Local hearth repair for Lorna Doone homes

A hearth that cracked again after an earlier repair

When a hearth cracks in the same place after a repair, the earlier work treated the symptom. The cause usually lies beneath the finish, in movement of the base, a joint in the slab or a support nobody checked.

Bring whatever you know about the earlier job to the free inspection. We look past the finish, explain why the crack came back and write a scope that deals with the cause, so this repair does not become one more in a series.

Hearths in front of corner fireplaces

A corner fireplace throws its heat and sparks at an angle, and its hearth is often cut at angles to match. Those angles make it easy for one side of the extension to stop short of the distance past the opening that the code asks for.

We measure along each side of the opening as well as straight out from the center. Where one side falls short, we show how the extension can be reshaped so both sides meet the rule and the hearth still sits comfortably in the corner.

Refreshing a dated hearth without rebuilding it

Some hearths are structurally fine and simply look tired, with stained grout, dull tile or a color that clashes with a new floor. Refreshing the surface can be a smaller job than homeowners expect.

Depending on the finish, the options include deep cleaning, regrouting, replacing a band of tiles or renewing the finish on the existing base. Any change stays noncombustible and within the extension's required size, and the estimate says so.

• Deep cleaning
• Regrouting
• A band of new tile
• A renewed finish on the existing base

What the free hearth inspection covers

The free inspection is a real look at the hearth. We tap the finish, measure the opening and the extension, check the edges and the seam at the firebox, and look at the base wherever damage has already opened it.

You get the findings in plain words and a written estimate with upfront pricing. There is no charge for the visit, and you take 10% off if you book the repair within 72 hours after it.

• Finish tapped for hollow spots
• Opening and extension measured
• Edges and the firebox seam checked
• Base looked at where damage allows