Local chimney repairs for O'Neil homes

A price given for any chimney before anyone has looked at it is a guess, and a guess on a chimney tends to miss in one of two directions. Too low, and the price covers a sealer when the crown actually needs recasting, so the leak returns and the money is spent twice. Too high, and it covers a rebuild when a few courses of loose brick and new flashing would have done.

From the ground, a hairline crack and a crown split through to the flue tile look alike. A stain on the ceiling can come from the crown, the flashing, the brick face or the roof beside the chimney, and each has a different repair and a different price. A gas unit that refuses to light can need a battery or a valve.

So we look first. The visit covers the parts involved, the estimate names the failed component and the reason, and the price sits beside each line. We are glad to explain on the phone what drives the price of a job, such as the roof pitch and height, the material, how far the damage runs, and whether scaffolding or a lift is needed.

What we will not do is put a number on a repair we have not seen, because that number would either scare you or mislead you. The estimate is free, so looking first costs you nothing but the time of the visit. Once you have it in writing, compare it with anyone else's line by line, and ask us about any line that is unclear.

A written price also protects you, since the work we do has to match what the paper says. The same goes where two problems overlap, such as a cracked crown above failed flashing, where only a close look shows which repair stops the water. Each line on the O'Neil estimate says what the job involves and what sets its scope, so the price has reasons behind it.

Give us a call at (904) 920-5495; the inspection in O'Neil is free and the estimate comes in writing.