Brick Chimneys and Fireplaces
Tuscaloosa Demolition Pros: Chimney Removal in Tuscaloosa, AL
A leaning, leaking or fire-damaged chimney taken down in a planned order, the roof closed up and the brick hauled away, priced in writing first.
- Tuscaloosa, Northport and towns within 20 miles
- Licensed, insured local contractors
- Houses, mobile homes, garages and pools
- Written price before work starts
- Debris hauled and the lot graded
Tuscaloosa Demolition Pros connects Tuscaloosa homeowners with local contractors who take down brick chimneys and fireplaces, whether the stack is leaning off the wall, cracked after a storm, or still standing beside a house that burned. This page covers chimney removal in Tuscaloosa and the towns around it: what the work costs, the difference between a partial and a complete removal, and the permit and historic-district questions to settle before the first brick comes off.
Taking a cracked chimney down to below the roof line costs $500 to $2,500 in HomeGuide's cost guide, while waiting until the firebox and footing have to come out with it puts the job at $3,000 to $6,000.
When Chimney Removal Makes Sense in Tuscaloosa
Most chimney calls around Tuscaloosa are about a brick stack that no longer does any work and has become the leakiest spot on the roof. Others are pulling away from the siding, shedding mortar near the crown, or left standing after a fire took the rooms around them. A chimney that vents nothing can often come down to below the roof line and be closed over. One with a cracked firebox or a settling footing usually has to go all the way to the ground, and the contractor who quotes your job looks at both ends before writing a number.
What Chimney Removal Costs and Why Quotes Differ
$3,000 to $6,000
A complete fireplace and chimney removal, from HomeGuide's 2026 cost guide, How Much Does It Cost to Demolish a House? The same guide prices a partial removal, above or below the roof line, at $500 to $2,500.
HomeGuide splits this into two jobs. Removing the stack above or below the roof line runs $500 to $2,500; removing the complete fireplace and chimney runs $3,000 to $6,000. Inside each range, the height of the stack, how close it stands to a neighbor's house or the power line, and whether scaffolding is needed move the price. A full removal also leaves an opening in the roof, a gap in the wall and a footing in the crawlspace or slab. Ask whether patching the roof, framing the wall, pulling the footing and hauling the brick are all in the written price or quoted as extras.
How a Brick Chimney Comes Down Without Damaging the House
A chimney beside a standing house is usually taken apart from the top down, a few courses at a time, so the brick drops where it is aimed instead of across the shingles. Before that starts, any gas log line is shut off and capped, and the contractor checks that no furnace or water heater still vents through the flue. For a complete removal the hearth and firebox come out next, and the footing is broken up, with a skid steer if one can reach it. The rest of the brick goes into a roll-off.
Chimney Removal Permits and Historic Districts in Tuscaloosa
The City of Tuscaloosa requires permits for all new construction, demolitions, remodel and alterations; the residential demolition permit fee is $21, and starting before the permit doubles it. The Building and Inspection Division (205-248-5110) can tell you which permit covers a chimney. In one of the City's historic districts, such as Pinehurst Drive, Dearing Place or Eighth Street, demolition needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission under Sec. 20-15.29, and no permit issues there without written notice to the Commission first.
Across the river, chimney removal near Northport falls under zoning section 12.06.01, which bars demolition of any structure until the Building Official issues a building permit. Northport runs its own gas service, so a gas log line there is shut off through the City of Northport; in the rest of Tuscaloosa County, Spire Alabama is the gas utility.
Signs a Chimney Should Come Down
- The chimney leans or has pulled away from the siding
- Bricks and mortar keep turning up in the gutters or the yard
- Ceiling stains around the chimney after every hard rain
- The fireplace has not been lit in years and the flue is sealed
- Fire or a falling limb cracked the stack or the firebox
- A roofer wants it dealt with before putting on a new roof
Get a Chimney Removal Price in Tuscaloosa
Tell us how tall the chimney stands and what is wrong with it, and a local contractor calls back with a written price.
Call (205) 590-9261Chimney Removal Available In
Frequently Asked Questions
Chimney Removal Questions From Tuscaloosa Owners
How much does it cost to remove a chimney in Tuscaloosa?
HomeGuide's 2026 cost guide puts a complete fireplace and chimney removal at $3,000 to $6,000, and a partial removal above or below the roof line at $500 to $2,500. Height, access, the roof patch and hauling decide where a Tuscaloosa job lands.
What are the signs a chimney needs removing rather than repairing?
A stack that leans or separates from the wall, loose brick at the crown, a cracked firebox, leaks around the chimney that keep coming back, or damage from a fire or storm. A mason can say whether repointing is enough; the demolition contractor prices the other option.
Do I need a permit to take down a chimney in Tuscaloosa?
Plan on one. The City of Tuscaloosa requires permits for demolitions, remodel and alterations. Call the Building and Inspection Division at 205-248-5110 to confirm which permit fits your chimney, and a house in a historic district also needs a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Historic Preservation Commission.
Can I remove only the part of the chimney above the roof?
Yes. A partial removal takes the stack down below the roof line and the roof is closed over the opening. It is the cheaper job and it suits a chimney that no longer vents anything. Ask the contractor to look at the firebox and footing before you choose.
What happens to the old brick after the chimney comes down?
ADEM does not treat clean brick as regulated solid waste, so it can go to a recycler; mixed debris goes to a permitted landfill such as the Black Warrior Solid Waste Disposal Facility near Coker. Say so before work starts if you want brick kept, and ask whether tipping fees are in the price.