Heritage Chimney Sweeps Ltd

They (Terry Martin, Heritage Chimney Sweeps) never finished the job, and the work that he did finish was questionable and will need to be reviewed by a qualified chimney professional before the supplier of the liner, HomeSaver, will warranty the work. They damaged our roof by allowing large chunks of concrete to fall onto it during demolition of the crown. After starting the job on the first day 11/14, for three days in a row, he didn't show up or return my calls, each time sending me an e-mail or text at the end of the day or next morning telling me that they were sorry and would be there the next day to finish up. Terry told me, in writing, multiple times that this was a one-day job, two days maximum, but after seven days, he didn't finish. He knew that this is a cottage that gets shut down for the winter, so it was essential that he finish before I shut the place down at the end of November. Of course, he promised to finish up after he got back from his Thanksgiving vacation but never finished, and it gets even worse. On 12/3 Terry contacted me to ask if the power was on and if he could get onsite to finish the job: pour the concrete crown, seal the damper, and clean up the concrete and brick debris from he roof and yard. I told him that he could work on the exterior to finish, but the power was off as the place was shut down for the winter. He said that he needed power to finish up the concrete (a detail that he never mentioned previously) so he could only clean up the debris. I told him to get a generator if he needed power, as he had committed to finishing this job by 11/15 and was already weeks late. I gave him the option of finishing within one week or I'd have to get someone else to do it, and we'd be done doing business. On 12/6 Terry e-mailed me to tell me that he wouldn't be working for me anymore, because I was "too demanding" and that he went out to the cottage and removed the new damper that he had installed because of a "possible flaw." In addition, he said he'd be holding the warranty cards for the new liner until we paid him $737.50 for a total of $3050 ($2312.50 deposit paid up front.) Since that time, I spoke with HomeSaver, the manufacturer of the liner and damper, and found that the warranty cards were not necessary, so Terry couldn't hold us hostage for the warranty. In addition, he hasn't returned the damper that he removed with the "possible flaw" to HomeSaver, though it has a lifetime warranty and retail price of $575 (which means he was lying about the "possible flaw.") I also reviewed HomeSaver's instruction manual and researched the rest of the work and found potentially serious problems with Terry's work. The instructions clearly state that cracks in masonry should be sealed to keep out moisture before installing the liner and installation, but Terry didn't do this and only quoted it as an option. He cut the stainless steel liner in half, because it was too heavy and awkward to install it by himself in one piece (his helper didn't show up that day), and he joined it with an ordinary stainless steel band. This is not recommended by HomeSaver, and the joint will need to be inspected by a professional before they will warranty it. He tried to install the liner before all the flue tiles were removed, and left the liner in place while demolishing remaining tiles. The sharp bits may have damaged the liner during this process, which is another reason the liner must be inspected (it may be damaged and unusable.) He later removed chimney bricks and then replaced them in order to access the remaining tiles, but didn't make any accommodations for mortar set in the cold weather. These bricks may need to be removed and relayed because the mortar may not have set properly. On 1/10 Terry threatened to take us to small claims court and put a lien on our property because we haven't paid the $737.50 that he thinks we owe, reminding us how "patient" he has been. Of course, a contractor must finish the job (and do it correctly) to place a lien on a property, and Terry has done neither. I'll update this after the job is completed by other contractors.

unknown

Did a great job.  He lays down drop cloths from the home entrance to the wood stove to keep the house clean.  He gives a report on the condition of the chimney.   He is prompt and professional.  We've used him for 3 years and will continue to do so.