Complaint Review: Ron's Fireside & Fireplace Shop

Last summer we stopped off at Ron's Fireside Shop and Ron Sr. advised us that if we were adding a fireplace to our house we should use a component system and that it would probably run around $10,000 total.

Flash forward, we call and Ron Jr. appears in his over-the-top truck to do a detailed estimate that was to cost $125.00. Twenty minutes later we receive a hand written "estimate" for almost $12,000 and that would not include the inside work, the chimney, and this was to take about a half a day. I asked why had the price been increased so much in just a couple of months and he sited increase in material costs. We researched the materials and they were about $3,000.

I called him the next business day to tell him that we were disappointed with his 20 minute estimate (he was on the phone most of the time with Ron Sr.during his visit with us.) He lost it, telling me this was his life's work, how could I say that the $125.00 was too much, that we were working with fire after all. Anyway, he acted like a baby, it was impossible to have any kind of rational conversation with him.

Since then we have gotten 3 estimates that are half the amount they estimated and includes EVERYTHING. All we will have to do is put on a log and light a match. These guys are LOSERS -- hope I can help by adding my voice to their ripoff business.