Updated almost 5 years ago on . Most recent reply
Fireplace Needs Bigtime Repairs - Do I Close It Off?
I have a two family in the Boston area. The downstairs rental unit has no working firelplace -- there is just a bush league electric insert.
The upstairs unit has a working fireplace that the current tenants use often.
We just had the fireplace inspected due to some concerns we had and it sounds like it is going to be a forture to repair it.
Summary - needs to rebuild the firebox with firebricks ($3300), grind and repoint entire chimney ($3100), New Lead Flashing ($1150), new damper ($425) ---so grand total of around $8K. says the fireplace is not useable.
His other option was to close off the fireplace and flue tile for a cost of $2400.
We have great tenants and they love the fireplace, but $8K is a huge outlay right now for me, although seems as if I'm still stuck with $2400 in repairs if i close it off.
Any thoughts on this?