Step flashing, counter flashing, cricket, or caulk-and-pray—calculate the full cost to properly repair chimney flashing including metal work, counterflashing, masonry anchoring, and labor so you quote the job right and stop the leak for good.
Applying roofing sealant over failing chimney flashing is a temporary patch that buys 1–3 seasons. The flashing is failing because it was improperly installed, has aged past its service life, or the masonry has moved and broken the seal. Caulk cannot bridge a moving joint. If you quote and perform a caulk repair, be clear in writing that it's a temporary measure—not a permanent fix. Then propose the proper repair. The customer who calls you back in 2 years with the same leak will not be happy if they think you fixed it.
Any chimney wider than 30 inches on the upslope side needs a cricket (also called a saddle)—a small peaked structure that diverts water around the chimney instead of pooling behind it. Without a cricket, water backs up behind the chimney, accelerating flashing failure and potentially causing deck rot. IRC requires a cricket on chimneys over 30″ wide. If you're replacing flashing on a wide chimney without a cricket, you're fixing the symptom, not the cause.
Galvanized steel flashing has a 15–20 year service life. Copper flashing lasts 50+ years—meaning a 40-year-old homeowner installs it once and never deals with it again. Copper costs 3–4× more in material but the same in labor. On a $1,200 galvanized job, copper adds $400–$600 in material and $800–$1,000 in revenue. Frame it correctly: "If you'd like to do this once and never think about it again, I can use copper for $X more—it outlasts everything else on the market." It closes on merit.
The Roofer's Business Starter Kit includes a flat-rate price book for 30 common repair and installation jobs, storm damage documentation checklist, and service agreement template. Guide from $19 — Complete Kit with all 19 templates, $49.
Get the Roofer's Kit →Chimney flashing is one of the most common sources of roof leaks, and pricing the repair correctly means accounting for chimney size, flashing type (step, counter, saddle), and how much of the old flashing needs to come out. This calculator builds a complete flashing repair quote based on linear footage, material type, and labor time.