I could not even get a quote from this company. They came out to perform the estimate. I was supposed to get an email quote within a week. I called back twice and was promised that I would either be called back or the quote by a date. Neither happened.
Description of Work: Fireplace insert and sleeve
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
1.0
Steven M.
01/2017
1.0
fireplaces
 + -1 more
They came out and looked it over. Got all of the measurements. 1.5 weeks later i called looking for a quote and left my name and number. That was 4 months ago and no contact.
Description of Work: 2 Fire place inserts were needed.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
responsiveness
1.0
Andy K.
02/2016
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
Top Hat did a fabulous job on a very complicated project. Gary Hufnagel was our salesperson and was knowledgeable and not at all high pressure but knew exactly what insert would work after Don came to the house (at no charge) to look over the project. It turned out there was some obstruction in the chimney and Chuck and Joe, our installers, had to order a special 4 foot chisel to make the chimney fit the insert chimney. They ordered the chisel and came back a few days after it arrived and did a perfect job installing the insert. Took time to make sure we knew how to use the new insert and cleaned up perfectly after the job. We were delighted with all phases of the project and would use these folks again without any question. There is lots of bad reviews of fireplace outfits and chimney sweeps. Top Hat is clearly a professional and honest business.
Description of Work: Put a wood burning fine insert into an old firelace
Description of Work: Convert potbelly stove fireplace to gas fireplace
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$10,000
Chris L.
09/2015
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
The technician was on time and did a great job cleaning and repairing our gas insert fireplace. It hadn't had any service in at least 8 years but probably since it was installed in 1998. It was very dirty and hadn't worked at all this past year. The tech did a very thorough cleaning and service of the unit and the cost was commensurate with the state of the fireplace, I think. The glass is now so transparent you can't see it and the flames are huge and bright. We asked them to schedule a yearly service so we can have a pleasant fire going forward. I imagine a regularly scheduled service will be lower cost since not as much would need to be done.
Description of Work: They cleaned and repaired our gas insert fireplace.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$300
Jacquith M.
01/2015
4.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
They installed the wrong fireplace and had to come back to reinstall another. That wasn't so bad but now the pilot light will not stay light. The unit is still under warranty but we cannot get them to come out to do a repair. 1/26/2015: The components of the fireplace were updated, and we shouldn't have any further problems. The issues were due to manufacturer's error.
Description of Work: Travis Industries gas burning insert
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
3.0
value
3.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
2.0
punctuality
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$4,200
Robert S.
11/2014
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
Found that the gas valve leaked. Unortunately it was not a brand that they serviced.
Description of Work: Inspected gas fireplace log unit.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
4.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$70
Susan K.
11/2014
2.0
chimney sweep, electrician, fireplaces
 + 1 more
We checked all the fireplace stores in town. We needed some smaller size ones and they were the only place we could get them. They were also the best priced for what we wanted. That's where the positive part of the job ends. The big wood burning fireplace in the living room was a complete mess from beginning to end. They showed up completely unprepared to move or install it. Our builders had to help them or they would have just left. Since they were completely unprepared and hadn't read the instructions, they install it backwards!! We don't figure this out ountil the fireplace has been finished in stone. Great. Then, they send a different guy out everytime to finish installing it. Nobody knows what the other one has done and they leave the instructions at the office and have to go back everytime to get them. What a bunch of clowns! Finally, they get them installed but we can't find the controls for the fans on any of the fireplaces. We finally look inside the control panel and they are laying on the bottom! They are supposed to be attached to the wall. We later find out that the guy they sent out to check the fireplaces was told about this and said it would be fixed. Of course it wasn't. We ended up calling them and telling them to come out and fix everything. They had also not installed a switch for the fan controls on the big fireplace in the living room. Just left it in the box. Really? They did fix everything finally and at no cost to us because I said I would not pay for any of it since it was done so badly. They had to pay for our electrician to do the big fireplace since they were familiar with the wiring of the house. Just such a poorly run company from top to bottom. The last guy to come out, an older gentleman was fabulous. He clearly knew what he was doing and was aware of the earlier problems. My advice to this company is to listen to this guy! He's the only one at Top Hat who knew what he was doing. Top Hat spends a lot of money on commercials. Skip the commercials and train your employees!
Description of Work: We were building a house and we bought 3 fireplaces from them. We also had them install a see through wood burning fireplace that we bought from another place.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
2.0
value
4.0
professionalism
1.0
responsiveness
2.0
punctuality
2.0
$8,000
alan R.
10/2014
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
they did a great job i would recommend them highly.they were honest about the problem and were able to find it right away. we had another contractor give us a quote . they came over didn't even look inside and gave us a quote of $1700.00 . Top hat was able to diagnose the problem correctly and fix in a timely manner.
Description of Work: stopped outside air from coming through gas fireplace vent.cold air in the winter warm air in summer.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$285
Leslie P.
10/2014
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
They came out precisely when they said they would. Unfortunately they were too busy to be able to provide the actual repair for a nimber of months. Therefore we had to go with another company.
Description of Work: Gave us a bid on a chimney chase cover.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
value
4.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Nicole M.
08/2014
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
We were very pleased with the service. The technician was prompt, professional, friendly and very clean. I would not hesitate to use their services again.
Description of Work: Our fireplace had not worked for some time, and we were ready to list our house. Top Hat was able to come out on short notice, clean and inspect the fireplace, and offer some suggestions as to how to have it work more efficiently.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Nicholas A.
08/2014
1.0
chimney sweep, gas leak repair
 + 0 more
Initial contact went great. They came out and quoted the job and their quote was very reasonable for the work that needed done. We put a down payment and was told someone would contact us with an installation date. We ended up calling them three weeks later and work was scheduled to begin three weeks from the day they scheduled (the end of October). On installation day, the installers came in and within 5 minutes told us that a gas fireplace could not be installed due to the location of the fireplace and the location of the gas line into the house. It was arranged that another sales person would stop by that afternoon, which they did. He promised to get us a quote for an electric fireplace the next day. I never received a quote. I called/emailed them six times between November and January and only heard back once. I even stopped by the store in Verona to talk with someone but I never received a quote for an electric unit. During the last two attempts to contact them in January, I asked for our down payment to be refunded but it never was. I ended up writing a letter to the owner requesting our down payment, which they responded promptly and I received the refund within a week. The original salesman came out as well to investigate why the installers wouldn't install the unit and assured me it could be done. Because their price was so affordable, I offered to still consider them if they would requote the work. They gave me the original quote without any kind of break on the cost. Had they knocked off even $100 off the bid as an apology for giving us the runaround on the whole ordeal, they may have had our business.
Description of Work: Was supposed to install a gas insert to replace a defunct wood fireplace.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
value
4.0
professionalism
3.0
responsiveness
1.0
punctuality
3.0
$4,500
Jill M.
05/2014
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
I ordered a gas insert in January and they said they would contact me regarding an install date. No one contacted me to set up a date and, in the end, I had to contact them. That being said, the install was great, the guys that came for the install took the time to make sure that it was installed perfectly, even making a few suggestions to improve the appearance. Unfortunately, we had the wrong size face plate for the size of my fireplace, not a big deal, they arranged to order a larger size and would call when the piece came in. Again, no one called and I initiated the follow-up. That being said, overall - a very positive experience with everything except for scheduling which, all things considered, is pretty minor. I love my insert and have been using it a lot due to the chilly Spring. I would definitely recommend them to others.
Description of Work: Installed a gas insert.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
Andy N.
02/2014
5.0
chimney sweep, chimney repair
 + 0 more
We recently moved into this home and needed to have the 2 flue, exterior brick chimney inspected. After inspection, it was decided that our wood stove insert (in the lower level) was installed with a direct connection to the flue. This is a method where the stove pipe is only run up to the smoke shelf where it stops - the rest of the flue is 13x13 clay lined. This type of install is hard to keep clean, leads to creosote build-up at the block off plate and doesn't draft efficiently. So, we decided to get it done right and put a full stainless steel flex liner running all the way from the stove up to the top of the chimney. Scheduling: I had to be more proactive than I would have liked when getting the scheduling done. I had to email them on several occassions to remind them to set up the install time. A little bit of unresponsiveness is understood given the time of year. Install: The installation went great. The technicians were very knowledgeable and friendly. They worked efficiently and answered all my questions along the way. I was very impressed with install. Pricing: Pricing was right where I figured it should be given the cost of the liner and the install time. Overall, I was very pleased with the experience. I would not hesitate to recommend Top Hat.
Description of Work: Chimney inspection which led to a full stainless steel flex liner install.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
4.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,400
Stephen S.
11/2013
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
Great. A very professional attitude. He called about one half hour before he arrived to let me know he would arrive slightly later than planned...a few minutes later. Much better than the previous business who didn't call and didn't show up! The job was done efficiently and quickly. I was told about upcoming possible repairs to the wood burner but was not pressured into doing work. Very friendly and considerate of our home. Glass on the fireplace and wood burner were left cleaner than they were since they were new. He cleaned up any mess that he made before leaving.
Description of Work: Swept two chimneys -- one for a a wood burner and the other for a fireplace.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$320
Frederick S.
10/2013
5.0
fireplaces
 + -1 more
Top Hat did a fantastic job. The initial store consultation was informative and helpful. The estimator came to the house when scheduled and was very thorough. The installation crew was exceptional. The two individuals from Top Hat worked for 3 days removing two obsolete fireplace inserts, running new gas and electric lines and installing the three new units. They were very careful keeping the workspace clean and picking up all materials at the end of each days work. They readily answered questions, and consulted with me during the installation process when a question arose. In addition to being skilled technicians, they were excellent representatives for Top Hat.
Description of Work: Top Hat installed two gas fireplace inserts and a gas stove.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$13,000
Michael T.
09/2013
5.0
fireplaces
 + -1 more
It went very well. I did a ton of shopping. The prices for this insert were all over the place. Top Hat wasn't the cheapest but they proved their worth in the installation. I did a lot of the work myself and let them do the finishing work and quite frankly the most important work with regards to sealing up the exhaust, etc... I was very happy with their work and installatin support.
Description of Work: I purchased a pellet stove insert and they did the final installation
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
Frederick S.
08/2013
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
Top Hat provided expert knowledge on the selection and installation of the gas fireplace inserts and stove. Their showroom on Verona Road has a multitude of displays to assist you in selecting the fireplace or stove you want. In particular, their installation team of Dave and Tom provided truly exceptional service. For the installations gas lines had to be modified and extended, old fireplace inserts removed, and the new inserts and stove installed. Both Dave and Tom took particular care ensuring the carpet and wood floors in the house were not damaged during installation. They arrived promptly as scheduled and worked diligently for 4 days. They kept me informed of the progress of the installation throughout the day. When there were installation options, they presented me with choices and recommendations. Dave provided clear information on the care and use of each of the fireplace inserts and stove, and demonstrated their operation. For a purchase such as these fireplace inserts and stove, the installation process can make or break the assessment of the service provider. Both Dave and Tom were courteous, professional, and helpful in all phases of the installation. I highly recommend Top Hat for employing such excellent employees, who clearly take and quot;top hatand quot; customer service to heart.
Description of Work: Top Hat sold and installed two gas fireplace inserts and one gas stove.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$13,547
Tya K.
06/2013
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
Their report was very detailed and clear. I felt that my buyers were getting an excellent service for what they were paying for. It was quite expensive because they were inspecting the furnace, chimney, and two other fireplaces that had chimneys. They diagnosed issues very well, which helped my client.
Description of Work: We used Top Hat Fireplace & Chimney Specialists.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$400
Todd H.
06/2013
4.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
It went very well. He also cleaned my fireplace and the windows. It never looked so clean after he was done.
Description of Work: cleaned my chimney
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
4.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
4.0
punctuality
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$125
Lynn H.
06/2013
4.0
chimney repair
 + -1 more
We contacted them last fall for a quote. They came out, looked at the chimney and originally weren't sure whether we would need just a tuck and seal or a rebuild of the chimney. They sent an estimate for a tuck and seal and we were under the impression that if they could repair with the tuck and seal it would be completed in the fall. We paid half the estimate in the fall. We expected them to contact us either in the fall or early spring to schedule the repair. When the spring was nearly over and we still hadn't been contacted, we called them to find out when they would do the job. They said they would be able to schedule our job for the week of May 20th (two weeks after we called). They did come that week and the chimney was repaired. The workers were a little sloppy in clean up, but the chimney looks nice and hopefully we won't have any problems with leaking or further deterioration.
Description of Work: Tuck and seal chimney
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
4.0
value
3.0
professionalism
4.0
responsiveness
3.0
punctuality
4.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,300
Response from TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS
Hi [member name removed], glad to hear that you're generally happy with the on-site work. We do apologize for the lack of communication this last fall regarding when the work would be finished, but we needed to make sure that the work was completed during the proper weather or risk the mortar not curing properly. Unfortunately the weather this spring had been atrocious for outside work with all the off and on rain and cooler temperatures so we weren't able to get to your chimney as soon as we would have liked ourselves. In the end we're confident that the work is top notch and resolved the issues at hand. If you have any further questions or comments please feel free to contact us! We always welcome evaluation of our company. - Top Hat team
Michael W.
12/2012
5.0
chimney sweep, heating & air conditioning/hvac, fireplaces
 + 1 more
Technicians arrived on time, did an excellent job and cleaned up after themselves so well that you wouldn't have known they were there.
Description of Work: Top Hat installed a used pellet stove that I had purchased, this included cutting a hole in the house to run the ventilation.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$1,800
Steve C.
12/2012
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
It went great. In and out and cleaned up after themselves
Description of Work: The cleaned our chimmney
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
5.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$100
Jean R.
10/2012
5.0
chimney sweep, fireplaces
 + 0 more
Arrived right on time and went to work immediately. They completely cleaned the pellet stove so that it looked like new again! They also inspected and cleaned two chimneys; one for the pellet stove and one for the wood-burning fireplace. This is annual maintenance.
Description of Work: Inspected and cleaned two chimneys and the pellet stove that they installed last fall.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
4.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$195
William S.
10/2012
5.0
chimney sweep
 + -1 more
The person arrived early and was very professional. I had several questions regarding fireplace usage and whether or how often the firebox needed to be replaced as my home was built in 1979 and they haven't been replaced. The serviceman did a very thorough inspection, advised that a sweep was not needed, and thoroughly answered all questions. He stated that the flues looked spotless and then cleaned both fireboxes immaculately. No mess, no fuss, no muss. Very professional and articulate. The price is higher than other companies, but I felt better paying extra knowing that there was an actual store and reputable business that was standing behind the work - it wasn't just some guy in a truck. The serviceman recommended a cleaning schedule for the units and was on his way. I'm very satisfied with the work.
Description of Work: I scheduled an inspection and chimney sweep for two fireplaces in my home.
Rating Category
Rating out of 5
quality
5.0
value
3.0
professionalism
5.0
responsiveness
5.0
punctuality
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$275
Response from TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS
Thanks for the positive response Member! We're glad that Chris was able to meet your expectations of higher quality workmanship, I'll be sure to let him know to keep up the good work!
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Service Categories
Chimney Sweep,
Fireplaces,
Chimney Repair,
Masonry,
Heating and Air Conditioning,
Chimney Caps,
Electrical,
Natural Gas Lines,
Appliance Sales and Installation
FAQ
TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS is currently rated 4.5 overall out of 5.
Sunday: Closed
Monday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS accepts the following forms of payment: Check,Discover,Financing Available,MasterCard,Visa
Yes, TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS offers free project estimates.
No, TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS does not offer a senior discount.
Yes, TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS offers emergency services.
No, TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS does not offer warranties.
TOP HAT FIREPLACE & CHIMNEY SPECIALISTS offers the following services: HEATING & COOLING, APPLIANCE SALES, FIREPLACES, WOODBURNING, GAS, ELECTRIC, PELLET & CORN, CHIMNEY REPAIR, CLEANING & RESTORATIONS.