Chimney Liner Cost Calculator
Add up a liner job the way an installer bids it — feet of chimney × the material rate, then the insulation blanket, labor and roof access. Enter your own numbers; the math is yours to check.
1 Enter your numbers
A liner is priced by the foot of chimney height times the material rate, plus an insulation blanket, labor and roof access — about $1,771 here. Stainless costs more per foot than aluminum but suits wood and most fuels.
The liner is the pipe that carries smoke and gases up the inside of the chimney, and it is priced almost entirely by the foot. Measure the run, pick a material, and the rest of the bid is insulation, the labor to drop and connect it, and getting a crew safely on the roof. This hub tool lays those four lines out so you can read a quote line by line instead of staring at one lump sum.
Material is the swing factor. A cheap aluminum liner is for gas and low heat only; anything burning wood needs stainless, and heavy or corrosive service wants a heavier grade. An insulation blanket adds up front but keeps the flue hot, which improves draft and slows creosote — on a wood system it is usually money well spent, and sometimes required by the listing. Everything here is your number: we hold no price list, so the estimate stays honest whatever the market does.
Formula
Straight sum, then a contingency cushion:
liner = length_ft × rate_per_ft
total = (liner + insulation + labor + access) × (1 + contingency)
Length is the flue run (about the chimney height); the rate is whatever your installer quoted per foot for the material and diameter you chose.
Worked example
Say a mason quotes a 23.5 ft run of 6" stainless at $32/ft, a $165 insulation blanket, $640 labor and $220 for roof access, with a 10% cushion:
- Liner: 23.5 × $32 = $752
- Subtotal: $752 + $165 + $640 + $220 = $1,777
- Total: $1,777 × 1.10 ≈ $1,955
Swap in your own feet and rate and the total tracks with it — that is the whole point.
What to nail down before you sign
Three things move this number more than anything on the form. Material and diameter set the per-foot rate: a 6" wood-stove liner is the cheap end, a big fireplace flue the dear end. Access is the quiet budget killer — a steep pitch, a tall chimney or a tricky offset can cost more than the liner itself. And what the reline includes: a new top plate, a rain cap and an appliance connection are often separate lines, so ask for them itemized.
A liner spec is a safety item, not just a price. Match it to the appliance and follow the Chimney Safety Institute of America and NFPA guidance and the manufacturer’s instructions — then get the itemized written quote before you commit.
Reference table
Labeled planning ranges for a flexible round liner — a sanity guide only. Enter the rate your installer actually quoted into the calculator; these are not a price list.
| Liner material | Typical rate | When it fits |
|---|---|---|
| Aluminum (gas / low-heat only) | $10–$20 / ft | Cheapest; NOT for wood or a solid-fuel appliance. |
| 304-grade stainless | $25–$40 / ft | The workhorse for wood, pellet and multi-fuel relines. |
| 316Ti / heavy-gauge stainless | $35–$60 / ft | For heavy wood use, corrosive gas or a lifetime warranty. |
| Insulation blanket / wrap | $120–$300 job | Keeps the flue hot, cuts creosote, often required for wood. |