Budget Chimney Sweep

The primary issues that I have had with this company are: not showing up for scheduled appointments (numerous occasions), not completing work that they were contracted for, quality issues with work that was completed, accepting payment and informing us work was completed when work had not been completed. We have used Budget Chimney Sweep dating back about 8 years and at 4 different properties (personal residences and investment properties I own with a partner) for numerous exterior home repairs large and small. Originally, we used this company based on a referral from trusted family friend for work on a chimney at my personal residence. Later, we used Budget Chimney Sweep for our investment property business that I operate with a partner. The prices were always good and the owner seems very knowledgeable and experienced. Unfortunately, we have run into a number of issues over the past couple of years and we will not be doing any business with them in the future. In late 2013 we called Budget Chimney Sweep for chimney evaluation, repair, and tuck pointing of the chimney and other exterior walls. At that time, Jarrod informed us he could also do the roof replacement that we needed including related items such as vent boots, chimney flashing, roof vents, etc. We proceeded to accept a contract with Budget Chimney Sweep (my business partner was listed as the contact person on this contract). This particular home is 3 stories tall and has a very steeply pitched roof. Due to the roof pitch, height, and position of this home it is not possible to see all of the roof and chimney areas from the ground. We paid the contract in full upon being told that the work had been completed. Being under the impression that the job had been completed as contracted, we continued to contact Budget Chimney Sweep for chimney work and home repairs that our other properties required. It was around this time that they began missing appointments we had scheduled with them. They would miss appointments for bidding on work on numerous occasions. When they did accept a job there were many days that no one showed up on the days we believed they would be starting. There were multiple excuses for the missed days and new appointments would be set (and often missed). On more than one occasion we eventually had to seek out other contractors to do the work for us. About 1 year after the roof was complete we started getting water leaks into the house. One area was at a plumbing vent stack. I informed Budget Chimney Sweep and he agreed to go look at the problem. Getting them to show up as scheduled proved to be extremely difficult, in our opinion. Eventually, Budget Chimney Sweep informed me that they had looked at the roof in and found no problems in the area I had mentioned (I had sent them pictures from inside the 3rd floor and specific description of the leak sight which was at the plumbing stack that exits through the roof). We decided to call a reputable big name roofing/chimney service to check the leak and do an entire roof and chimney evaluation. What they discovered (and have the photographs to show) is that Budget Chimney Sweep never completed much of the work we had paid them for and had told us was completed. We were told by the new contractors that the vent boots had not been replaced on the plumbing stacks and this was the most likely cause of our leak. They also informed us that none of the chimney flashing had been replaced and much of the tuck point work on the chimney was left incomplete with large holes left in the chimney mortar. With photo evidence from the new contractor we asked Budget Chimney Sweep to finish the job that we had paid them for over a year prior. Once again, there were numerous broken appointments for days we were told they would do the repairs yet did not show up. Eventually, they claimed the work was done but upon review we realized that they still had not replaced the chimney flashing. When we asked them about this they claimed they had taken care of it. We sent them photos of the chimney flashing which shows clearly very old flashing and they did offer to correct the issue. At this point we are not going to be using this contractor even to complete the job we paid them for.

Scheduled an appointment for 12/5 @ 4pm. I took off work and waited around for them. At about 4:15pm I called and they said they forgot and rescheduled the appointment for the next day, 12/6 Saturday 10am. Saturday about 9:45am I received a call that they were sick and would call Monday to reschedule. Not happy at this point, but people get sick, no big deal. It is now the 18th of December and I have not heard a word.

Budget Chimney Sweep did all the work as promised and at a reasonable price. They even showed us pictures of the chimney so we could see what they were going to repair. Would definitely recommend their services.

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