A and J Fireplaces

This is a complicated review as things started off well, but then went down hill and then into the abyss. In 2013 I was having trouble getting a customized retrofit fireplace insert installed in my 1890’s Victorian home. Most dealers just wanted to sell me a wood stove involving no reconstruction. A wood stove would have taken up too much living space and so I needed something to sit inside the fireplace and chimney column that was closed off some time in the 60’s. I had drawn plans for what I wanted and no-​one wanted to do the work to fit an insert. I had almost given up hope when one day while driving by A &J I decided on a whim to drop in and ask some questions. John seemed real positive, I even showed him my plans and he said he saw no reason why the job could not be done. John is very charismatic and when he came to estimate all was good. Then the work started weeks later when the insert arrived. Two brawny young men showed up to do the work… Where was John? The men shook there heads a lot when taking apart the fire chamber and re-​supporting the chimney. At first I thought these guys were just lazy good for nothins, I came to realize that they were honest workers who were tired of John not estimating the jobs properly and expecting them to figure it out. Some things even surprised me like when they told me that I probably would not be able to get my SS flue liner all the way up the chimney due to the off-​set of the existing ceramic flue tiles. I thought, but this is important isn’t it??? Then there was the hearth stone problem, I gave John the size I wanted, when the stone arrived weeks later, it arrived with with two sides not flame treated, I thought, no problem just send back to stone place and they can fix this rather fast right? No! It took two more weeks and when it finally arrived, the slate top was 2 inches shorter than when originally made to spec. I told John that this was not acceptable, but John convinced me the size was right for the look. OK, I bought that one, but confused and angry I confided in one of the workers who told me it was shorter because in an effort to save money John tried to flame treat it himself and failed then had to bring it to the stone dealer to have it done right. Nearing the end of the job one of the workers got a legitimate Union job and was leaving, but not before attempting to put the flue liner up the chimney. This guy was a body builder and forcefully pushed the flue as far as it could go until hitting a tile edge and stopping it. Normaly the flue is dropped down from the top of the chimney, but John must have known it would never make it to the insert with all the obstacles. In the end about 5 ft rose above the unit instead of the original 27 ft estimated to reach the top. John assured me this was safe and since it was already in an existing flue with draft it was satisfactory, but told me to have it cleaned every year. When final billing time came I asked John to deduct the cost of 22 ft. of expensive SS liner since It was never used. Again John convinced me that he worked so hard on this job that he deserved to be payed the original estimate. Exhausted by this point and relieved the 2 month job (Really 6 days of actual labor) was finally over I agreed because in the end I am nice guy and want everyone happy. After-​all John was the only one willing to make my dream come true, so what the heck.
Well after a year of burning, I called A&J for a cleaning as planned. I had to leave a message with a new worker who said John would get in touch. A few days went by with no answer, so I called again and got the same deal. this time I got busy and two weeks went by. Called again and the same guy with the same response that John will call back. One week more goes by, this time I am angry and the guy tells me he is just going to schedule a visit for a cleaning. That date comes and I get a call from John saying he is going to be a half hour late. OK no problem, thanks for letting me know. 5 min. later John calls me back asking me why he was coming over? I said (puzzled) to clean the chimney. He said Oh, I can’t do that today because you have a steep roof and I need my special guy who handles steep roofs. Frustrated, I asked when can he have this guy come do the job? He said in three days, so I make the appointment. Three days go by, no show??? After many unanswered calls I was finally told something came up. I make another appointment for John or whoever to come a week later. Same scenario, a call that there is a delay and then no show. This time I took a take a day off work so I am fuming and call the shop, miraculously John answers the phone and I ask him what happened? He asked who this was and when I told him he said, «i’ll call you right back» no call back and I gave up. Called another comp. who told me the liner was offset and impossible to clean. He refused to do the job, so I had to call a company that re-​lined chimneys with a heat shield. Another $ 2800!

Horrible service, bad workmanship! I spent a fortune having repairs done to correct the bad job John did. Please stay away!