NEXT!
Now that the coop project has wrapped (for the most part), we are free (at last!) to pursue other endeavors!
..Like the fireplace. You see, they don't build new homes with fireplaces anymore. Not real ones, anyway. I've only lived in one new house in my life, and that was a rental, but being a retired domestic employee (nanny), I have been inside plenty. They're all gas. Gross. So, we've got this great old fireplace in our living room, which has basically been rendered useless by decades (centuries?) of neglect. So step one was to restore the chimney to make it safe.
We called around to find a good chimneysweep in the area to bid our job. After a few no-shows and someone who showed and refused to even climb on the roof ("I'm abandoning the jobsite, the roof isn't safe" he said. Which I took to mean "I don't feel like working today because my dad's the boss") Anyway, we finally settled on an amazing local business that specializes in this sort of thing; maintenance and restoration!
The owner came out promptly, scurried up the (admittedly, steeply-pitched) roof, and inspected the heck out of our chimney. He provided a thorough and honest assessment of the work that needed to be done - gratis. He was hired on the spot. We needed to have some bricks replaced before we could replace the liner (actually, now that I think of it, I don't know if it ever HAD a liner). I'll admit it took us some time to get our act together to save for the work we had to have done, but every penny spent was well spent. He took his time in selecting used bricks to match the ones that were staying put and cleaned them all to provide continuity.
Basically, their crew worked tirelessly to tear down four or five rows of bricks and re-build it with a new cement cap and terra cotta tiles to provide a safer chimney. I'm not sure of all the technical jargon, but we're BEYOND thrilled with the work that was done on our home. We will be using this business for all our repair and maintenance needs in the future.
..Like the fireplace. You see, they don't build new homes with fireplaces anymore. Not real ones, anyway. I've only lived in one new house in my life, and that was a rental, but being a retired domestic employee (nanny), I have been inside plenty. They're all gas. Gross. So, we've got this great old fireplace in our living room, which has basically been rendered useless by decades (centuries?) of neglect. So step one was to restore the chimney to make it safe.
We called around to find a good chimneysweep in the area to bid our job. After a few no-shows and someone who showed and refused to even climb on the roof ("I'm abandoning the jobsite, the roof isn't safe" he said. Which I took to mean "I don't feel like working today because my dad's the boss") Anyway, we finally settled on an amazing local business that specializes in this sort of thing; maintenance and restoration!
The owner came out promptly, scurried up the (admittedly, steeply-pitched) roof, and inspected the heck out of our chimney. He provided a thorough and honest assessment of the work that needed to be done - gratis. He was hired on the spot. We needed to have some bricks replaced before we could replace the liner (actually, now that I think of it, I don't know if it ever HAD a liner). I'll admit it took us some time to get our act together to save for the work we had to have done, but every penny spent was well spent. He took his time in selecting used bricks to match the ones that were staying put and cleaned them all to provide continuity.
Basically, their crew worked tirelessly to tear down four or five rows of bricks and re-build it with a new cement cap and terra cotta tiles to provide a safer chimney. I'm not sure of all the technical jargon, but we're BEYOND thrilled with the work that was done on our home. We will be using this business for all our repair and maintenance needs in the future.
Before
AFTER!
Okay, so you can kinda tell where the new bricks are, but they did an awesome job, considering the old ones are 115 years old.
I'll be the first to admit that I was not the photographer of these fine pictures. I am FAR too chicken to scramble up the roof for something like this. Also, I know too much about physics. That roof! EESH.
NEXT UP: Line the damn thang!
The chimney is simply marvelous!
ReplyDelete