Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:06/07/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  The cost for a recent chimney repair charged to me by the Chattanooga Chimney and Fireplace Company was nothing short of highway robbery. Highway robbery is a term for an exorbitant price for services. Additionally, the repair work did not resolve all of the issues, and I had to have another company repair Chattanooga Chimney and Fireplace Company's work. Over a period of five days in April, I suffered a chimney collapse, a waterline break, and severe damage to my backdoor. Looking back, I think that I gave Chattanooga Chimney a check for the outrageous sum of $3,846 for a mere five hours of work because I was in shock from the rapid succession of tribulations. Also, I was anxiously expecting a hefty price tag after speaking with a friend who had paid $20,000 for repairs to her chimney. But she had paid dearly for brick that matched the original and for the rebuilding of her entire chimney. I paid close to $4,000 for no rebuilding, just repairs to the flashing and mortar on my two chimneys and for crown repair on one chimney. The Chattanooga Chimney tech advised me that inadequate flashing and porous mortar had allowed rain to enter the chimney wall and damage the structure. Over time parts of the wall structure around the chimney interior had crumbled and created pressure on the wall above my mantel. Ultimately, the wall burst open, knocking the mirror propped on the mantel and other glass objects to the floor, where they shattered. It was a traumatic event for me. The tech promised to deliver me a dry chimney. But two days after, I paid him $3,846 for his work, we had rain, and what remained of the wall over my mantel was stained with water. The Chattanooga Chimney tech returned the day after the rain and said the flashing was sound. He blamed the water damage on a cracked shingle. I am 78 years old and can't inspect the chimneys myself. The next day my roofer came out, inspected the tech's work, and reported, "Your chimney's a mess." He said the tech had used Flexall to repair the flashing and had smeared a mortar caulking onto the chimneys I told him the company had charged $900 for the crown repair to the smaller chimney, a process that took about 30 minutes. "Doesn't look like $900 worth of work to me," the roofer said. He said he had removed the useless Flexall. The roofer and his assistant spent two hours repairing the flashing and replacing the shingles. The bill was $325. The work they did was successful. I've had no moisture on the mantel wall since they made repairs. In contrast, I paid Chattanooga Chimney $770 an hour for work that did not result in a dry chimney. Even if the work had been done properly, who expects pay amounting to $770 an hour? Maybe a heart surgeon or a criminal defense attorney, but not a chimney sweep. I emailed Chattanooga Chimney requesting a refund of $3,000. That would leave them with more than the work merited. They took advantage of someone who was shaken and not thinking straight due to a series of woes. I was a victim of gross price-gouging. So far, I have not received a refund. If I had checked out the company at the BBB, I would have found Chattanooga Chimney had a complaint and a C rating. And I would have found several unfavorable reviews of the company's work.