Surviving your chimney liner installation

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Most homeowners underestimate the interruption having a contractor in will cause in their life, but you can reduce the stress and mess while keeping the job on track with a few simple tips. Here is a guide for how to survive your chimney liner installation.

Tip #1 – Pick the right contractor

The internet makes it easy to find contractors for your job on your time. You can sign on and shop around, read reviews and make the initial contract with the company all in the dead of night. While this is one of the advantages of the Internet it can also lead to some issues. The conveniences of the digital age can often lead to sloppiness on the homeowner’s part when it comes to verifying that a contractor is really the right person for the job. A discount price and available time slot shouldn't be the deciding factor. You still have to take the time to call during business hours to verify that their license and insurance is valid, and to make sure there are no complaints on file against the company.

Tip #2 – Make sure you understand what type of liner is being installed

Everyone wants to beat their budget and get the best savings possible, but the type of chimney liner you need is going to restrict the amount of savings you can get. You can't swap out liners. In other words having a partial metal liner installed because it is cheaper when what your chimney and fireplace need is a clay tile liner opens you up for some potential expensive problems later. Make sure you listen to the recommendations from your contractor about the appropriate type of liner to install. Remember that they stay in business by preserving a good reputation. They aren't going to try to sell you more than what you need, they are going to sell you what will keep you safe. There are options for saving money on every installation so ask them what they are.

Tip #2 – Understand what the contractor needs from you

Many a job has run into costly delays due to the homeowner not understanding what their responsibilities are in getting the job done. Don't assume that the contractor will be installing the liner strictly through outside access. They may need to come into your home. If they do and you are not there, they have to go away and come back another day. That will be a delay that you have caused and may create an additional expense over the cost of the estimate.

Tip #4 – Get in writing what the job completion involves

This is where most of the problems between contractors and home owners happen. The contractor pronounces the job complete and wants payment; the homeowner looks around at the mess and doesn't want to pay until it is cleaned and returned to normal. You have to get in writing what constitutes the entire job from start to finish. If you want them to do a final, restorative cleaning then you must have that spelled out in writing before you put your down payment in. Don't be surprised if that requirement raises the price. Many contractors can offer discounted prices based on the fact that they aren't going to be the ones using the shop vac to clean up. As long as both of you know exactly what conditions have to be met in order for the job to be considered complete you can avoid a lot of headache.

Tip #5 – Be smart with animals and children

This last tip is just using common sense to keep you and your family safe.  Keep kids and pets away from the contractors and the area they are working in. Not only is this a safety issue, but it can also serve to delay the job if the contractor is constantly interrupted. Beyond that, the mortars and other materials used present a health hazard. It is not enough to tell kids the area is off limits; close it off and plan other activities for them when you are having a chimney liner installation done.

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