That is part of the charm of it all! ;-) I really don't want to have my house demolished so that I can restore my fireplace!

Any reviews of 1 Hour Chimney Corp. aka AAA Chimney Corp. and Chimney Doctors (Marcel)?

Bikherboy - which company did you use? LOL regarding the pigeon! I'll remember to have them put a screen in. I don't want to experience any vermin - I freak out when there's a bug in the house!

Posted by: Flintstone at August 28, 2007 10:05 AM in response to Has anyone heard of "Thermocrete?"

Has anyone heard of Thermocrete http://www.thermocreteusa.com/ and has anyone used it or something similar to a ceramic flue sealant/liner? I have been advised that since the flue in my chimney is small, it is best to use this since I will get the best draft for the size.

Note: I also posted this as a separate thread under Chimneys. Thanks for your input.

Posted by: Flintstone at August 25, 2007 3:42 PM in response to Help with Restoration

Thanks for your help so far. I'll definitely check into these suggestions. Just an FYI, I had checked with Fireside since I had heard a lot of good things about him here on this board as I've been doing seaches. However, it seems that he's taken ill - I haven't been able to reach him. When I did get in touch with his office, they told me that he was sick. I'm so sorry to hear that - can anyone confirm this?

I do appreciate everyone's help, and if anyone knows anything else or has other suggestions, please feel free to chime in - especially with who to avoid. I'm having a very difficult time with this - some of these quotes are through the roof (no pun intended!) And some of them talk and talk and you still don't know what you're getting for your money!

Posted by: Flintstone at August 15, 2007 7:41 PM in response to Help with Restoration

I used Manny Lasalle (sorry, I don't have his number). He stipped paint off a gorgeous slate fireplace, dismantled it and moved it to a different room without a scratch.
He then bricked up the opening in the old location. Manny also stripprd a wrought iron summer screen for us and it looks like a million bucks.

Posted by: RG at August 16, 2007 5:41 AM in response to Help with Restoration

I had a bad experience with Big Apple Chimney two years ago. The representative they sent over tried to frighten me with carbon monoxide scares that other contractors subsequently found to be false. I have detectors throughout my brownstone, tested yearly, so I'd know if carbon monoxide was a genuine concern anyway. (It hasn't been.) Big Apple quoted me three thousand dollars for a job that ended up costing less than a thousand, but said if I signed on the spot they'd pull a team from a nearby job, start in the morning and brig the price down to two thousand.

I found it all very fishy and went elsewhere.

Posted by: guest at August 16, 2007 3:40 PM in response to Help with Restoration

I posted this comment to a another recent inquiry about fireplace mantles.

"The person you have to call is Manny LaSalle.
I bought two marble fireplaces in pieces from Eddie Hibbert (Salvage place - Grand and Greene) and Manny patiently pieced together the mantels, identifying missing pieces, getting them out of his own supply, having iron pieces soddered and generally doing an excellent job. He also took a old marble "saddle" (is that the term?) on the floor and rather than having me buy a new one took the old one to a marble person, had it dipped in cleaning chemicals, cleaned and polished. He did an excellent job. He was fast, professional, reasonably priced and very meticulous. Manny does everything to do with fireplaces - rebuilding flues, installing liners, anything to do with making a fireplace work safely. I called him after that bad storm which knocked some bricks out of my chimney on the roof. The thing was in bad shape and the storm was the kiss of death. He rebuilt the thing quickly. Manny's number is 917-292-1825.

Good luck."

Posted by: donatella at August 18, 2007 9:54 PM in response to Help with Restoration

Has anyone heard of Thermocrete http://www.thermocreteusa.com/ and has anyone used it or something similar to a ceramic flue sealant/liner? I have been advised that since the flue in my chimney is small, it is best to use this since I will get the best draft for the size.

Note: I also posted this as a separate thread under Chimneys. Thanks for your input.

Posted by: Flintstone at August 25, 2007 3:42 PM in response to Help with Restoration