Your chimney sweep has shown you cracks inside the flue, and now you have a relining quote to think about. Before comparing it with a liner kit online, check how much of the bill is for getting that liner into your chimney.
So how much does chimney liner replacement cost? Long Island Exterior Co. publishes $3,000 to $5,500 installed for a flexible stainless steel liner serving a wood-burning appliance.
I will explain the kit price, the other liner materials and the extra chimney repairs that can come with the job. These are US company prices and dated owners’ accounts, checked October 17, 2026.
Furnace, boiler and water-heater venting belongs on heatcoolfix; this guide covers fireplace and wood-stove chimneys.
Stainless Steel, Cast-in-Place or Clay Tile?
The liner is the passage inside the chimney that carries smoke out. Relining changes that inner passage; it does not automatically mean rebuilding the brick chimney around it.
Here are Long Island Exterior Co.’s installed ranges. These are local examples, not a national average.
A flexible metal liner can pass through an existing chimney with bends. A cast-in-place system forms a new passage from a poured compound. Replacing clay tiles can require opening the masonry, which helps explain the higher range.
Full Service Chimney gives a broader relining estimate of $3,500 to $5,500. Length, diameter, access and removing the old liner affect its price.
The useful question is why your chimney needs the proposed method. Ask the installer to show the defect on the inspection images and explain whether the existing tiles must come out to make room for the new system.
What Does a Liner Kit Cost?
Rockford Chimney Supply’s 6-inch by 25-foot 316Ti stainless kit costs $883.99 before any applicable checkout charges.
That kit includes the flexible liner, tee connector, top plate and rain cap. Its contents list does not include an insulation wrap. Installation labor is separate from this product price.
A kit is not a complete installed quote. The installer may need to remove old tiles, prepare the flue, supply insulation and connectors, arrange access and handle permits.
Inspection Fees and the Three Levels
Perfect Chimney Sweeps in North Carolina publishes these inspection fees, including a written report:
Standard prices apply within 30 miles of its Greensboro office or 45 miles of its Durham office. A travel surcharge may apply farther away.
Chimney Savers explains the levels by what needs examining. A higher level means more access and investigation, not simply a longer cleaning.
- Level 1 covers readily accessible parts when the system and its use have not changed.
- Level 2 adds an internal flue scan and accessible attic, crawl-space or basement areas. It applies to changes such as relining, property transfers and certain damaging events.
- Level 3 involves opening concealed areas when a suspected hazard cannot be assessed through the first two levels.
There is no Level 3 price in that explanation. Its cost needs a scope showing what must be opened and who will repair the opening afterward.
Cap and Crown Work Are Separate Jobs
The cap sits over the flue opening. The crown is the sloped masonry top around it. Damage to either can let water in, but replacing one does not replace the liner running down inside the chimney.
Full Service Chimney’s cap replacement guidance starts at $350 for a quality cap sized and attached to the chimney.
In Nevada City, California, America’s Chimney Sweep advertises crown rebuilds from $350. Its $59 inspection fee is credited if you proceed with the work.
That is a starting price, not a promise for every crown. Small cracks, a failed crown needing removal and difficult roof access are different jobs. Have the repair method named on the estimate.
Water entering where the chimney meets the roof may need chimney flashing repair. That is another part of the chimney, with a different repair bill.
What Owners Paid or Were Quoted
These older Hearth.com accounts show how much the included work matters. They are historical examples, not prices adjusted to today.
- Cross Cut Saw reported a completed 30-foot liner installation for $2,500 on June 17, 2012. The job included double-wall stove pipe. In a follow-up post, the owner clarified that the price also included a cleanout and wall thimble.
- Elisurfer4 in Richmond, Virginia shared a $2,063 quote on January 16, 2018. The 26-foot job included an oval stainless liner, insulation, connectors, top plate, cap, permit and labor.
- Charles1981 in Michigan checked the invoice and corrected the installed bill to $1,150 on January 16, 2018. That covered a 30-foot liner, insulation, cap and top plate.
The Michigan owner also paid $650 for heavy creosote removal before installation. Added together, those two bills from the same thread come to $1,150 + $650 = $1,800. Preparation was a real part of that owner’s expense.
Questions About Replacing a Chimney Liner
Does Every Cracked Tile Mean a Full Chimney Rebuild?
No. The flue liner and the outer masonry are separate parts. The condition of both determines whether relining is enough or whether the chimney itself needs rebuilding.
Is a Cap Included With a New Liner?
The Rockford kit above includes one, as did the two 2018 owner examples. That does not settle what another contractor includes, especially if your chimney needs a larger cover over several flues.
Can I Use the Cheapest Diameter Available?
No. Liner size is part of matching the venting system to the fireplace or stove. Choose the required specification first, then compare prices for that specification.
Sources
Checked October 17, 2026. Company pages supply the current advertised figures; forum dates belong to the owners’ original accounts.
- Long Island Exterior Co.: liner methods and installed prices
- Full Service Chimney: relining and cap replacement
- Rockford Chimney Supply: kit RFLEX625T
- Perfect Chimney Sweeps: inspection fees and Chimney Savers: inspection levels
- America’s Chimney Sweep: crown work
- Hearth.com: 2012 account and 2018 accounts
I hope this helps you read your quote without mistaking a box of parts for the whole job. You can send a dated estimate, with personal details removed, to costcheckr@gmail.com.
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