Why count courses instead of quoting a flat chimney price?

Because 'rebuild the chimney' can mean three courses above the roofline or the whole stack from the firebox up. Counting courses on the invoice makes the scope unambiguous and lets a customer choose how far down to go.

Should the crown be separate from the rebuild?

Yes. A cast crown with a proper overhang and drip edge is a distinct component and the single most common failure point on a chimney — itemizing it explains why a cheap crown wash isn't the same product.

How do I document why the work was needed?

Photos of spalled brick, the failed crown, the rusted flashing, and any interior staining, referenced on the invoice. Chimney work is expensive and largely invisible from the ground, and the photo set is what makes a five-figure number make sense to a homeowner.

Chimney Rebuild and Masonry Repair Invoice Template (Free)

What belongs on the invoice

Business name, license and certifications, contact info
Customer name, property address, phone
Chimney location and construction
Courses rebuilt or repointed — counted
Crown — repaired or cast new
Flashing — step, counter, and cricket if applicable
Liner — condition and any relining
Cap and damper
Brick sourcing and matching
Access — scaffold, roof jacks, or lift
Findings and photos referenced

The template

[Your Business Name] · License #________
[Phone] · [Email]

Invoice #____        Date: __________
Bill To: [Customer Name]        Phone: __________
Property: _____________________________________
Chimney: [location]  Flue count: ___

FINDINGS: _____________________________________
Photos: attached / ref #______

--------------------------------------------------
Description                              Amount
--------------------------------------------------
Access: scaffold / roof jacks — ___ days $______
Tear-down — ___ courses                  $______
Rebuild — ___ courses @ $___             $______
Repointing — ___ sq ft @ $___            $______
Brick sourcing / salvage match           $______
Crown: [repair / cast new] w/ drip edge  $______
Flashing: step + counter                 $______
Cricket / saddle                         $______
Flue liner: [inspect / reline] — ___ ft  $______
Chimney cap x___                         $______
Damper repair / replacement              $______
Waterproofing / vapor-permeable sealer   $______
Interior firebox work                    $______
Debris disposal + cleanup                $______
--------------------------------------------------
Subtotal                                 $______
Tax (if applicable)                      $______
Deposit received                        -$______
Total Due                                $______

WARRANTY: ___ yrs on masonry and crown as installed.
Excludes pre-existing structural movement, roof
leaks outside the flashing area, and interior damage.

The crown is where chimneys die

A thin mortar wash instead of a properly cast crown with an overhang and drip edge is probably the single biggest reason a chimney ends up needing a rebuild twenty years early.

Itemize it, explain it once, and it usually becomes the line customers understand best.

Photograph from the roof

Nobody’s ever actually seen the top of their own chimney. Spalled brick, a cracked crown, and rusted flashing photographed from up there turn an abstract, expensive-sounding recommendation into an obvious one — and it’s your record of the condition you found, too.

Note what feeds the water

Chimney masonry fails because water’s getting in somewhere. If the roof, the flashing, or a missing cap is the actual cause, say so on the invoice, even the parts that aren’t your work — that way the customer deals with the whole problem instead of blaming your repair when it comes back.

Skipping the copy-paste

Software with your per-course, crown, flashing, and access rates already saved builds this straight from the inspection photos, with the findings recorded right alongside it.