Chimney not properly sealed? Rain coming in - who pays?

Hi

if I see it correctly, the problem is not the connection between the chimney and the roof surface,
but the cover on the chimney.
apparently there is only a casing of the cladding but no cover for the entire chimney with
openings / penetrations for the exhaust pipes.

Is the visible border on top, as I suspect, new?



Olli

One way or another... The roofer removed the cover and then didn't seal it...

...
apparently there is only a framing of the cladding but no cover for the entire chimney with
openings / passages for the exhaust pipes.

Is the visible border at the top, as I suspect, new?

Yep, it is new. Exactly. I tried to illustrate that in my hand sketch. It is only the border and no cover, because previously the "large" cover like in the very first picture was on it.

Either way... The roofer took off the cover and then didn’t seal it...

Unfortunately not, as described at the beginning, the plumber removed the cover, the roofer originally knew nothing about it and designed the chimney cladding according to the structural conditions (the large cover).

The solution is a new cover with appropriate openings for the exhaust pipes directly on top. I think so too, and the roofer tells me the same. But he wants a lot of money for it. My problem with that is, would the original "hood" have actually kept the rain out or would water already have gotten in there? Such a hood is simply not a sealed chimney. Or did the roofer just save time and should have properly sealed the chimney anyway? The paneling looks perfect. If it is sealed at the top, I have zero concerns... but I don’t want to pay for that with my current knowledge (or rather assumptions).

Phew OK then I'm out now. It's getting too specific for me as a layman. I would probably take the old hood, cut out the holes for the pipe, and put the hood back on...

Hi, I had a chimney cap like that on my chimney for decades. In connection with the conversion to oil condensing technology + solar thermal, it was dismantled. It also protruded somewhat beyond the edge. To my knowledge, the cap is only there to prevent rain from falling into the chimney. Since the dismantling 13 years ago, it has never rained into the house! The sealing of the chimney against the roof covering cannot and will never be the task of such a cap. I would try to consult a dispute resolution office (ask the guild, compulsory master craftsman for roofers ...) or alternatively ask another roofer to submit an offer for the repair with a simultaneous description of the process and reasoning why what is how it is or could have been better done. In fairness, the "expert" effort should be offered to be paid immediately. Better to ask for the price beforehand.

[..] As far as I know, the hood is only there to keep the rain from falling into the chimney. It has never rained into the house since the dismantling 13 years ago! [..]

That already matches my suspicions. Thanks also for the further tips.