Luke Parsons in Toronto

In the spring of 2010 I hired Top Hat Chimney to install a new stainless steel chimney flue in my unlined chimney in order to bring it up to code for insurance purposes. The flue was installed in good order and in good time and I was happy with the work. However when I went to use the fireplace during the following winter, the fireplace no longer seemed to be drawing properly. Smoke was coming back into the house. I tried all the standard testing procedures - cracking the door, making sure it was a cold night for draw, pre-heating the flue - to no avail. So I phoned Top Hat and asked them to come down and have a look. I understand that sometimes things don't work out exactly right - maybe the new relationship between the flue and the firebox was not right, for example. In good faith, I was willing to pay an additional charge if something needed to be changed - as not all problems are foreseeable. But here is where the problem started. I could NOT get anyone to come down from Top Hat and have a look. I must have explained my situation 4 or 5 times over phone calls that took place over more than a year and even explained I would be willing to pay if the problem could be fixed. Each time I was told Steve (the owner) would look into it and then nothing. It's been almost 2 years and still nothing. I guess the lesson here with this company is make sure your chimney actually works before giving over your final payment. I am very disappointed and frustrated with Top Hat.

Upon seeing the previous reviews in Homestars, I decided to ask Jim from Reach Restoration to quote on the re-pointing and brick repair of my entire home built in 1889. I was very impressed by both his detailed and precise quote and his knowledge of brickwork. It was extremely important to me to have the right contractor as I wanted the entire house to be selectively repointed and bricks replaced where worn. When dealing with old homes both the proper mortar mix and bricks are needed and if the job is done badly or incorrectly, it is very difficult to go back and fix or repair the problem. Jim, Adrian and the crew did an excellent job of the difficult task of matching both old mortar and brick colors. They laid the bricks properly in the same pattern they were laid originally which takes skill and patience. They were patient and did not rush the job. Reach Restoration was also very professional and courteous; they arrived to start the job when they said they would, were neat and tidy, finished the job fully to my satisfaction, and make sure the neighbours were notified of any work that would affect them. I would definitely recommend them to friends or family. If I could give them a rating of 11, I would :-).