How Much to Charge for Chimney Cleaning [Pricing Chart and Formula]

Chimney sweep pricing list

Here’s how much you should charge based on the type of chimney you’ll be cleaning:

How to price your chimney cleaning services

While the pricing list above can give you a good idea of how much you can charge, knowing how to price your chimney cleaning services can ensure you stay profitable.

Here’s the formula you’ll use:

(Labor hours x Hourly labor rate) + Material costs + Overhead costs + Markup

1. Figure out your labor costs

The first step is figuring out how much you’ll charge your client for labor.

To calculate your labor costs, you’ll need to know your hourly rate and the approximate number of hours each chimney cleaning service will take.

Use this formula to determine your labor costs for a job:

Labor Rate = Hourly rate x # of hours

2. Add in your material costs

Tally up the exact cost (including taxes) of any materials used on the job, like masonry sealant, brick and stone cleaner, or creosote remover.

If you use 50% of a $10 brick and stone cleaner bottle, divide the price of the cleaner by 2 to get your material cost. In this instance it would be $5.

3. Calculate your overhead

Your overhead costs refer to any operating expenses required to run your chimney sweep business, like:

• Chimney sweep equipment, such as your long wire chimney brush, polypropylene brush, or chimney sweep inspection camera
• Business insurance
• Gas and vehicle maintenance
• Chimney sweep marketing costs
• Chimney sweep service software

Start by calculating your hourly overhead costs, use the following formula:

Hourly overhead costs = Total monthly overhead costs ÷ # of billable hours per month

Then, to calculate your overhead costs for a chimney cleaning service, use this formula:

Overhead cost per job = Hourly overhead costs x # hours the job will take to complete

Add your overhead, material, and labor costs together.

4. Apply your profit markup

Your markup is the additional amount you add to the cost of the job to ensure you’re making a profit on your services. Your profit margin is the percentage of revenue that you take home after applying your markup.

If your ideal profit margin is 20%, the cost of your job should make up 80% of the total price.

Here’s the formula you would use to calculate your markup:

Total price = cost ÷ (1 – profit margin)

For example, if your overhead, labor, and material costs add up to $160, to get a profit margin of 20% you’ll use the following formula:

Total price = $160 ÷ 0.80 = $200
Learn how much to charge to reach your profit goals. Try our free profit margin calculator.

5. Calculate your total cost

Add together your labor cost, materials cost, overhead, and markup to get the total cost for your chimney cleaning job.

Chimney sweep pricing factors to consider

Before you confirm pricing with your client, consider any other factors that may cut into your profits, such as:

• Type of chimney: The kind of chimney you have, whether it’s traditional masonry chimney or a metal flue, may require different cleaning techniques and tools.
• Size and structure: Larger and more complex chimney systems require more time and effort to clean.
• Level of buildup: Cleaning large amounts of creosote or soot buildup can be harder and more time consuming.
• Chimney condition: If the chimney is damaged or in poor condition, it may require additional repairs or precautions during the cleaning process.
• Cleaning method: Different cleaning methods, like traditional chimney sweeping or rotary cleaning should be priced differently based on the equipment and labor requirements.
• Additional services: Offering add-on services like inspections, repairs, or the installation of chimney caps can increase the overall price for the chimney cleaning.
• Chimney accessibility: Hard to reach chimneys may require more labor and equipment.
• Material costs: The cost of materials such as cleaning solutions, specialty brushes, or safety equipment.
• Emergency service: If your client requires immediate or after-hours chimney cleaning.

How to create a chimney sweep estimate

Knowing how much to charge for chimney cleaning and sending detailed estimates will help you win more jobs and grow your business.

You can create a chimney sweep estimate with pen and paper, or send professional-looking estimates faster with Jobber’s free estimate template.

Your chimney cleaning estimate should include:

1. Your businesses name and logo
2. Your business contact information
3. Your client’s name and contact details
4. An estimate number
5. A breakdown of the type of service you’ll be providing, including materials and costs
6. How long the estimate is valid for
7. The total cost for the service, including taxes.

 Here’s what a chimney sweep estimate looks like with Jobber’s free estimate template tool:

When to adjust your chimney cleaning prices

To make sure your business stays competitive and profitable, you’ll need to adjust your pricing from time to time.

Here’s when you should consider adjusting your chimney cleaning prices:

• Your costs increase: If the cost of chimney cleaning supplies, equipment, or labor increases, you’ll need to increase your prices to maintain profitability.
• Seasonal demand: Depending on your location, demand for chimney cleaning services may fluctuate based on seasonal weather conditions. Consider adjusting your prices during peak seasons when demand is high and lowering them during slower seasons to attract more customers.
• You’re improving your services: If you’ve invested in new equipment or technology that improves the quality or efficiency of your services, you should consider raising your prices to reflect these improvements.
• Your competitors are charging more: If you notice that similar chimney cleaning services in your area are consistently charging more or less than you, it may be time to reassess your prices to stay competitive.