Chimney Tear Down and Rebuild

This chimney in Pound Ridge, NY was a complete tear-down and rebuild—and for good reason.
This 27-foot brick chimney was leaning approximately 3 inches away from the home at the top and had developed a major vertical split down the center. During our initial inspection, simply putting our hands on the chimney for stability caused it to sway significantly. Needless to say, this one needed to come down.
But the homeowner had one important request: she didn’t want to lose the charm and character of her existing fireplace.
That created a unique challenge. We carefully dismantled the chimney and exterior masonry surrounding the firebox, taking every precaution to preserve the original fireplace.
Once the chimney was removed, we uncovered an even bigger problem—the existing chimney/fireplace was supported by a footing only about 18 inches deep, nowhere near the frost line, and bearing on non-load-bearing soil.
Before rebuilding, we stabilized the existing firebox and underpinned the structure 48 inches below grade. We installed a reinforced rebar cage, doweled it into the existing structure, and poured approximately 2 cubic yards of new concrete footing to create a proper, solid foundation.
With the foundation properly stabilized, we were able to rebuild the chimney from the ground up—creating a structure designed to meet modern standards and provide the strength and longevity this home deserves.
Projects like this are exactly why we love what we do. It takes experience, careful planning, and craftsmanship to solve problems that aren’t always visible until the work begins.