How Much Does a Chimney Sweep Cost in 2026?
A chimney sweep costs £70 on average to sweep one chimney, with a typical range of £60 to £80. That's from our survey of UK chimney sweeps' published prices (93 with a price for a standard sweep) in November 2026. Two in three firms that list both charge the same for a wood burner as for an open fire, and removing a bird's nest averages £140.
£70
Sweep one chimney
£60 to £80
Typical range
£140
Bird's nest removal
About £50
Second chimney, same visit
A blocked or tarred chimney can catch fire or let carbon monoxide into the room. Have it swept before you light the first fire of the winter, keep a working carbon monoxide alarm in the room, and read HETAS's advice on when to sweep.
Chimney Sweep Prices
Average prices from 93 UK chimney sweeps that publish their prices. The typical range is what the middle half of firms charge. Many sweeps only give a starting price, so we count those too, and give fixed and starting prices separately.
Sweep one chimney
£70
Stove or open fire, fixed and starting prices
Typical range: £60 to £80 · 93 firms
Fixed prices only
£70
Firms that give a set price
Typical range: £64 to £80 · 56 firms
Starting prices only
£75
Firms that only give a "from" price
Typical range: £60 to £83 · 37 firms
Bird's nest removal
£140
The starting price where a firm gives a range
Typical range: £98 to £160 · 57 firms
Second chimney, same visit
£50
Few firms list it, so treat it as a guide
Typical range: £34 to £66 · 10 firms
| Job | Average | Typical range | Firms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweep one chimneyStove or open fire, fixed and starting prices | £70 | £60 to £80 | 93 |
| Fixed prices onlyFirms that give a set price | £70 | £64 to £80 | 56 |
| Starting prices onlyFirms that only give a "from" price | £75 | £60 to £83 | 37 |
| Bird's nest removalThe starting price where a firm gives a range | £140 | £98 to £160 | 57 |
| Second chimney, same visitFew firms list it, so treat it as a guide | £50 | £34 to £66 | 10 |
Source: the Less.co.uk chimney sweep price survey, 1 November 2026. We searched 191 towns and looked at 376 local firms; 93 publish a price to sweep a chimney. A separate checker re-read every price; 4 whose sites wouldn't load were checked against our saved copy. Prices include VAT where a firm charges it. Download the figures (CSV).
Ask what a "from" price covers
37 of the 93 firms only give a starting price, averaging £75, while the 56 with a fixed price charge £70 on average. Before you book, check what could add to the bill: a nest, a badly tarred flue, a second chimney, or travel outside the sweep's usual area.
To cite this page: Less.co.uk, “Chimney Sweep Prices UK 2026”, updated 3 November 2026, https://less.co.uk/home-improvements/log-burners/chimney-sweep-cost. You're welcome to quote these figures with a link to this page.
Get Free Chimney Sweep Quotes
Chimney due a sweep, or a nest to clear? Tell us where you are and what you burn, and local chimney sweeps will get in touch with prices. It's free, with no obligation to book.
Your details go to our quote partner, Leads.work, who pass them to a few local firms that cover your area. They'll contact you about the job, which may include a phone call. It's free for you, and we're paid a referral fee. How your details are used
What Affects the Price
Stove or open fire
Most sweeps charge the same for both. Of the 31 firms in our survey that list an open fire price as well as a stove price, 21 charge the same, 8 charge more for an open fire and 2 charge less.
How dirty the flue is
A flue that's swept every year is quick to do. One that's been left for years, or coated in hard tar from burning wet wood, takes longer, and some sweeps charge extra for it.
Nests and blockages
A bird's nest is the most common surprise. Firms that list a price for clearing one charge £140 on average, on top of or instead of the sweep.
More than one chimney
A second chimney swept on the same visit usually costs less than the first. 9 of the 10 firms that list a price charge less for it: about £50, against £65 for the first.
Bird's Nest Removal Cost
Jackdaws sometimes nest in chimneys, especially the wide flues of older houses, and a nest can block a flue completely. Clearing one costs £140 on average from the 57 firms in our survey that list a price, with a typical range of £98 to £160. Many give a starting price, because a big nest takes longer to clear.
Under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it's an offence to damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it's being built or used, so a sweep has to wait until the nest is empty. The RSPB's advice is to leave an active nest in a chimney alone, with no fires lit until it's no longer in use, and to block access in the winter months when birds aren't nesting. Once it's clear, ask about a bird guard or cowl on the pot so they can't come back.
Chimney CCTV Inspection Cost
A camera on a rod lets the sweep see inside the flue: cracks in the lining, loose bricks, a damaged liner or a blockage further up. 38 firms in our survey list a CCTV price, but they sell it in different ways, so there's no single average. Among 10 that we checked closely:
- £30 to £45 added to a sweep you're already having
- £60 to about £100 for an inspection on its own
- £110 to £225 for a sweep-and-camera package, sometimes sold as a check before a new stove is fitted
You don't need CCTV for a routine sweep. It's worth paying for before you fit a stove into an old chimney, when you're buying an older house with a fireplace, after a chimney fire, or when smoke keeps coming back into the room.
Chimney Sweep Prices by Region
We could place 45 of the 93 firms in a region. Three regions had five or more firms with a price to sweep one chimney. Figures from fewer than 10 firms are a rough guide, and the other regions had too few firms to give a figure. Wherever you live, compare a few local prices.
| Region | Average | Typical range | Firms |
|---|---|---|---|
| South East | £60 | £58 to £75 | 13 |
| North WestRough guide | £80 | £70 to £85 | 9 |
| South WestRough guide | £75 | £58 to £80 | 8 |
| UK | £70 | £60 to £80 | 93 |
How Often Should You Sweep Your Chimney?
HETAS, the body that approves stove installers and sweeps, recommends sweeping at least twice a year if you burn wood and at least once a year if you burn smokeless fuel. The best time is just before the heating season. If you sweep twice a year, HETAS says the second sweep should be after the peak of the heating season.
Sweep sooner if the fire is hard to light or keeps going out, smoke comes back into the room, you can smell soot when the stove is cold, or bits of soot or debris fall into the grate. Your sweep can also tell you whether your stove and fuel need more frequent visits. Our guide to looking after a log burner has more.
What a Chimney Sweep Includes
HETAS lists what a sweep by one of its approved sweeps should include. Ask about anything missing from a quote:
- protecting the room with sheets and vacuuming, so the soot stays out of the room
- sweeping the full length of the flue
- a visual check of the chimney and fireplace
- a smoke test, to check the chimney draws smoke up and out properly
- a certificate recording the work and anything the sweep found
Keep your certificates. HETAS warns that insurers may ask for proof of regular sweeping before they pay a chimney-related claim.
How to Choose a Chimney Sweep
Chimney sweeping isn't a licensed trade in the UK, so anyone can call themselves a sweep. Look for a sweep belonging to the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS), the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, APICS or the Institute of Chimney Sweeps, or one listed as a HETAS Approved Chimney Sweep, which HETAS says means they've had the necessary training. You can check a sweep using the HETAS postcode search.
Ask whether they're insured, whether the price includes a smoke test and a certificate, and what they charge if they find a nest. Get the answers before you book.
Can You Sweep Your Own Chimney?
You can. Rods and brushes are easy to buy and it isn't against the law. But you won't get a certificate to show your insurer, you won't have a camera or smoke test kit to check the flue, and it's easy to miss a nest or a crack. At about £70 a visit, a professional sweep is worth paying for, especially before the first fire of the winter.
How to Get Your Chimney Swept for Less
A sweep is a small bill, but it comes round every year, and twice a year if you burn wood.
Get at least three quotes
Prices for the same job vary between sweeps: roughly a quarter of the firms in our survey charge £60 or less to sweep one chimney, and about one in five charge more than £80. Ask three local sweeps what's included (a smoke test and a certificate) so you compare like with like.
Book outside the winter rush
HETAS says sweeps are busiest from September to November, and suggests booking in spring or early summer, once the heating season is over. At least two firms in our survey charge less from spring into summer than in winter.
Do every chimney on one visit
If you have a stove in the lounge and an open fire in another room, have them swept together. At the firms that list a price, a second flue costs about £50, against £65 for the first.
Burn dry wood
Wet logs coat the flue in tar, which is harder to sweep and can catch fire. Logs below 20% moisture, such as those with the Ready to Burn mark, burn hotter and keep the flue cleaner between sweeps.
Book with the neighbours
A sweep who can do three houses on one street saves on travel. If your neighbours have chimneys too, ask whether booking together brings the price down.
When a Sweep Finds a Bigger Problem
Sometimes the sweep turns up something a brush can't fix: a cracked or leaking flue, an old stove that won't burn cleanly, or an open fire that sends most of its heat up the chimney. A modern stove with a lined flue is cleaner and far more efficient than an open fire. Our log burner cost guide covers stove and liner prices, and the log burner regulations page explains the rules on smoke control areas and Building Regulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a chimney sweep cost in the UK?
Our survey of UK chimney sweeps' published prices found an average of £70 to sweep one chimney (93 firms), with a typical range of £60 to £80. That covers a wood burner, multi-fuel stove or open fire. Removing a bird's nest averages £140.
Is it cheaper to sweep a stove or an open fire?
Usually there's no difference. Of the 31 firms that list both prices, 21 charge the same. 8 charge more for an open fire and 2 charge less.
How often should a chimney be swept?
HETAS recommends at least twice a year if you burn wood and at least once a year if you burn smokeless fuel. The best time is just before the heating season starts. If you sweep twice a year, HETAS says the second sweep should be after the peak of the heating season.
How much does it cost to remove a bird's nest from a chimney?
Firms in our survey that list a price for nest removal charge £140 on average (57 firms), with a typical range of £98 to £160. Many quote a starting price, because a big nest takes longer to clear. It's against the law to remove a nest while birds are using it.
How much is a chimney CCTV inspection?
It depends how the firm sells it. 38 firms in our survey list a CCTV price, some on its own, some as an add-on and some as a package with a sweep. Among 10 we checked closely, a camera check added to a sweep cost £30 to £45, an inspection on its own £60 to about £100, and a sweep-and-camera package £110 to £225.
Do chimney sweep prices include VAT?
83 of the 93 sweeping prices in our survey had no VAT wording at all, so we took them as the price you pay. Where a firm said its price was plus VAT, we added it. If you're not sure, ask whether the quote includes VAT.
Do I need a chimney sweeping certificate?
There's no law that says you must have one, but it's worth asking for. HETAS warns that insurers may ask for proof of regular sweeping before they pay a chimney-related claim, and a certificate records what the sweep did and anything they found.
Free, with no obligation to book.
Written by Chris Kervin, Co-Founder, Less.co.uk
Last updated: · Prices from our survey of 93 UK firms · Methodology
