603 Chimney & Dryer Vent LLC

Bait & Switch Tactics and Terrible Workmanship I received multiple quotes for a chimney repairs and was told by most companies that the chimney needed to be reconstructed and couldn’t be repointed. 603 Chimney & Dryer LLC (Dave) assured me that repointing the chimney and adding a cap would solve my issue and quoted me $2,375. However, after paying him a 50% deposit, he later indicated that the chimney actually needed to be reconstructed after all and wanted another $4,258.50 to reconstruct the top 6 rows of brick. This was significantly more than what the other 2 companies had quoted and they both came highly recommended. After providing him with the other estimates and agreeing to pay cash, he dropped the price but was still $1K over the other quotes who correctly diagnosed the problem the first time around. I wouldn’t be as upset over the situation if the process wasn’t as nerve wracking as it was and the end result ended up being something acceptable. Despite informing Dave that I wanted to be sure the bricks matched as closely as possible, his crew came with bricks that were the complete wrong size, color, and texture. When I contacted Dave, he said that he was unable to match my bricks because they are discontinued and suggested another alternative brick that barely matched. However, I took my night/morning to go to the quarry myself and was able to find a brick that matched very close with no problem after speaking with a sales agent. I then had to pile all of the bricks into my car and insist that the team use them. The whole time Dave complained that I was holding up his job etc., but I explained that the team didn’t even tear down the existing chimney yet so there was no way they were waiting for the material. To my surprise, Dave said that they do not need to tear down all 6 rows and only needed to do 3 rows. However, he was only discounting the job by $500 which was absurd but I paid him once he also agreed to take off the money I paid out of pocket for my own bricks. Like other reviews, Dave demands payment and doesn’t even come out to the job to inspect. I paid him but once the sun went in and I could see the chimney, I realize how awful it came out. I sent him some pictures and let him know that I wanted him to be aware of the poor workmanship so he could do what he needs to with his employees in order to maintain his reputation. Dave immediately became defensive and was dismissive and rude. He denied that the mortar joints looked sloppy and that the brick wasn’t laid in the pattern consistent with the rest of the chimney, and that the corbeling is completely uneven. The pictures speak for themselves though and will hopefully serve as a warning for anyone even considering working with this company (NOTE: The repair is reflected in the top 3-4 rows).

The entire process from estimates to choosing materials to getting it done was absolutely painless. It's clear that customer service is the #1 priority as Dave would be nothing but helpful with every question or concern that we had. They are both extremely knowledgeable and hard working people who clearly take pride in what they do. You can see it in all the little details from the bevels cut into the railing to the laying of all the blocks. The end result was better than we ever imagined and I would most definitely use them again or recommend them to anyone.

Dave was very knowledgeable and helpful. He spent time to explain how the liner was installed and it's condition (we just bought this home) along with what we should do to help keep things safe and functional. He also gave me a great report on the condition of the chimney. I expected to have some dirt or mess from the cleaning, but he was very clean and the area around the wood stove was probably cleaner than when he started.