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HiringMasonry & RebuildsLicensed pro

Who repairs chimney masonry, a mason or a chimney sweep?

A masonry contractor repairs chimney masonry. A chimney sweep inspects and cleans the chimney and can spot the damage, but brick, mortar and crown repairs over $1,000 need a Virginia-licensed contractor, and many chimney companies employ both. Use the sweep to find the problem, then get written quotes from licensed masons and check each licence with DPOR.

Free to ask. Local shops send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.

By Kasra Taheri, Founder, LoclisPublished

Researched and drafted with AI, then checked claim by claim against the sources listed below before it was published. Prices and rules change; the dates beside each source say when it was last checked.

This is a job for a licensed pro in Virginia

This page explains what the work involves, the permits, what a licensed pro does and what drives the cost. It does not give step-by-step instructions, because this work needs a licence, a permit or both, and doing it wrong can injure someone. Before you hire, check the licence on Virginia's DPOR record.

Hire a masonry contractor to repair chimney masonry. A chimney sweep inspects and cleans a chimney and is often the first to spot cracked brick, open joints or a failing crown, but repairs to the brick and mortar are masonry work. Many chimney companies have both on staff, so the real question is whether the business that quotes holds a Virginia contractor licence for the repair.

What each trade does

The chimney sweep. A sweep cleans soot and creosote from the flue and inspects the chimney. Fairfax County Fire and Rescue advises having chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) certified chimney sweep.[4] The credential means something specific: to become a CSIA Certified Sweep, you must complete a review and pass an exam.[5] It is a certification of knowledge, and it is not a Virginia licence. For what a sweep does on a visit, see what a chimney sweep does.

The mason. Virginia's Board for Contractors defines masonry contracting as the service that includes the installation of brick, concrete block, stone, marble, slate, or other units and products common to the masonry industry, including mortarless type masonry products.[1] This includes installation of grout, caulking, tuck pointing, sand blasting, mortar washing, parging,[1] which covers most chimney masonry work: repointing joints, replacing bricks, rebuilding the stack and parging or crown work. What a rebuild involves is covered separately.

Black-and-white photo of a brick chimney on a roof, its top bricks displaced and loose bricks scattered around its base
Atomic Energy Commission, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

There is no chimney licence

The Board for Contractors' list of specialty services has no chimney-sweep or chimney-repair specialty of its own.[1] A business that repairs chimneys needs the licence for the type of work it does. DPOR notes that a general building contractor may also contract for specialty work, but must hold a specialty license for that work or actually have a specialty contractor do the work.[2] So the business should be able to tell you which licence covers your job, and whether a subcontractor will do the masonry.

DPOR is clear about when this applies: if the work is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work.[2] Class C contractors perform or manage work when the total value referred to in a single contract or project is over $1,000 but less than $30,000.[3]

Choosing a contractor

Start with an inspection if you do not know what is wrong. A sweep or a mason can find the problem. How much a chimney inspection costs in Virginia explains what to expect. Then:

  • ask for the licence number and class, and look it up on DPOR. DPOR warns that a license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid, and that information on past complaints and disciplinary actions is also available from the Board[2]
  • get at least three written bids or estimates using identical plans and specifications[2]
  • ask each to describe the damage, the repair, the materials and the warranty in writing
  • keep the deposit small: DPOR's rule of thumb is an initial deposit of no more than 10% of the total price or $1,000, whichever is less[2]

If water is the symptom, the cause may be at the roofline rather than in the brick. Who to hire for a chimney leak explains how the masonry and roofing trades divide.

Hiring a licensed contractor also has a practical benefit: you become eligible to receive monetary compensation from the Contractor Transaction Recovery Fund in case of improper or dishonest conduct.[2]

When to call a licensed pro

For any repair to the chimney masonry. Chimney work happens at height, on the roof, and the stack carries combustion gases, so a poor repair is a safety problem as well as a cosmetic one. A sweep who is not licensed for contracting can inspect and clean, but should not be the one quoting you a rebuild or repointing job over $1,000.

Check the licence before you commit, and read how much it costs to rebuild a chimney in Virginia to know what to expect in a quote. Browse chimney and fireplace services or all chimney answers.

Describe your chimney once and licensed local businesses quote the repair.

Common questions

Does Virginia license chimney sweeps?
The Board for Contractors' list of specialty services has no chimney-sweep or chimney-repair specialty. Sweeping and inspecting are not on it, while repairs are contracting work, so the business needs the licence for the work it does, such as masonry.
Can a chimney sweep rebuild or repoint my chimney?
Only if the business also holds a Virginia contractor licence for the work. DPOR says that if the work is valued at $1,000 or more, a valid Virginia Contractor's License is required for the license category in which the contractor is to work. Many chimney companies are both.
Who should I call first if I see crumbling bricks?
Either a certified sweep for an inspection or a licensed masonry contractor directly. The inspection tells you how far the damage goes, and a mason prices the repair. Either way, get the findings in writing with photos.
What does CSIA certified mean?
To become a CSIA Certified Sweep, you must complete a review and pass an exam. It is a credential for inspection and cleaning knowledge, not a Virginia contractor licence, so it does not replace one for repair work.
How do I check a mason's licence?
Use DPOR's licence lookup. DPOR warns that a license number in an advertisement or on a business card does not necessarily mean the contractor's license is valid, and past complaints and disciplinary actions are available from the Board.
How many quotes should I get?
DPOR advises at least three written bids using identical plans and specifications. Make sure each says what will be repaired, with what materials, and who handles the roof and flashing.

Sources

  1. [1] 18VAC50-22-30. Definitions of specialty services, Virginia Administrative Code (Board for Contractors). Checked October 27, 2026.
  2. [2] What You Should Know Before You Hire a Contractor, Virginia Board for Contractors, DPOR. Checked October 27, 2026.
  3. [3] Code of Virginia § 54.1-1100. Definitions, Code of Virginia. Checked October 27, 2026.
  4. [4] Fireplace Safety Tips and Can Your Ashes, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department. Checked October 27, 2026.
  5. [5] Becoming a Certified Chimney Sweep, Chimney Safety Institute of America. Checked October 27, 2026.

Want a pro to handle it?

Describe the job once. Licensed local businesses send quotes, and you pay only when you book one.