Reliable, professional brick fireplace in Kansas City, MO from Legendary Masonry Kansas City. Contact us today for a free on-site estimate.
Legendary Masonry Kansas City provides professional brick fireplace throughout Kansas City, MO, Missouri and the surrounding area. Our licensed, insured crew delivers safe, clean, on-time work with a free estimate before anything begins. Call 816-431-8933 or request your free quote.
Custom Brick Fireplaces Built for Kansas City Homes
A good brick fireplace does two jobs at once. It gives you real, usable heat and it becomes the focal point of your living room. At Legendary Masonry Kansas City, we focus on both. We build and restore brick fireplaces that fit the way people in Kansas City actually live, from older bungalows and shirtwaists to newer suburban homes.
Every project starts with a walk through of the room and a conversation about how you use the space. Do you want a fireplace you use every cold snap, or is it more for looks and the occasional holiday gathering? Do you want wood burning, gas logs, or to convert to an electric insert with a brick surround? The answers affect how we build the firebox, what brick and mortar we choose, and how much structural work is needed.
If there is no existing fireplace, we look at load bearing walls, floor framing, and venting options. Kansas City homes often have finished basements or tight framed living rooms, so we have to plan for weight and proper clearance to framing and trim. When we are tying into an existing chimney, we inspect the flue, crown, and any previous repairs so your new brick work will not be sitting on a failing structure.
Legendary Masonry Kansas City does not use one standard design for everyone. We bring brick samples, layout ideas, and hearth and mantel options specific to your home. The goal is to make the fireplace look like it has always been part of the house, not something that was dropped in later.
Design Options, Brick Choices, and Layout Details
Most of the real decisions with a brick fireplace happen before the first brick is laid. We walk you through those choices in plain language so you know exactly what you are getting.
Brick types: In Kansas City we see a lot of red pressed brick in older homes and lighter, sand faced brick in newer builds. We can match existing interior brick so your new fireplace lines up with your existing chimney, or we can intentionally contrast it with glazed or darker accent brick. For the firebox itself, we use fire brick rated for high temperature, usually a buff or pale yellow color, laid in a running bond or herringbone pattern.
Mortar and joints: Mortar color and joint style change the overall look. A lighter mortar with flush joints gives a cleaner, more modern feel. A slightly recessed joint with a close color match creates a more traditional, shadowed look. For older Kansas City homes in areas like Waldo, Brookside, and the Northeast, we often use tinted mortar and a concave joint to mimic the original interior masonry.
Layout: We help you decide on a raised hearth versus a flush hearth at floor level. A raised hearth, usually 12 to 18 inches tall, adds seating and extra protection for hardwood floors. A flush hearth gives a more streamlined look but needs precise detailing where brick meets the flooring. We also plan the mantel height around your ceiling height and any TV mounting, keeping proper clearance from the opening as required by code.
Surrounds and accents: You can keep it all brick or combine brick with stone or wood. Common local choices are brick legs with a chunky wood mantel, brick arches over the opening, or brick running all the way to the ceiling. We show you where to use soldier courses, rowlocks, or corbelled brick to add detail without making the design busy or hard to clean.
How We Build or Rebuild a Brick Fireplace Step by Step
A brick fireplace is not just the visible face. There is a lot inside the wall that has to be built correctly. Legendary Masonry Kansas City follows a process that keeps the work safe, code compliant, and predictable.
1. Site prep and protection: We start by covering floors, sealing off adjacent rooms with plastic, and setting up dust control. Masonry work inside a lived in home can get dusty if it is not contained. We protect trim, built ins, and nearby furniture so there are no surprises when we clean up.
2. Structural and code review: We check framing, clearances to combustibles, and any existing chimney or flue. In many Kansas City houses, older chimneys were built before modern codes. If your project involves a working wood or gas fireplace, we coordinate the brick work with liner size, damper, and venting requirements so everything passes inspection.
3. Firebox and throat: For new or rebuilt units, we lay fire brick with high temperature refractory mortar, carefully maintaining the proper firebox dimensions for draw. We shape the smoke chamber and install a throat or damper system so smoke goes up the flue instead of into your room. This stage is crucial if you have ever had a smoky fireplace.
4. Hearth and surround: We pour or set a proper noncombustible hearth base, then lay brick in the pattern you chose. We pay attention to level and overhang so firewood and fireplace tools sit safely. The visible brick surround is laid next, checking bond, plumb, and joint spacing so the lines stay tight and consistent.
5. Chimney tie in and finish: When the interior work meets an existing chimney, we tooth and tie the new brick into the old where needed so the face does not separate over time. We tool joints, clean the brick, and, if requested, seal the surface with a breathable masonry sealer that resists soot stains. Before we leave, we test draft, check clearances, and walk you through how to use and maintain your new fireplace.
Costs, Timelines, and What Affects Your Price
No two brick fireplace projects in Kansas City cost exactly the same, but there are clear factors that drive price. We talk through these upfront so you are not guessing.
Scope of work: A cosmetic facelift, such as refacing an existing firebox and surround while leaving the structure alone, is on the lower side of the range. Building a new wood burning fireplace from scratch with a full masonry chimney is the most expensive option because it involves structural support, venting, and more labor. Gas or electric inserts with a new brick surround usually fall somewhere in the middle.
Demolition and access: If we have to remove a dated stone facade, built in cabinetry, or heavy tile before we can start brick work, that adds time. Tight stairways, third story living rooms, or limited parking in parts of Kansas City can also affect labor because materials take longer to move.
Material choices: Standard modular brick in locally stocked colors is the most budget friendly. Specialty brick, custom molds, or blends to match historic brick can raise cost. Fire brick, refractory mortar, dampers, and any new liner or cap for the chimney are separate line items. We itemize these so you can see where your money is going.
Code and safety fixes: Many older Kansas City homes have undersized hearths, improper clearances to wood trim, or aging flues. If we find these issues and you want a functioning fireplace, we will price the corrective work, such as rebuilding the firebox back wall, resizing the opening, or relining the flue. We explain what is required by code, what is recommended for performance, and what is optional aesthetics so you can decide.
Timeline: A straightforward refacing can often be done in a few days. A full build with chimney, especially if it passes through multiple floors, can run a couple of weeks depending on inspections and weather for exterior portions. Legendary Masonry Kansas City will give you a schedule, tell you which days will be the noisiest or dustiest, and coordinate with any other trades like HVAC or carpentry if needed.
Common Problems We Fix and How to Choose a Mason
Most Kansas City homeowners who call us about a brick fireplace are dealing with one of a handful of issues: smoke rolling into the room, cracks in the face brick or firebox, a dated look, or water stains from a leaking chimney. We have practical solutions for each.
Smoke and draft problems often trace back to an improperly sized opening, poor smoke chamber shape, or a chimney that is too short for the roofline. We can resize the opening with brick, reshape the throat and smoke chamber, or extend and re cap the chimney so the system drafts correctly. In some cases, especially in windy areas or on hilltops, we recommend and install special caps that help stabilize draft.
Cracks and loose brick on the face or hearth usually show up after decades of use or minor settling. We remove failed sections, re lay brick with fresh mortar, and repoint joints so the fireplace is solid and safe. For firebox cracks, we replace damaged fire brick and use refractory mortar, not standard mortar, so the repair holds up to heat.
If your main complaint is looks, we can often keep the structure and simply rework the visible brick opening, hearth, and mantel. This might include squaring off an old arched opening, slimming a bulky surround, or adding clean brick returns and a simpler mantel. We can also carefully clean and, if you like, whitewash or limewash the brick to soften the color, always explaining how these finishes will age over time.
When you compare masonry contractors, ask specific questions. Who will actually be on site doing the brick work? Are they using fire brick and refractory mortar inside the firebox? How will they protect your floors and control dust? What is their plan if they uncover hidden chimney damage once the old facing is removed? At Legendary Masonry Kansas City, we answer these in writing, show you photos of similar local projects, and keep you involved in each step so your finished brick fireplace feels solid, safe, and exactly how you pictured it.
