Chiminey Cricket & Top Hat Air Systems

We went with Chimney Cricket based on the Unilocal reviews. However, our experience was not pleasurable unfortunately. This review will not capture all the details but the highlight the lack of customer service and follow-​up.
We called the business owner to inspect our wood burning fireplace and possibly clean it as needed. After review, the business owner states the fireplace does not need cleaned. He said the fireplace opening was too tall and not deep enough to enjoy a real wood fire. He recommends a mason to rehab the opening. That’s fine. Next, the business owner states the terracotta tile on top of the fireplace (outside) is not long enough. He recommends ordering parts and he will install these. The vent on top was not right either. He was to order that. We pay him $ 75 for the inspection. He said he would email us the quote to fix what he could. As he leaves our home, he mentioned he was not licensed to do the work in Nevada and that he works in Arizona and Nevada.
After two weeks, we hadn’t heard back from the business owner. I called his cellular phone and he stated he lost our contact information because he forwarded the the work order to his bookkeeper. He had completely forgot to have a work order quote sent to send us. I told him I would send him our email and contact information again. I did just that. However, he did not text me back to confirm our contact information. A few days later, I called him back. He stated he could not find the parts to fix our fireplace. In the course of our discussion, the business owner said, «I sense your frustration». I replied, «Well, a gave you $ 75, you lost our information, you blamed your book keeper, you are between Nevada and Arizona jobs, you forgot the specifics of our scope-​of-​work, you can’t find the parts needed to do our work, it’s 4 weeks later and we are no further along. Is this correct?» The business owner said all he can do at this point is to return my $ 75 check. Knowing that he had already cashed the check 4 weeks ago. I asked him to return the money anyway.
The business owner may have provide the previous Unilocal customers better service, giving him a higher star rating, but I can tell you, these days this has to be the worst customer service we have ever received.

My fireplace is an all wood burning fireplace built in the 80’s and has what’s known as «prefabricated» brick panels. Four panels in total — bottom, back, and sides.
Upon purchasing my home I knew I had a crack in one of the panels (the back one) per the inspection prior to moving in. The inspector made it sound as if you could just head on down to Hone Depot, pick up a new panel, and slap it on in.
Ohhhhh hell no. That is NOT the case at all. Here in Vegas, NOBODY sells these panels. You have to go outta state, order a large panel slab, have it shipped for a ridiculous amount of money because they’re HEAVY, then cut it to size yourself with a diamond blade saw of some kind.
I must’ve called 50 people locally over the course of a year — chimney sweepers, fireplace «specialists», and the like. When I say nobody wanted to deal with my problem, I mean NOBODY. Just so many lazy people/​businesses out there.
Step in, Chiminy Cricket. A gentleman named, Don. First off, the ONLY person who had any clue of what I really needed done, but beyond that, the only person who was actually willing to come out to my place and get the job done. He happened to have a panel on his truck and was able to cut it to size, throw my fireplace back together again nut and bolt, then performed a chimney sweep/​clean. The stuff that came outta the chimney was incredible. There’s no telling the last time my home chimney had been given any TLC.
Right now, as I type this, I finally have a nice fire burning for the first time in my home. My dog curled up in front of it. No need for a heater and I can’t be any happier right now (unless Agent P Carter from Marvel knocked on my front door).