Our Services
How our craftsmen repair a hearth
Every hearth repair ends with a clean room, clear cure times and a written record of the work.
Raised hearths and seating ledges
Many fireplaces sit on a raised hearth, sometimes deep enough to sit on. The raised section takes knocks from feet, logs and tools, and its front edge and corners chip and crack more than the flat surface. Seating ledges also take weight from people sitting on them, which puts extra load on the front edge.
Where the firebox floor is raised at least 8 inches above the extension, the code for masonry fireplaces allows a thinner extension in front. We check the heights before a repair so the rebuilt ledge and the extension in front of it keep to the thickness that applies. Chipped edges can often be rebuilt or replaced without disturbing the rest.
Smoke stains on a brick hearth
Smoke leaves dark stains on brick in front of the opening. Brick industry guidance says scrubbing with scouring powder and a stiff bristle brush is often effective on smoke, and it warns that some cleaning solutions react with minerals in brick and can cause or worsen stains.
Any cleaner is therefore tried on a small, hidden area first. We clean brick hearths as part of a repair, and stone and tile follow their own makers' care instructions, since cleaners safe on brick can mark polished stone. Stubborn stains on stone or glazed tile are handled with products made for that material, tested first on a hidden area.
What your written hearth quote lists
Our hearth quote names the area to be repaired, the material, the preparation beneath it, the edges and any work on the base. Optional changes, such as a new pattern or a larger extension, are listed separately with their own prices. Each item has its own line, so you can see what the repair costs, what the preparation costs and what the optional changes would add.
Nothing is added in hidden fees, and anything unexpected found under the surface is explained and priced before we go further. When you book the repair within 72 hours of your free inspection, 10% comes off the price. You keep the quote with the written record of the finished work.
Measurements before materials
Every hearth quote starts with a tape measure. We record the width and height of the opening, the depth and width of the extension, its thickness and the height of the firebox floor above it. We also note the material of the adjoining floor and how the two currently meet.
Those numbers decide which rules apply, how much material is needed and whether the existing extension can simply be resurfaced. They also go into your written record, so the next person to work on the fireplace starts from facts. Measuring first also shows whether a new finish of a different thickness will change the height where the hearth meets your floor.
