Chimney Engineer / Trainee Chimney Engineer
SweepSmart – Welwyn Garden City
Pay: £33,800 – £52,000+ per year
We’re looking for someone with solid trade or construction experience who wants to build a proper career in a specialist trade.
This role would suit someone who has already worked on the tools — maybe in building, roofing, brickwork, plastering, tiling, general maintenance, multi-trade work or similar — and wants to move into a more specialist, better-paid area of work.
You do not need chimney, fireplace or stove experience, although that would obviously be a big advantage. What you do need is practical trade experience, confidence using tools, a good attitude and the ability to work properly in customers’ homes.
This is not a role for someone with no trade experience at all. We can teach you chimneys, fireplaces, stoves and flue systems, but we are not looking to teach basic tool use from scratch.
About the role
The job title is Chimney Engineer because the role covers more than just sweeping chimneys.
If you already have chimney, stove, fireplace, roofing or relevant building experience, great — we’ll have a conversation and see where you’re at, what you can already do, and how quickly we can get you running work independently.
If you do not have chimney experience, the role will start with chimney sweeping and inspections. You’ll shadow experienced team members, learn how flues work, how appliances should be installed, and how to identify whether an installation is safe and compliant.
Alongside that, you’ll work with our main installer and learn the installation side of the business, including:
- Fireplace alterations
- Stove installations
- Flue liner installations
- Chimney repairs
- Fitting chimney pots and terminals
- Roof work
- Brickwork repairs
- Fitting lintels
- Hearth work
- Basic tiling and finishing
- Chimney stack repairs
- General chimney and fireplace maintenance
The aim is to get the right person trained up to the point where they can carry out work independently as quickly as possible. How quickly that happens depends on your existing experience, ability and attitude.
Pay and progression
The starting rate is £130 per day, which works out at around £33,800 per year based on a full-time working week.
There is also commission available on completed work once you are able to carry out jobs independently.
The quicker you develop, the quicker you can move into higher earnings. Realistically, someone who becomes confident running installation and repair work can earn up to £52,000+ per year.
There is no fixed cap on earnings, although naturally it depends on your ability, the type of work you can complete and the amount of work available.
There will usually be an initial three-month trial/training period on the starting rate. Once you are able to work independently, starting with chimney sweeping and inspections, you would then be given a company van, which would usually be taken home and may be used for personal use within agreed mileage limits.
Who we’re looking for
Character is extremely important to us.
We are a small team, so the person matters just as much as the experience. We want someone who is reliable, honest, presentable, professional and easy to work with.
You’ll be working in customers’ homes, often in nice properties, so how you speak to customers, how tidy you are, how you present yourself and how much pride you take in the job all matter.
We are looking for someone who:
- Has proper trade or construction experience
- Is confident using tools
- Takes pride in their work
- Wants to learn a specialist trade
- Is reliable and turns up on time
- Is presentable and professional with customers
- Is comfortable working as part of a team
- Can work safely at height
- Wants long-term progression, not just another short-term job
Experience that would be useful
Any of the following would be helpful:
- General building experience
- Multi-trade experience
- Roofing experience
- Brickwork
- Plastering
- Tiling
- Fireplace or stove installation
- Chimney sweeping
- Flue lining
- HETAS experience or qualification
- Gas Safe experience or interest in progressing into gas fire work
You do not need all of the above. The main thing is that you have already worked in a practical trade environment and want to develop.
Working at height
A significant part of this role involves working at height.
This includes ladders, roof ladders, scaffold and roof access on domestic properties. We take safety seriously and follow proper working practices, but you must have genuine experience working at height in a trade or construction environment.
Being “okay with heights” is not enough on its own. You need to be able to work safely and sensibly at height.
A typical day
Most days start at our unit in Welwyn Garden City.
You’ll meet the team, collect materials, load the van and then travel to site. Most jobs are carried out in teams of two.
Our work covers London, Hertfordshire and Essex, so travelling into London is a normal part of the job.
Some days may involve chimney sweeping and inspections. Other days may involve fireplace alterations, chimney repairs, flue lining or stove installations. Every property is different, which keeps the work varied and interesting.
About SweepSmart
SweepSmart is a specialist chimney and fireplace company working across London, Hertfordshire and Essex.
We carry out chimney sweeping, inspections, chimney repairs, flue systems, fireplace alterations and stove installations.
We are a small but growing company with a good team. We work hard, help each other out and take pride in doing the job properly.
This is a good opportunity for someone who wants to build a long-term career in a niche trade. Chimneys and fireplaces are a specialist area, and once you understand them properly, you develop knowledge that most general tradespeople never have.
Over time, there is also the opportunity to progress into areas such as HETAS registration, stove installation, more advanced flue work and potentially gas fire work.
Requirements
- Trade or construction experience required
- Full UK driving licence required
- Experience working at height required
- Fireplace or chimney experience desirable but not essential
- Good attitude, reliability and professionalism essential
Application questions
Please answer the following when applying:
- What trade or construction experience do you have?
- Have you worked at height before, for example on ladders, roofs or scaffold?
- Have you worked with chimneys, fireplaces or stoves before?
- Do you have a full UK driving licence?
Benefits
- Company van once working independently
- Commission on completed work
- Training in a specialist trade
- Long-term progression available
- Varied work across London, Hertfordshire and Essex
Work location: In person
Base: Welwyn Garden City
Pay: £33,800.00-£52,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Application question(s):
- What is your construction experience?
- Are you comfortable working at heights?
- Have you worked within the fireplace or stove industry before?
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person
