AFFORDABLE MASONRY

I hired Michael McNamara of Affordable Masonry to: 1. Installing an insulated stainless steel chimney liner which he said would run down the chimney to the top of the fireplace where it would be connected creating a seal and vacuum to draw the smoke up and out the chimney. 2. Removing the old damper (necessary to connect liner to top of fireplace) and installing a new one which would be easier to use. 3. Replacing bricks and repointing the exterior top of the chimney. For these services we agreed to a price $1,600.00 which has been paid-in-full to Mr. McNamara who ?completed? his work on Friday, September 30, 2011. On Sunday evening, October 2, 2011 I primed the fireplace and lit a fire inside the fireplace. The smoke came into the house instead of exiting up the chimney. After extinguishing the fire and examining the interior of the fireplace I discovered that the old damper was left in place, the liner is sitting two feet above that, there is no insulation and seal. Consequently, there is no vacuum to draw the smoke up and out the chimney. Upon further inspection, Affordable Masonry did not replace damaged bricks. They simply applied some mortar over them. Mr. McNamara was informed of the problem that evening, but failed to return phone calls until the following day. He told me that there should be fire-retardant packing around the base of the liner and there is none. He offered to install a spinner cap on the chimney to increase the draft. I told him this was unacceptable since he told me the liner would be sealed against the top of the fireplace and he failed to do that. I told him I wanted other, more effective options. Since then, he has broken off contact. I?ve place several calls to Mr. McNamara relaying these details and he has not responded. I?ve asked for my money back and he has not responded. I checked with the Cherry Hill, NJ and Camden County Municipal Clerks and neither Mr. McNamara nor Affordable Masonry is licensed in New Jersey to perform the work for which he was hired. Furthermore, Affordable Masonry is currently advertised (online and in the phone book) as a member of the National Chimney Sweep Guild. According to the NCSG, neither Mr. McNamara nor Affordable Masonry is a member. Following my conversation with the NCSG I filed ethics and trademark violation complaints with the NCSG, against Mr. McNamara and Affordable Masonry. I have also filed a complaint with the NJ Better Business Bureau and NJ Consumer Affairs. The fireplace could not be used until we hired another contractor to properly do the job for an additional $1,900.00. When the second contractor was performing the repair we discovered that Affordable Masonry installed a USED, UNINSULATED chimney liner that was the wrong size, was installed improperly and for which I was charged for a new liner. Presently, NJ Dept. of Consumer Affairs is trying to resolve the matter.