Step in Time chimney performed a free inspection and took my problems seriously. They had no problem servicing Harford County, MD.They cleaned and repaired my dryer vent, eliminating the birds nest they found. I am confident the bird wont get in again.They do so much more than chimneys. I hired them to waterproof the exposed foundation of my house.They are fast, easy to schedule, and get the job done.

Jeff was very friendly and knowledgeable. He arrived at the time he said he would and got to work promptly. Will use again.

Hes a crook I was doing masonry work and he likes cutting corners

Not sure why its reported closed, they are still operating or giving the perception that they are operating. This review is a review of the location in Baltimore owned by Michael Shipe.I contacted this business due to a mailer coupon for a $99 chimney sweep. The receptionist says that the owner, Mike, would come out to do an inspection first to see if a cleaning is all it needed. Mike came on the day of the appointment, never went up to the chimney and proceeded to tell me the grout lines were bad, needed caulking, the caps were separating, the crown was cracked and it would be $1600-$1700 for the job. He also proceeded to tell me that it would be in my best interest to get on his schedule as he was very busy and asked what I was going to do. I told him I was going to call around which he did not object.I was skeptical because I just bought the house a year ago and the previous owner gave me all the records that was done for the chimney which included 2 new caps, a new crown, new liner, new grout, etc. So I contacted the company used by the previous owners and they didnt dispute Mikes claims, but was skeptical as well.Long story short: chimney was inspected and cleaned with everything still looking fine. Oh, and Mike told me not to use the fireplace as it was a hazard. What is this guy doing? Mike is a fraud and a hustler and has no reason getting any business from anyone.Beware, if you want to lose money for unnecessary work, a Step In Time Chimney Baltimore is just your business. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and step as far away from this company.

Fast and efficient. Arrived scheduled time.

We had to have a full refresh on the 1960’s fireplace in the home we recently purchased. The crew arrived on time, they were professional and demonstrated great attention to detail and pride in their work. Mike and his team delivered on everything they said they would and we would definitely recommend them to anyone in the Baltimore area in need of fireplace work.

The manager Michael was very unprofessional. They severely damaged my newly installed slate roof. This caused serious water damage inside my house. Several people tried to install a flue liner until one person could. They made such a mess inside my house that they had to have a professional cleaning service come in. I DO NOT RECOMMEND these people at all. And I had to point out that the manager did not hold an MHIC license to sell in MD.

I had this company come out to give my wife and I an estimate to fix a cracked crown and to install a rain cap on our furnace chimney. The owner of this company, Michael, without even performing an inspection of any kind, told me we had a tera cotta liner in our chimney, that we would need to have a stainless steel liner installed, and that it was going to be $2,000. I began asking him how he knew that without doing an inspection, and he cut me off, saying the house was old, that he was the expert, and that he looks at these all the time. He then began to speak very rapidly about his credentials, his liability insurance, and how he had very good reviews online (a laughable claim), which made me feel like he was trying to manipulate me into him doing the work, which made me decide to go with someone else.

Mike did a great job explaining the services and detailing each of the steps his technician would perform on the date of service. He was courteous and catering to what I needed done.This is now my second experience using A Step in Time chimney services and I will continue to be a repeat customer. Thanks Mike and Dave!!

We had a great experience with A Step In Time. We’d been unable to use our chimney since we moved in 3 years ago due to the high quotes we were quoted from multiple companies to repair our chimney. I’m so glad we now have a safe, functioning chimney and that we found a company who could fix it for an affordable price! The owner, Mike, did our inspection. He was very knowledgeable and efficient at diagnosing the issues with our chimney. We then worked with the company’s scheduling office to make an appointment for our repairs, which we were able to have done only a few days after our inspection. We received a reminder call and the technician arrived promptly at the scheduled appointment time. He was courteous and knowledgeable. After paying for the work down, we were emailed a certification for the work done and working order of our fireplace. I highly recommend A Step In Time!

I placed a call for the free inspection offered in the value pack. Mike accommodated me with a Saturday, since I was off work that day. He explained his concerns with me immediately and I contracted with him to do the repairs as he gave me an extremely fair price! They were back at my house at 7:00 a.m. the following Monday morning, and completed the job with impeccable workmanship! Very professional, friendly, reliable and very fair company. I HIGHLY recommend them! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Highly recommend Mike and his team. For starters, he arrived for the visit ON TIME and he came prepared. After completing the inspection he gave an honest assessment of what was needed and I was not put in a high pressure sales situation for expensive services. VERY AFFORDABLE and quality service. Will definitely use A Step in Time for my next chimney service.

Aaron and his crew at A Step In Time Chimney Services were very courteous and professional. They came out and looked everything over thoroughly and gave a free estimate. Once I decided to have them do the work, they scheduled the time and were prompt and efficient. They did an outstanding job. He even made a follow-up call that evening to be sure everything was working fine. I highly recommend this company for your chimney and fireplace needs. They have the highest level of integrity and the price was very reasonable.

We had a great experience with Michael. He came out 12/13/2018 and provided us with an inspection of our gas fireplace. It was quick and easy. We are glad to know everything is in working order and we were very happy with his service.

I had a coupon for a $99 chimney cleaning so I called to check on appointments for the Columbia MD area. Rep was polite and told me this is a 2 step process. First they come and do a chimney inspection and then schedule a cleaning on a separate visit. When I asked why they couldnt inspect and clean on the same appointment she asked when my chimney was last cleaned. I replied last year - I have this done each year - she put me on hold and when she came back said they can come tomorrow, November 1 between 11am and 1 pm. I said great and provided address and phone number.I called the next day at 1:30 pm to ask about my appointment status. Rep said she had me listed between 1 and 3 pm. I said no it was 11 to 1. She then said the sweeps didnt want to get up early so they changed appointments. I told her no one contacted me about changing the appointment, she said someone should have called, I repeated no one called but since I was home would take the 1 to 3 appointment.No one showed between 1 - 3 but I was home till 5 pm. No one showed by 5 and no one called. I thought maybe Id get a call the next day, however, its November 8 and zero contact from this company. Needless to say if they called now I would not use their service and cannot / will not recommend to friends or neighbors.

We had an appointment on a Saturday morning. Very punctual, mentioned concerns in what needed to be fixed at a VERY REASONABLE rate, we contracted them. That Wednesday all of our repairs were completed. Would (and already have) recommend highly!!!

I will never use this company again. Twice this fall, I made plans to have someone at home for an chimney sweep appointment and twice no technician showed up. When my wife called to the office to ask why, the secretary lied and said they called us. They never called us. My wife asked to speak to the manager(OWNER), he then gets on the phone and begins to yell at her and say he is more worried about the people who are calling for carbon dioxide checks than he is for chimney sweeps and we shouldnt be calling for an appointment during the burning season. Also told her to look at outside and see that it is raining and what makes you think wed come in the rain? I then called to speak to the owner and was hung up on by the secretary. If this is how the owner is going to speak to customers, this is a place that does not deserve my business. If I wouldve been able to give zero stars on this rating, I sure wouldve as 1 star is to much. Most of my neighbors own fireplaces as well and we all will be looking for new chimney sweeps. Highly recommend you do the same..

Treated us like people and not just dollar signs. Completely replaced our chimney and fireplace for half the price others charge. Very friendly, fast and makes themselves available.

Great company, efficient and extremely helpful. I would highly recommend.  I called them out to service and assess the fireplace in one of my properties. Ray Gessner called on route and arrived on time as arranged, he assessed the problem and gave me the quote. I authorized the work and he had his technicians came the next day to complete the required work. He also offered to come out when I have new tenants and show them how to use the fire without damaging it and staying safe, an offer i will be accepting.  Awesome customer service thank you!

I have used A Step In Time Chimney Service a few times and have been very satisfied. To be more specific they offer very fair prices and are 100% transparent in the work that needs to be done. I dont feel pressured to use them I use them because they are honest and do great work. If you dont use these guys you will probably have to deal with high pressure salesmen trying to oversell and over charge you.

Waited over 3 weeks for a wood stove inspection and cleaning appointment on 11/16. Rep arrived on time but was clearly in a hurry. There was no inspection performed, only a quick peek with a phone flashlight while talking to a colleague. I was advised that the $99 cleaning would need to be done at a later date. When I called back to the office to schedule they said they’d take my name and number and get back to me? I don’t know why they offer free “inspections” just to leave when they feel there is no money to be made off of a $99 sweep. I’d be happy to pay for a real inspection and cleaning

You are loosing business because your receptionist does not have a grasp of the English language and I kept having to repeat myself, even after spelling words for her.I went with your competitor who was polite, courteous and I could communicate with.

Ray Gessner and his crew did a great job installing correct cap to chimney, cleaning and sealing the chimney, and also filling in mortar holes around the house. They were friendly, respectful and very prompt. Good and honest work, and affordable price. I would use them again if needed and highly recommend their services.

Be very careful with these guys. The owner seemed likable enough but tried to sell me on a complete replacement of my pipes $5000+ without even getting on the roof to look. Next company tells me its all class A pipes that are fine (shows me pictures and tests). Always get a second opinion when someone is quoting high dollar items.

Made an appointment TWICE and both times, no call, no show. VERY UNPROFESSIONAL. Will be using another company.

Michael Shipe, the company president, according to his cheaply made business card arrived to my house for a chimney inspection on the roof. I had asked for a quote of mansonry work on the top of my chimney that needed to be replaced. When I made the appointment, I explained what we were looking for and made an appointment to have the outside of the chimney examined and quoted for repair. Mr. Shipe came into my house for a total of 2 minutes. He didnt introduce himself, after knocking forceably for 90 seconds (which he told me was 10 minutes) and when my adult son came to the door, he basically came in and didnt introduce himself or ask any questions. He went into my living room and looked at my pellet stove very briefly and then stormed out. He then called me and told me he stood at my door for 10 minutes knocking (We have indoor and outdoor camera systems and it was about 90 seconds, the front door was open and he never rang the bell). He was obviously very upset about his 90 second wait and was very rude and irritable. He started to explain that he looked at my gas stove and I did interrupt him at that time as 1. We dont have a gas stove, its an electric pellet stove and 2. We called to have someone look at the chimney on the roof and never expected anyone to need to enter my home. I didnt get much of a chance to discuss any of that as he was the rudest president of any company I think Ive ever dealt with. He was rude, condescending, abrupt and worse of all had absolutely no idea what he came to my house for. Obviously we have chosen to go with a more professional company

I called and made an appointment with “A Step in Time” for an inspection of my wood stove system. The day before the appointment they called and confirmed my appointment and made sure they were clear on what I was needing them for. The morning of the appointment Michael showed up just a few minutes early for the appointment (which was nice). He was professional, and extremely informative. He checked my system over and made the needed changes. I can say dealing with this company has been a pleasure. It’s a breath of fresh air to have a company be on time and get the job done right the first time. I highly recommend “A Step in Time” you will not be sorry.Jay

My service was done quickly and efficiently. Staff and technicians were a pleasure to work with. I highly recommend this company for any chimney issues.

I cannot believe the amount of help and cooperation I got from A Step in Time!My HOA had their chimney company complete their annual inspection of my fireplace and condemned it, saying it was unsafe for use due to leaking water from a rusty chase cover. Upon learning this, I ordered a dual chase cover to begin the repairs. Due to my poor judgment, I ordered the dual chase cover from A Step in Time without approval from my adjoining neighbor. In the process of trying obtain approval from my neighbor, the HOA told me that I was not permitted to replace the chase cover because it was community property due to my flue being connected to the adjoining neighbor. Further, the HOA said they did not have funds to repair and replace the chase cover, so my fireplace would no longer be functioning if left without the repairs being accomplished. They recommended I just buy an electric insert fireplace.The owner of A Step in Time, Michael Shipe, joined a conference cal with my HOA and insisted that the fireplace is safe to use and should not be condemned, forcing the HOA to have a re-inspection from a third company. The third company agreed with A Step in Time that the fireplace should be safe to use if the chase cover was replaced.This left me with a chase cover that I had paid almost $1k for out of pocket, and an HOA that was not willing to fix my chase cover or reimburse me for!Knowing full well that the condo association would only use their own chimney company, andnot Michaels company, Michael coached me on how to convince the HOA to replace the chase cover. Michael provided details of where and what size he ordered for my chase cover. On top of that, he helped me get the chase cover delivered to my unit for the other the HOAs chimney company to install.If it were not for A Step in Time, my fireplace would have been destroyed by my HOA!I recommend A Step in Time especially because they went above and beyond the call of duty to gladly assist me!

This is the best company in the business! Due to a freak incident with my washing machine, I discovered that my chimney was blocked and had to be repaired. The workers were on time & friendly. I discovered things that I would never have known. Excellent job from start to finish!!

Will not use again! Watch out! At first, everything was great. Then Michael was very distant with phone calls and answering questions. Then work was done and it was not satisfactory. I called and I get HUNG UP ON by him. I have been calling the office for over 2 months and issues still cant be resolved. So over them. I would give a 0 star review if I could. Look elsewhere for services. Rude, not dependable, and not customer friendly.

Would give a zero if I could. Inspected in July 2018 and gave me quote for repair. Nov 2018 “I’m sorry we don’t offer service in your area.” What?!?I asked if the guy who was here in July passed away, and why do they include an ad in our local mailer if this isn’t their service area? It’s 2018, act like your business is in the 21st century if you’re going to maintain an online presence.

We were having an issue with our furnace-the emergency shut off would trip. They said if it trips again call a chimney service. I called Michael and came the very next day and was able to diagnose and remedy our problem immediately. I was so amazed because I thought it would cost us much time and money. Thank you guys. You the best.

Very unreliable.Owner came out for inspection. We scheduled actual service 3 times over 2 months and the technician never came for appointment. They only perform service on Saturday and Sunday. I asked to have owner call, and did not speak with him. A competitor arrived as scheduled and completed the service.

I had a difficult time in the past getting a company to inspect my chimney. After several missed appointments with different companies I just gave up trying. I realized I really needed someone to look at it this year so I tried A Step In Time. I received an estimate and was able to schedule the work for the very next week! The technicians were friendly and professional. The work they did was beautiful. So glad I called them!

What I had thought was a professional company, I thought wrong. We had a quote done for a cleaning sweep, rain cap install, seal flashings, and power wash chimney. We paid for all those services to be done.Raincap looks nice and flashings appear to be nicely sealed. Which is why I gave a two star.1. No cleaning sweep was done.2. Power washed only half of chimney.3. Left ropes behind in my bushes.We called cause we wanted money back for the cleaning portion, that was not done. And the owner pretty much said no because he has already given us a deal.Just all around unprofessionalism.

I setup an appointment for the inspector to come and give me a quote on the service that I needed to have done. He quoted me a cost of $2500 for a chimney liner, some brick pointing work for a side wall, and waterproofing. This was the owner/president that promise me that the water leak would be resolved after the repairs were completed. I was told if I had any leaks inside my home after the service was completed then he himself would come back to repair the issue. The job was to be certified with a lifetime warranty. I was fine with the cost so I scheduled an appointment for the technician with a timeframe between 11a-2p. The technician called me at 1:50p to tell me that he was an hour away. I had to reschedule my appointment because I had already waited for three hours. However with the second appointment I needed some clarification. On that service that I was having done because the technician was saying something completely different from the inspector/ owner/ president .The inspector quoted me for the service that I needed but when the technician came with a completely different work order I became a bit worried . Once the technician contacted the owner he denied the initial repairs that he quoted me for which was very disappointing to me. I couldn’t believe that he denied the repairs that he quoted me for. This company is misleading, unprofessional, and a waste of time. I wouldn’t refer them to my enemy.

I give them 2 stars. One for being punctual, and one for professionalism.-1 star for no cleaning-1 star for no inspection-1 star for massive up-sell attemptI made an appointment for a $95 special for a cleaning and inspection. The person who showed up (believe he said he was the owner) looked up at my chimney while standing in the driveway and said I needed a new chase. Went inside my house, looked up the chimney with his phone flashlight and said the everything looked fine. He continued to say the chase needed to be replaced, and he didnt need to go up on the roof. I was quote $1,400 for a new stainless steel chase including labor. Even though he didnt charge me I got neither a cleaning or an inspection.Being skeptical I made an appointment with a local company in Bel Air for $175. I never revealed that I was looking for a second opinion. They came on time, cleaned and inspected my chimney. They showed and emailed pictures they took of the chase while on the roof, and said it would need to be replaced... in a couple of years. It was starting to show signs of rust, but no leakage. And the price? $600 for a stainless steel chase, including labor.Although the quote of $1,400 was alarming what really concerned me was giving a quote to do a job without actually inspecting the chase. As a homeowner thats a red flag, because the cost of a job can skyrocket due to unforeseen problems that are discovered on the day the work is to be done.

They worked SOOO hard❣️😶 I needed both cores replaced & they did an awesome job. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

There was nothing wrong with my chimney yet this guy came out for a free estimate and said it needed a new liner and cap! Got a second opinion, which was an actual Chimney Inspection for $75 from the Chimney Doctor, they found nothing wrong with my liner, and said no repairs were needed. Nothing in life is free, especially not his inspection.

Very professional job. Job was completed on time for a great price.Couldnt be happier.Thanks Mike!

I purchased a Regency insert from A Step In Time in October. They installed the new stove, lined the chimney, and disposed of the old stove. The process was pleasant and I really enjoyed every bit of their services.

Used these guys, they do not look fancy, but theyll give you a great price. They showed up exactly when they said they would. We werent ready for them, so they happily accepted the payment (and left the new chimney with us) until we were ready. Then they came out within one day of us calling to reschedule, and finished the job in a few hours.

I believe it was Mike that came to our house.He met with my father and began inspecting the furnace to which my 80 year old father says we havent used that for years. He turned to my father and in such a rude tone says well why am I even here. I remind him that he was supposed to be here to give an estimate on installing a pellet stove. Judging by the way he just talked to my 80 year old father Im no longer interested so I ask him to leave. He threatens to call the fire department on me as Im still asking him to leave I call him an ahole because thats how he was acting he says youre the ahole dont ever call our company again.I most certainly will not!

We had an appointment scheduled and they were supposed to call the day before. No call. We called them the morning of appt and they said that they would be there in the afternoon. They did not show up, we got no call and no response to call. We lost a day off of work. What happened to common courtesy.

RUN, SCAM ALERT!Do your homework people. They hit your mailbox with a little mailer saying $99 Chimney Sweeps and that should have raised a flag right there cause no one is going to spend a few hours doing an appropriate cleaning. 2nd Red Flag was calling the local 410 number and the answering service is nothing more than an appt setting company. When i schedueld fhe date she says this for an inspection. I said i just want the chimney swept for $99 and they can inspect it during that time. Thats how its worked for 20 yrs.So i go ahead and schedule it and a week later a short little bald dude shows up with a clip board and some other minion is with him. He was def not dressed to get a little soot in him. I also noticed him looking up at my chimney as though he has already determine an issue with his zoom xray vision. I open the door and say, Did you see anything that concerns you. He says yes, there is an issue with your chimney cap and mortar. Well I just had that properly repaired 2 yrs ago and am on my roof several times a yr. I call him out on it and he gets super defensive and asked whats up with the false advertising as I just want my chimney cleaned. He said they wont clean it if its unsafe. Then accuses me of risking my families life. So our appt lasted about 3 mins, a min longer and he would have been climbimmng out of my chimney. Advice, FIND an OWNER OPERATOR. Meaning if the guy doesnt get dirty, call someone else.

If you like being yelled at, no-show for appts, shoddy work, then this company is for you. All you need to do is check their reviews at multiple sites and this will validate my review.

Very pleased with service and professionalism of the owner and the guy who performed the work.

Set up an appointment for a Free Chimney Home Inspection for November 7th between 11am-1pm. Technician never showed up and never called. Called the office and was told that I was on the schedule but the tech had already went home. This appointment took me 2 weeks to get scheduled because techs would be in my area that day. CSR ask if I would like to reschedule the appointment, which would probably be another two weeks. Very disappointed with this company.

This deserves no stars...So Mike came to my house this morning and told me it would cost $900 to just do a rotary sweep of my fireplace chimney because it was heavily coated. Agreed, its been a few years since I had it done last. He also told me that I would need to patch the mortar around the outside of the chimney, which would be an additional $600-$700. He was shinning a high-powered flash light into the windows of my house when I came down stairs at 7:45am, and was rude to my wife when she left the driveway. He told me that if I paid in cash I would save $400. Needless to say I was skeptical, so when he left I made a few calls. Another company (in Rosedale, MD), quoted me $247.50 for the rotary sweep! Well Hello There! Done deal! Avoid this guy, he is a scam artist.

Like many of the reviews on this site, I had a coupon that arrived with the money mailer. I called the next day,I explained that I needed my wood stove flue cleaned and that I had burned over two cords of wood so I knew that a free estimate wasnt needed. They appt. Setter insisted they needed to do an inspection which would be free. We scheduled for three days later. They never showed, no call. Finally, around 4 I called. They said they didnt have me scheduled but could reschedule for the next day and do the inspection and cleaning the same day. The next morning they called just before nine (too late to go to work) and said they couldnt make it there on time. I asked if they could make it later? They said no and wanted to reschedule for the following day. I said no!! I wish I had read these reviews. I cant understand why the company, A step in time chimney cleaning, would spend the money to advertise if they dont plan to make the appt.

Very good job. First time ever getting my Chimneys cleaning I never knew how bad they were.

HORRIBLE!!! My appointment was 7-9, at 9 I received a call that the tech was running late and would be at my house in 30 mins. At 10:45 I called back and was told that he was headed my way. I just canceled the appointment-extremely disappointed and not an upfront company.

On time and good job

They never came or called to clean

Tried to set up an appointment with Pam (I think) and she was not interested in my business. Very unfriendly. On to the next place.