After taking a copy of the previous estimate and pictures, waited for a reply. It took over 2 months, and I had to call them regularly to ask. He mentioned along the way, possibility of relining the fireplace flue. The initial work was less than $4500 including the oil flue. While I was never able to get a detailed estimate, the new estimate for increasing the chimney height, the relining of the fireplace flue, was $14800 to 15100. It was never clarified despite several requests to provide details by project. Further, it was not clear in any description attached if this was all in addition to the oil flue reline costs and the waterproofing. My best takeaway seemed that these new costs were in addition to the costs of 3200 for oil flue, and 1875 for waterproofing - waterproofing increased from 625 when first estimated for doing to roof line, to 1875 to do all the way down to ground( as I could best make out). This would then mean that the total work they were proposing was just under $20k. When I attempted to ask him to break down the costs, and help explain why so expensive and what was actually necessary - he basically said he has changed how he does business. So it was all or nothing, without really taking time to explain. We basically agreed that it seemed best for us not to do business together. It was not entirely clear how someone who does not have $20k available would proceed, or ever really well understood whether any of this is truly a safety concern. I did not have any other bids to compare, so its possible its in range others may estimate. However, I think the larger concern raised is the lack of responsiveness or follow through. Its possible that since early on I stated I needed to prioritize the work based on what I could afford to spend, that the company did not want to do projects for less than this amount of money. I was prepared to do work for up to $5k, based on the earlier proposal, maybe slight increases. The larger concern became whether could rely on this company to deliver any work on an acceptable timeframe, at least at this current time.