A Step In Time Chimney Sweep

If there were a way to leave ZERO stars, that would be my selection! TERRIBLE! I had the displeasure of their «District Manager» Michael being the inspector. We had a 12pm appointment scheduled for my buyer and was told someone would call 30 minutes to one hour prior to the appointment to confirm. Micahel called at 10:18 and I was unable to answer due to an appointment and called again at 10:50 and left a message saying he was cancelling the appointment because he was not able to confirm the appointment. I called him back several times and no answer. He finally returned my call with an attitude and said he had been calling me for 3 hours!!! Not true, I have the voicemails and phone calls to prove it. He continues on to verbally assault me and state hat he owns the company and and does a lot of free work for my company (this was my first time using them and my veteran buyer was paying FULL PRICE) for the inspection. He went on to call me several explicatives before ending the call. This man was Rude, unprofessional, ignorant and absolutely not anyone I would give my business to! I called the office after the altercation to speak to Michael’s manager and after a few minutes on hold Michael somehow intercepted the call and began taunting me saying «Raymond Gussler (his boss) doesn’t want to speak to you!» BEWARE!!! I will make sure
My complaint is heard well above Michael!

I signed them up for chimney cleaning services and the appointment was confirmed a day in advance. The technician came promptly and checked out our chimney and said that it was perfectly fine and we can start using it. The whole visit took about 5 minutes and when the technician was leaving, I offered to pay him for the services, but he declined saying our chimney was in perfect condition and since he did not do anything, we do not have to pay him.
My ordeal started a day after this visit. Another technician called me early next morning and said he is coming to fix our chimney. I told him our chimney was already inspected and the technician told us everything was fine. The owner of the company then called me and threatened to sue me. He also said he spoke to me and that I asked him to buy parts for repair. I would love see the call history or the number he called or spoke to me. Also, i would love to talk to the technician that came to my house and inspected the chimney. The business owner kept calling me John Harris and I was sure there was a misunderstanding and I told him I was not John Harris. I was trying to be helpful and respectful. At one point he also said he was sorry if I was not John harris, but then back to text me abuses. The whole episode was totally uncalled for, and the owner of the business kept calling and sending abusive/​insulting texts and voice messages all Saturday morning.
I do not understand how anyone can provide good customer service with the attitude and language that was used against me. My family advised me against posting this review fearing more abuses and even physical harm or injury, and I am expecting more abuses and texts after I post this review, but I want to document those to formulate a case against this business. I will be contacting the BBB, and I hope people are aware of this business and their nefarious tactics and how they treat their customers.

Absolutely outstanding and professional service.
I needed to have my chimney inspected as part of a moving out requirement for the property I rent. The gentlemen showed up on time, and were quick in their work. They were very knowledgeable and provided the documention we needed. They also provided pictures and digital paperwork as proof the the chimney was good to go. The price was really reasonable.
I really recommend this company, couldn’t have had a better experience.

PROMPT!!! Professional, great job, great price. These guys were on time exactly as they promised and did a terrific job. Their manager is knowledgable and courteous. Cleanup superb!

We had a chimney inspection and cleaning at our home, and Matt Watkins from the Virginia Beach, VA. location was awesome, he informed us of a potential fire hazard, which could be safe in the long run. Great Job.

I found this company through the ValPak coupons. I have been in my home for about a year and have never used my chimney. They came for an inspection and informed me I would need some work before I could use it. We scheduled a day to have the repairs. They call the day before and also when there on their way day of. This is important especially when your given a time frame. Saves you from being trapped for 4 hours while your waiting for someone to arrive. They were punctual, professional, and pleasant. Inspected my roof and replaced my chimneys back wall plate. Took about an hour. Great service and good company! I would recommend

They arrived on-​time and after inspecting my chimney, I was told that it did not need to be swept. Instead I need some masonry work that would cost $ 200.00 and they could do it immediately. I was unable to use my coupon on the work, but was given a free chimney sweep for the summer of 2016. I pleased.

My husband and I had a wonderful experience with A Step In Time and couldn’t have asked for better customer service from our representative, Thomas. We had to replace the lining in a 1920’s chimney and were VERY nervous about the work compromising the structure of the home. Thomas visited our home, was extremely professional and knowledgeable about the process, how airflow works and what safeguards could be put in place to make sure that the old structure was kept intact. Thomas guaranteed his work, and we can see why — he completed the work in the promised time frame, it was excellent craftsmanship, and exactly what we spoke about having completed. Thomas was available to answer questions, explain twice, and truly takes pride in his work. When it looked like we needed another piece on the fireplace to avoid some back draft, Thomas addressed the issue immediately and did so with care and concern. We would recommend Thomas and A Step In Time to anyone looking for excellent work!

A Step In Time Chimney Sweep was a class act from beginning to the end. They were punctual, professional and thorough. They took the time to explain the results of the inspections. Everyone I spoke with was genuinely helpful and courteous. Didn’t have to wait months to schedule the work. They came the next day in my case! I would recommend A Step In Time Chimney Sweep for you.

After confirming a two-​hour window the night before my scheduled appointment, A Step In Time did not show up when they said they would. When I called at the end of the two-​hour window to inquire as to their whereabouts, I was informed that they would be at my residence an hour after that. Again, they were tardy to the point where I just had to cancel after wasting an entire morning waiting and chasing after them. Given the previously positive experiences by Unilocal users, I am surprised and disappointed at the complete lack of professionalism and consideration exemplified by A Step In Time.

I used this service prior to moving out of my home in the DC area. I couldn’t have been more pleased. They were punctual and polite. They held a high level of professionalism while accurate with their quote. I would highly recommend them to anyone who is looking for these types of services in this area!

I found A Step in Time through a friend and couldn’t have more pleased. I know very little about chimney repair/​maintenance and they were knowledgeable and helpful throughout the entire process. A professional, friendly business that i would highly recommend!

I had a great experience. The office called to confirm my appt. The workmen were punctual, polite and neat. The price was good (with a coupon) for cleaning and inspection with photos.

I am a busy guy. My time is my most valuable asset.
I needed repairs for my 1980’s fiberglass wood fireplace insert. The heat reflectors within the fireplace were cracked and my metal chimney was rusting terribly. I had spoken with another company about getting the project and they were very slow to respond and not very communicative.
Around that time, I recalled that I had used «A Step in Time Chimney Sweep» many years ago to clean and inspect the chimney. I called them up and they still had me on file. I called to schedule an estimate three business days out. They called me the night before to confirm the appointment which was awesome because I had meant to do that myself, but didn’t get around to it. That call was very much appreciated. They showed up on site, on time.
Michael Shipe provided the estimate. I was immediately impressed because I quickly felt his passion for his job. Michael took a long look at the fireplace and peered into binoculars at the metal chimney. He quoted me a price to repair everything and assured me that this project was well within the wheelhouse of his company. On site, he called up an operator and left them with detailed notes about the work to be performed and had the work scheduled two business days out. He said the project would require two men and about two hours of work. Again, I thought he had a lot of passion and energy and that he provided an honest proposal of work. He quoted me the exact work as the other company so I had a lot of confidence going into this project.
Two business days later, «Dave» was waiting in his company provided utility van, nearly ten minutes early. Unfortunately, he did not have a partner, but he explained to me that the second employee slated for my project was a new trainee and had been graduated to another project. So, while I was a little surprised to see only one employee show up, I was very happy to have the guy that trains the new hires. That is always a good sign. Dave was polite, professional, and performed the work efficiently. In a display of confidence, Dave produced digital pictures of his work on the roof that he was able to share with me immediately.
So, all in all, my project with «A Step in Time Chimney Sweep» went incredibly smoothly and it went from initial phone call to project completion in fewer than five business days. I can’t ask for more than that!

I hope this refers to A Step in Time, the Chimney Sweeps, because that is who I want to review. I held off on having my chimney inspected and cleaned because of a bad experience and the general reputation of chimney companies in the area as rip off artists. When I purchased my home a chimney company told me I needed $ 4K+ worth of work to what I knew was a good chimney.
A Step in Time cleaned and inspected my chimney last week and they were fantastic. The Sweep took before and after photos of everything so I could see what he proposed to do and what he actually did. He did a great job, was very tidy, and educated me about my chimney. The price-​with discount fro their website was $ 169 in DC. He identified a small but now obvious problem but told me it didn’t need to be taken care of right away. The claims and proposed charges from the earlier company were totally bogus.
I don’t Unilocal a lot but wanted to make the effort to commend this company. Low key, friendly, knowledgeable, and honest.