ngl we bought this house knowing the chimney needed work and used the inspection to understand the actual scope. didn't sugarcoat anything but was also clear about what was cosmetic versus what was a safety concern. that distinction mattered a lot for how we prioritized the repairs

We had a draft problem where the fireplace would push smoke back into the living room occasionally. Ran through several possible causes, ruled out the easy ones, and identified that the flue was undersized for the firebox opening. Explained the options for addressing it and the tradeoffs of each. That kind of systematic diagnosis is what you want from someone working on your home.

The inspection report came with photos labeled to match the written notes. That combination made the findings easy to understand even for someone who doesn't know chimneys. A couple of other companies had given me vague verbal summaries after charging me the same amount.