u/Enough-Distance-8341

While renovating the basement, we discovered that water had gotten into our exterior chimney (which had never been used), causing mold to form.

We are facing a dilemma: should we partially deconstruct the exterior chimney, remove the moldy wood, and rebuild it at a lower cost? We could also cap the top of the chimney with a single solid piece.

Or should we remove the chimney entirely and rebuild the house siding instead?

With the first option, we would do the work ourselves. With the second option, we would hire professionals, which would cost significantly more.