Chimney rebuilding in brief
A chimney rebuild means taking down the damaged part of a masonry chimney and laying it back up with new brick or stone and fresh mortar. Sometimes that is only the section above the roofline, and sometimes it goes lower. The job normally includes chimney crown rebuilding, because a new top course needs a new crown. It also includes resealing the joint where the chimney meets the roof. Our chimney rebuild service covers the full process, from teardown to the finished cap.
What Village records mean for a chimney rebuild in Downers Grove
Over-scaled chimneys and decorative chimney pots
A 2024 Village of Downers Grove report on a historic landmark designation (RES 2024-10418) describes the local English Country Revival style, typically built between 1920 and 1940, as including over-scaled chimneys and decorative chimney pots. (Source: Village of Downers Grove, Report for the Village Council, RES 2024-10418: Historic Landmark Designation.)
On a house in this style, the chimney is one of the features that defines the house. A rebuild should bring back the same height, width and profile. A slimmer, plainer stack would change how the whole house looks. The pots need their own plan. They are removed before teardown, checked for cracks and reset on the new crown.
Before rebuilding a statement chimney
- Photograph every face of the chimney and record its height, width and any corbeling or decorative courses
- Note the brick size, color and bond pattern so replacement brick can be matched
- Match the mortar color and joint style to the original
- Count and photograph the chimney pots, then check each one for cracks before removal
- Plan a crown shape that seats the pots securely and sheds water away from them
Certificate of appropriateness for landmark and historic-district homes
Downers Grove's Historic Preservation Ordinance amendment (ORD 2015-6571, Village Council report 12/15/2015) requires a Certificate of Appropriateness before permit-requiring alteration, demolition or repair affecting the primary facade of a designated landmark or historic-district building. (Source: Village of Downers Grove, ORD 2015-6571 Amendment to Historic Preservation Ordinance.)
This rule covers designated landmarks and buildings in a historic district, not every home in the village. If your home is designated, the main effect is on timing. The certificate comes before the work, so plan for it before setting a rebuild date. Two questions belong to the Village: whether your particular job needs a permit, and whether your chimney counts as part of the primary facade. Ask both early.
Sequencing a rebuild on a designated home
Confirm the designation
Find out whether your home is a designated landmark or sits in a historic district.
Look at where the chimney sits
Note whether the chimney is on or visible from the primary facade, and raise that question with the Village.
Get a written estimate
A written estimate that lays out the scope, materials and how the existing look will be matched is useful when you discuss the project with the Village.
Schedule after approval
Set the rebuild date once any required certificate and permit are in hand.
Rebuild or a smaller repair?
A rebuild fits when the structure itself has failed. Signs include a visible lean, bricks that are loose through the full thickness, cracks running through the brick rather than just the mortar, or top courses that have broken apart. If that sounds like your chimney, start with the common signs of a leaning or damaged chimney. If the damage is narrower, a smaller job often does the work:
- Worn or missing mortar between otherwise solid bricks usually calls for tuckpointing, not a teardown.
- A cracked crown on a sound chimney can often be repaired or replaced on its own.
- Water staining near the roofline often traces to flashing, and the fix is resealing or replacing it.
- Brick that absorbs water but is still solid may only need waterproofing.
If the chimney is visibly leaning
Stop using the fireplace or any appliance vented through it, and keep people and vehicles away from the side it leans toward until it has been inspected.
Planning other fireplace work at the same time
If a new fireplace is on your list too, our fireplace installation in Downers Grove can be planned alongside the rebuild so both jobs fit together.
Getting an estimate
Estimates are free. To learn more before you call, read how chimney rebuild works, or browse everything else we do in Downers Grove. When you are ready, get in touch to request an estimate.
Sources (2)
The sources of the Downers Grove facts on this page.
- 1Village of Downers Grove - Report for the Village Council, RES 2024-10418: Historic Landmark Designation
- 2Village of Downers Grove - ORD 2015-6571 Amendment to Historic Preservation Ordinance
