How to check a chimney company before you hire one

Ask whether the contractor is licensed and insured, and ask for proof

What the Attorney General says

The Attorney General tells homeowners to always ask if a contractor is licensed and insured, and to demand to see proof. It also suggests asking what the insurance covers, because a contractor's insurance generally relates to injuries on the job, and may not cover poor workmanship or damage to your property.

With Moses Chimney

Our license details will be listed here once they are confirmed.

Ask us and we'll send you a copy of our certificate of insurance.

Look the license up yourself

What the Attorney General says

Builders and maintenance and alteration contractors are licensed by LARA, the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. On LARA's license lookup you can check a license's current status and any past disciplinary action. Search with the license number if you have it, along with the names of the builder and the business.

With Moses Chimney

Look us up the same way you would anyone else.

Get two or three written estimates

What the Attorney General says

The Attorney General recommends seeking two or three written estimates and carefully comparing the services and materials along with the price.

With Moses Chimney

Every repair we do is quoted in writing, with the work, the materials and the price spelled out.

Get a written contract before work starts

What the Attorney General says

Don't let work start without a signed written contract that includes all verbal promises, a start and completion date, a requirement that the builder get all required permits, a breakdown of the costs, the payment dates and the events that trigger each payment, and the contractor's LARA license number, street address and phone number.

With Moses Chimney

Repair work starts only after you've approved a written quote, and the contract covers what Michigan law and the Attorney General's list call for.

Know when you can cancel

What the Attorney General says

In some cases Michigan law gives you the right to cancel a contract after signing it: three days for sales solicited at your home, and one day for contracts where you pay a home improvement contractor over time.

With Moses Chimney

If you sign a repair contract with us at your home, it will explain your right to cancel.

Say no to now-or-never offers

What the Attorney General says

On high-pressure sales, the Attorney General's advice is short: if someone offers a choice of "now or never," choose never.

With Moses Chimney

We show you what we found and send the quote. You decide on your own schedule.

Check references and complaint history

What the Attorney General says

Along with LARA, the Attorney General suggests checking with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team for a complaint history, and asking for a list of homeowners who hired the contractor for similar work.

With Moses Chimney

We're a new name, so ask us anything you'd ask a reference. Call and we'll answer it.