Fireplace and Chimney Removal for Remodels and Unused Units

Short answer: removing just the fireplace, with the chimney left in place or capped, runs $500 to $2,500 in HomeGuide's 2026 guide, and removing the fireplace and the chimney together runs $3,000 to $6,000. A factory-built unit in a framed chase usually lands well under a full masonry teardown, because the metal box and flue lift out in sections.

In a city with an average of 111 days a year at 100°F or more, plenty of owners decide a fireplace is not worth the wall. We see two common cases. The first is a 1970s or 1980s brick fireplace in Phoenix, Tempe, Glendale or Sun City that has been cold for years and sits in the way of an open kitchen. The second is a prefab unit in a newer home with a cracked firebox, a leaking chase, or simply a spot the owner wants for a media wall.

Signs you need this

• The fireplace has not been lit in years and you have no plans to use it
• You are remodeling and the hearth or chase is in the way
• The chimney leaks and repairs would cost more than removal
• A prefab firebox is damaged and replacement parts are no longer made
• You want to stop maintaining a cap, crown or chase cover you never use

How we do it

1. Free inspection and scopeWe check how the fireplace is built, where the gas line runs, and what the roof and wall look like around the chimney, then write a price.
2. Check what your city requiresWe check what your city requires before work starts. In Phoenix, a fireplace installed on or after December 31, 1998 cannot be altered without a city permit.
3. Shut off and take outThe gas line is shut off and capped, the room is covered, and the unit, hearth and chimney come out in sections.
4. Close it upThe roof opening is decked and the roofing is patched, the wall is framed and sheathed ready for finish, and the debris is hauled away.

Brick versus prefab: why the price spreads so wide

A masonry fireplace and chimney is solid brick and block, sometimes with a heavy footing under the hearth. Taking it down means hauling a lot of weight, patching the slab, and closing a large hole in the roof. A factory-built fireplace is a metal box with a metal flue inside a wood-framed chase. The box comes out, the flue sections unhook, and the chase can be removed or kept as an empty closet or roof feature.

Some owners keep the chimney above the roof for looks and remove only the firebox. In that case the chimney gets a cap and a sealed top so it does not become a nesting spot for pigeons.

What about the gas line?

Most Valley fireplaces built in the last few decades are gas. Before anything comes out, the gas supply to the fireplace is shut off and the line is capped. The City of Phoenix lists gas line repair, replacement and new installation work as permit work, and its 2024 residential code amendment says fireplaces installed on or after December 31, 1998 cannot be altered without a city permit. Other cities set their own rules; we check what yours requires before we start.

Options short of removal

If the real problem is that the fireplace is ugly, drafty or unusable, there are lighter fixes to compare. A sealed glass front or a top-mount damper stops conditioned air from escaping up the flue. A wood fireplace can be converted to gas so it works on No Burn Days. A damaged prefab firebox can often be repaired with new refractory panels. We will tell you if one of those makes more sense than a teardown.