"I want to express my thanks and satisfaction with the work SOOTY’S performed on my fireplace. I called to determine how I could get more efficiency from my older Buck stove insert. Because of my massive stone and masonry fireplace, it was pointed out that a majority of the heat produced was getting absorbed by the fireplace and going up the chimney. To remedy this, it was suggested installing an insulated chimney liner. As for my Buck stove, after reviewing all of the needed repairs including a crack that required welding, I chose to purchase a new insert. Based on your recommendation, I selected the largest model available (approximately the same size as my buck stove) that would still fit inside my fireplace opening.

With the amount I invested in all the upgrades, I had high expectations I would get more heat from the new installation. After this past winter, which was one of the coldest on record with single digit temperatures in January, I’m happy to write the comfort I experienced from the new installation far exceeded my expectations. Not only was my house the warmest it has even been since I moved in eight years ago, my gas usage dropped by almost half during the winter months and my electric bills were reduced.

Before the chimney liner was installed, I sometimes still had to run the furnace to keep the house at a comfortable level. I felt cold most winters due to the house’s older construction, which included open beam ceilings and single pane windows. Not only does the new installation keep my family and I warmer, the chimney liner allows the fireplace to start quicker, warm the house faster, and enables the insert to use less wood and produce more heat.

I want to thank you for all your hard work, patience, and thorough explanations that made my decision to upgrade easier with no regrets. "

"For a variety of very good reasons, my wife and I had decided to completely renovate the two wood burning inserts in fireplaces in our main floor. Having never been particularly happy with their performance, and having also made some major improvements to the house in the preceding fall and early winter, we decided that it was time to bring the fireplaces up to the same high standard that the rest of the house was approaching. To us, that meant having two excellent wood stoves installed.

The trouble was, we were tired of home improvements. In one way or another, our house had been under invasion by contractors for four months and we were deeply, genuinely bone tired of having to deal with it. Jason, at Sooty's, gave us the courage to undertake this last project. We were very upfront about our fatigue, however. "Make this easy on us," we said. "Tell us it will be worth the trouble, and that you will coordinate all of the work to be done," we asked. This project required the coordinated efforts of framers, drywallers, masons, finish carpenters, and of course the fireplace installations themselves - themselves requiring a considerable bit of upgrading to the house to bring the wood fired systems in line with approved safety practices. Jason agreed, and we plunged head first in to the what turned out to be our most satisfying home improvement to date.

Two fireplaces needed to be completely removed down to the wall studs. One of those fireplaces was then reframed, in a process that opened up an additional 25 square feet of floor space that previously had been "dead" space behind a wall. The other fireplace was built in a wall that - in an independent project - had masterfully designed mahogany bookcases and an integrated mantel installed in the midst of the masonry work and fireplace installation. It's a lot of explanation, but the bottom line is that we now have not just wood stoves, but two veritable works of "Home Fire Art". The library fireplace is fast becoming our favorite place by which to sit and (if you can believe it) READ together. The family room's free standing wood stove, on its granite floor and situated in a rock-lined alcove, is a massive piece of "comfort architecture" if ever there was one.

And the unifying force behind it all happening on schedule, and far exceeding expectations, was Jason Woodruff at Sooty's. Bloody well done.

And to top it all off, Jason even installed an extra large Big Green Egg for me, on a new deck that I had built last year. This evening's roasted game hens were never better, and now I'm a confirmed Egghead. Thanks, Jason."

"We recently restored our fireplace in our Lake Arrowhead cabin which has been in the family since the 1930's. We had various safety and draft conditions which posed a number of problems. One call to Sooty's solved our problems.

Jason evaluated the job thoroughly, walked us through the cost, timetable, and complexities of the job. There were no question or options that Jason didn't cover prior to going to work. His attention to detail was unexpected as we have dealt with various mountain contractors for a number of years.

As promised, Sooty's finished the job on time, on budget and with outstanding results. We couldn't be happier with our newly rebuilt fireplace. The job was done with minimal disruption and the cabin was always left clean and secure. We highly recommend Sooty's "