shouldn’t be paying to fix it.

Get a second opinion on any written estimate. Level Two offers a free second opinion on any written quote from another company. Bring us the paperwork – we’ll camera-scan the flue, compare their findings to what we see, and give you a written price. No obligation. If their quote is accurate and fair, we’ll tell you that too. We’ve been doing this since 2009 and our reputation is built on straight assessments, not on selling work that doesn’t need doing.

Bundle liner and masonry work when both are needed. Scheduling a liner install and a partial rebuild as a single visit typically saves $600 to $1,200 compared to two separate mobilizations. If the camera shows both issues, we’ll scope them together from the start.

Address crown and cap issues early. A cracked chimney crown (the concrete or mortar slab at the very top of the chase) is the most common entry point for water that leads to liner and masonry damage. A crown repair runs $250 to $600. Ignoring it and coming back two winters later for a rebuild and new liner costs significantly more. We see this pattern regularly in older homes in the Ivy Hill and Thomas subdivisions.

Don’t skip the Level 2 inspection before buying or selling. Arlington Heights real estate moves fast, and buyers who waive chimney inspections sometimes inherit liners that have been documented as failed by the previous owner’s insurance company. A full NFPA 211 Level 2 camera inspection with a written report – including all photos – runs $150 to $250 and gives you documented proof of condition either way.

Compare written quotes, not verbal ones. Under Haven Standard Clause 1, we give you a written price, written scope, and written warranty before any work starts. If you’re comparing us to another company and they haven’t put a number on paper yet, the comparison isn’t complete. Call (331) 202-2419 and we’ll schedule a camera inspection and give you a written quote on the same visit.

Local Context: What We See in Arlington Heights Chimneys

Arlington Heights has a housing stock that tells its own story on camera. The bulk of the single-family homes in this market were built between 1955 and 1985, and a very large number of them have original clay tile flue liners. Forty-plus years of wood fires, gas conversions, and Illinois winters are not kind to tile liner mortar joints. We find mortar joint failure – gaps where the joints between tile sections have eroded – on a significant share of the Level 2 inspections we run in neighborhoods like Westgate, Camelot, and Heritage Oaks.

The other issue specific to this market is freeze-thaw damage to above-roofline masonry. Arlington Heights typically sees 20 to 35 freeze-thaw cycles per winter season – temperatures crossing 32 degrees in both directions. Water that has soaked into older soft brick or deteriorated mortar expands when it freezes, and the result over years is spalling: the face of the brick separates and falls away. By the time it’s visible from the ground, the damage has usually been progressing for several seasons. A camera inspection documents exactly how far it’s gone.

Gas appliance conversions are also a recurring factor. Many Arlington Heights homeowners converted wood-burning fireplaces to gas logs or inserts in the 1990s and 2000s without re-lining the flue. A wood-burning flue is typically 8×12 or 13×13 inches at the tile; a gas insert may need a 4- or 6-inch round liner. Running a gas appliance through an oversized clay tile flue designed for wood creates condensation, which accelerates liner deterioration. The fix is a properly sized stainless liner – and the written documentation that the liner matches the appliance, which matters for insurance purposes.

All of this is why the Chimney Liner & Rebuild in Arlington Heights service we provide starts with camera documentation. The photo record, delivered to you at job completion under Clause 4 of the Haven Standard, is the proof of what was there and what was done. You’re not taking our word for it.

FAQs – Chimney Liner & Rebuild Cost in Arlington Heights

How much does chimney liner installation cost in Arlington Heights, IL?

Chimney liner installation in Arlington Heights runs $2,400 to $5,800 for most residential jobs in 2026. Stainless flex liner for a gas appliance is typically at the lower end ($2,400-$3,800); a wood-burning liner with insulation sleeve or a cast-in-place system runs higher. The final number depends on flue height, liner diameter, and the condition of the existing flue. Call (331) 202-2419 and we’ll run a camera inspection and give you a written price on the same visit – no charge for the estimate.

How much does a full chimney rebuild cost in Arlington Heights?

A full chimney rebuild – tearing down and relaying the masonry from the roofline to the crown – costs $5,500 to $9,500 in the Arlington Heights market. Partial rebuilds of two to four deteriorated courses above the roofline run $1,800 to $3,500. If you’re also adding a new liner on the same project, the combined scope typically runs $7,200 to $14,800 and is almost always more cost-efficient than scheduling our Chimney Liner & Rebuild services separately. Call (331) 202-2419 for a written estimate on the scope you actually need.

Is it cheaper to reline or rebuild?

Relining is almost always cheaper than rebuilding – stainless flex liner installation runs $2,400 to $4,600 versus $5,500 to $9,500 for a full masonry rebuild. The two jobs address different problems: a liner failure (cracked tile, eroded mortar joints, wrong size for the appliance) is a flue-interior issue; a rebuild addresses structural masonry deterioration on the exterior stack. Some chimneys in Arlington Heights need both, particularly homes built before 1980. The camera tells you which one – or both – actually applies to your chimney. Call (331) 202-2419 and we’ll document the finding in writing before quoting anything.

How do I know if my chimney liner needs replacing?

The only way to confirm liner condition is a camera-scan NFPA 211 Level 2 inspection – not a flashlight look from the firebox, not a visual from the roofline. Signs that often prompt the inspection include visible white staining (efflorescence) on exterior brick, a fireplace that smokes into the room, a strong odor when the appliance is off, or an insurance company flagging the liner on a home inspection report. In Arlington Heights homes built before 1985, we find liner issues on a high share of first-time Level 2 inspections simply because the liners have never been camera-documented and the mortar joints have had 40-plus years to erode. Level Two’s inspection runs $150 to $250 and includes a full photo record.

Can you do chimney liner or rebuild work the same week you inspect in Arlington Heights?

Yes, in most cases. If the camera inspection confirms work is needed and the scope is clear, we can typically schedule liner installation within the same week in the Arlington Heights area. Full masonry rebuilds that require material staging or permits may take one to two weeks to mobilize depending on permit timing and material availability. We assign a named technician to your job and send a text when they’re on the way. Call (331) 202-2419 to check current scheduling – our phones are answered live, any day, any hour.

Does Level Two offer a warranty on liner and rebuild work in Arlington Heights?

Every job comes with a written warranty delivered before work begins – that’s Haven Standard Clause 1, and it’s not negotiable. Beyond the product warranties on materials from DuraFlex, HeatShield, Gelco, and Olympia Chimney, every job is backed by the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if it’s not done right, we come back and make it right. The written warranty spells out exactly what’s covered and for how long, in plain language, signed before anyone starts. You’ll also receive a documented photo record at completion under Haven Standard Clause 4 – which means you have proof of condition both before and after the work.

Do I need a permit for chimney liner or rebuild work in Arlington Heights?

Permits are required for structural chimney rebuilds in Arlington Heights and, in many cases, for liner work tied to appliance changes or new gas line connections. Village of Arlington Heights permit fees for this type of work typically run $85 to $250 depending on project scope. We pull the permits that are required on every job – and if a contractor quotes you a rebuild without mentioning permits, ask them to put in writing that no permit is needed. A rebuild done without required permits creates liability issues when you sell the home or file an insurance claim.

Key Takeaways

• Chimney liner installation in Arlington Heights costs $2,400 to $5,800 for most residential jobs in 2026.
• Full chimney rebuilds run $5,500 to $9,500; partial above-roofline rebuilds cost $1,800 to $3,500.
• Combined liner-plus-rebuild projects typically run $7,200 to $14,800 and save $600 to $1,200 vs. separate visits.
• The biggest cost driver in Arlington Heights is flue height – two-story homes with 22-to-28-foot flues cost more in both material and labor.
• Freeze-thaw damage to above-roofline masonry and mortar joint failure in 1960s-1980s tile liners are the two most common issues we document in this market.
• A written price, written scope, and written warranty come before any work starts – that’s non-negotiable at Level Two under Haven Standard Clause 1.
• Every visit includes a camera-scan inspection and documented photo record under Haven Standard Clause 4.
• Level Two offers a free second opinion on any written estimate from another company.
• The 365-Day Done Right Promise backs every job in Arlington Heights.

Get a Written Price Before Any Work Starts

If your chimney in Arlington Heights needs a new liner, a partial rebuild, or both, the starting point is a camera-scan inspection with a written quote on the same visit. Level Two Chimney Co. has documented more than 38,000 chimneys across the Chicagoland area since 2009. Corrine Halstead and the Level Two team work to the NFPA 211 Level 2 standard on every inspection – camera down the flue, photo record delivered to you, written price before anyone picks up a tool. There’s no upselling from a flashlight look, no verbal estimates that somehow grow when the crew arrives.

Visit our home to see the full range of services, or call (331) 202-2419 to schedule a camera inspection and written estimate. Live answer, any time. No voicemail, no web form, no waiting. The estimate is free and the price you get in writing is the price you pay.

Written by Corrine Halstead, Owner at Level Two Chimney Co., serving Arlington Heights, IL since 2009.

Pricing reflects the Arlington Heights market as of 2026. Level Two Chimney Arlington Heights offers free estimates – call (331) 202-2419.