AUTHENTIC FIREPLACES

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It was kind of hard to get on Jim's schedule but it was worth the wait. Jim's crew showed up before 7:30am and patiently waited until we were ready for them to start work. We left for work and returned around 4:30pm. If Jim hadn't been there when we returned I would swear the work had been done by fireplace faeries. It was as if they were never there except the firebox and chimney lining had been completely replaced. Jim even touched up some of the antique tile on the fireplace face that had cracked over time. It's not perfect but I don't think it could be done better and he didn't even charge us for it. Jim is a fountain of information when it comes to old houses and fireplaces. He was able to date our house to the mid-1910's just by looking at the fireplace tile. He was able to give us a complete history of the manufacturer of the tile as well as the firebrick used to build the firebox. If you like old houses, you can spend a lot of time talking to Jim about them and San Diego history. We're still waiting for the concrete from the thermal pour to cure so we haven't used the fireplace yet but we're extremely happy with the work performed by Jim and his crew. Out of all of the work we've had done on the house it is perhaps the best execution and the best value.

Everything was done professionally to my satisfaction.

Jim and his crew were in at 7:30 am on the dot as he said he would be. They were done by 6 pm. A long day for them, but great for us as we originally thought they would be working for 3 days.
I was a bit concerned about soot being kicked up on the 2 day old paint job but they carpeted over our wood floors and created a plastic bubble around the fireplace that protected the walls. Once done, you'd never know they had been there - it was spotless.
I'll have to post some pictures later of the restoration work they did - it's so pretty now it almost looks like a prop - i hate to mess it up with ash!
They fixed all the mushy bricks, relined and replaced everything that needed replacing and put on a new cap. They also cleaned out the exterior clean out, repaired the area and replaced the door.
I'd been told that Jim is 'the man' for any historic houses and everyone was right. He and his crew were worth every penny.
In addition, we got a little history lesson on our tile work, instructions on how to keep it clean and from the molted design fading any further, what types of wood to burn and how often for the health of the chimney. he's a real expert and you can tell he knows his stuff and likes to share what he knows if you just ask.
I will say that Jim is a bit hard to get ahold of. You can leave messages at his office but best to reach him on his cell phone. he may take 2-3 days to call you back, but once you are scheduled, everything will go perfectly.

Karen was very pleasant to speak with, and helped me make an appointment quickly during the contingency period for the home purchase. The report that Jim provided helped us make the decision to walk away from a potentially bad situation. We're newlyweds, and this would have been our first home purchase. In addition to the poor condition of the chimney, we found many other aspects of the home in disrepair that we missed during the initial visits, and purchasing that house would have meant inheriting a financial burden that we weren't willing to handle. Our experience showed us how important it is to employ an honest, knowledgeable person, and we're glad for the referral to use Authentic Fireplaces, Inc. for this situation.

I was at work the whole time and my husband was the one who dealt with them. My husband said that they were professional and everything was done perfectly. I would use them again if the need arises.

They tore down my old chimney and rebuilt it entirely. They planned the work effectively. They were here on time. They provided superb workmanship and the subcontractors they had for doing some additional work associated with this were good. Everyone worked with was great.

These are excellent people to work with. I was given a lot of personal time over the phone with advice, and the service was very excellent.

Their work was really professionally done. They started and ended on time. They stayed on budget. They understand old houses. They replaced the tile with other actual antique tile. They have a stock of antique tile from other construction jobs. He is the only answer to people who want to refurbish old fireplaces rather than just replacing it.

I think they are first grade in everything. I used them in my house which I renting out. I was happy with what they did with the fireplace. They did marvelous work and cleaned up perfectly. They were quite reasonable.

The team, including the owner, showed up on time on the date agreed upon and got immediately to work. They moved larger furniture out of the way and sealed off the work area to minimize dust in the rest of the house. They completed all work within one day, on budget and cleaned up both the inside and exterior of all the waste from the work. They were professional and we're very pleased with the end product. Even though it's primarily the interior of the fireplace - it's a huge difference in the room.

This old house is about 95 years old and the fireplace and chimney had been damaged by exterior water. This company gave me a a complete written estimate (which was the actual cost). A team of 4 men came at 7:30 in the morning and were gone by 4:30. They were completely professional, did a superb job, and left the place immaculate. The fireplace is now beautiful and safe. I would recommend them to anyone. By the way, I got their name from Angie's list.

Jim is passionate about his work. His crew is hard working. He explained everything clearly. He did exactly what he said, he would do and exactly on schedule.

The crew arrived on time and worked quickly and efficiently. They were very nice and were cheerful about having to help me remove the curtains from the living room. I actually enjoyed having them around! They made sure all the dogs and cats were secure, helped move furniture, cleaned up after themselves and were gone by the end of the day as promised. The only sign that the crew was even there, besides the beautiful new chimney, was a dusty work boot print on the pathway up to the house - which I think should be Jim's "calling card."

Jim Crawford is the owner, and he learned the trade from his father. He and his crew showed up on time, were close to immaculate in terms of protecting surrounding areas and daily clean-up; were friendly to us and our pets, and completed the job on time. We're extremely happy with our beautiful fireplace. We suspect we paid a premium for his services, but did so happily knowing we were hiring someone who knows what they're doing, and does so in a professional manner.