Frank, then Walt, now Sam
We have swept the chimneys on this ridge since 1952.
Three generations of Tolliver sweeps, brushes still finished by hand in our shop, and a guild-certified sweep on every job. Chances are we have already been up your chimney once.
Or call the family on (555) 014-1952. We answer our own phone.
74 autumnson the same ridge
- Sweeping since 1952Three generations, one phone number
- Guild certified sweepsEvery sweep certified by a national guild
- Fully insuredLiability and workers cover, papers on request
- A written report, every timePhotos and findings left on your table
Walt Tolliver, 47 years on the rods and still in the shop most mornings.
Three generations, one family name on the truck
Most of the houses on Callow Ridge were built with coal fires in mind, and a Tolliver has swept most of them at least once. We still work the way Frank did: one family, one truck per job, and nobody leaves until the hearth is cleaner than we found it.
1952 Frank Tolliver
Came back from the service, bought a set of cane rods and a secondhand truck, and swept the coal chimneys of Callow Ridge one street at a time.
1979 Walt Tolliver
Took over the rods and added the masonry: crowns, caps and relining. Walt still finishes every brush head in the shop by hand, as his father showed him.
2014 Sam Tolliver
Brought the camera and the certification, and runs the booking book now. Sam also still climbs the roof on most jobs.
Why the brushes are still made by hand
Old clay flues on the ridge are not all the same size, and a factory brush that is too stiff chips the tiles. Walt trims and binds every brush head to the flues we know, so a 1920s terrace gets a softer brush than a 1970s block stack.
Three questions
Which inspection do I need?
The national standard has three levels of chimney inspection, and most callers are not sure which one to ask for. Answer three questions and we will tell you, with the price and exactly what happens on the day.
- Are you buying or selling the house?Your turn
- Have you changed the fuel or the appliance?Waiting
- So this is the yearly check. How has the chimney been?Waiting
Sweeps and repairs, with the prices written down
Frank printed his prices on a card in the truck window, and we still think you should know what a sweep costs before you call. Repairs are quoted in writing after we have looked.
- Chimney sweep with Level 1 inspectionOne flue, written report with photos
- $189
- Level 2 camera inspectionSweep included, video and signed report
- $345
- Stainless chimney cap, fittedKeeps out rain, birds and squirrels
- from $185
- Crown repair or rebuildCracked or crumbling concrete at the top
- from $650
- Flue reliningStainless liner for a cracked or unlined flue
- from $2,400
Each extra flue at the same house is $95. No trip charge anywhere in the ridge towns.
Repointing a gable stack before the crown goes on.
Recent chimneys on the ridge
Twin stacks on Linden Row
Two flues swept, a cracked crown rebuilt and a pair of stainless caps fitted. The 1908 brick was left exactly as it was.
Six houses on Mill Hill, one Saturday
A neighbour booked us and told the street. We swept six chimneys in a row before the first frost and left six reports.
The Harrow farmhouse reline
A Level 2 camera found cracked clay tiles after the buyers’ offer. We relined the flue in two days and the sale closed on time.
What happens on the day
A sweep takes about 90 minutes. You can stay in the room, most people put the kettle on.
1We call when we leave the shop
You get a time window the day before and a call when the truck is on its way.
2Drop cloths and a sealed fireplace
Cloths from the door to the hearth, and the opening sealed so no soot reaches the room.
3Brushed from the bottom and the top
Hand-finished brushes on flexible rods, with a vacuum running the whole time.
4Checked, photographed, explained
We look over the firebox, damper, crown and cap, and show you anything worth knowing.
5A written report on your table
Findings and photos in plain words, with prices for anything that needs doing. No pressure to book it.
What the neighbours say
Sample reviews, written for this concept.
“Walt swept this chimney for my mother in the eighties. Now Sam sweeps it for me, same care, same drop cloths, same handwritten note about the damper.”
Marjorie, Linden Row
“We were buying a 1920s house and nobody else could come before closing. Sam did the camera inspection on a Tuesday and the report was in our inbox that night.”
Daniel and Priya, Callow Ridge
“Not a speck of soot on the rug. They showed me the crack in the crown on the camera and did not push me to fix it this year.”
Tom, Ferris Hollow
Where we sweep, and when autumn fills
Every town on the ridge and the valley roads below it, with no trip charge. The first cold week sends everyone to the phone at once, so the autumn book is usually full by mid October.
- Callow Ridge
- Mill Hill
- Linden Row
- Ferris Hollow
- Upper Callow
- Ashgrove
- Kettle Falls
- Harrow Crossing
- SeptemberOpenMost days still free, pick your morning
- Early OctoberFillingSaturdays go first, weekdays still open
- Mid October onFullWaiting list, first cancellation goes to you
Book a sweep
Give us two days that suit you and Sam will call back the same evening to fix a time window. Rather talk it through? Ring the family on (555) 014-1952.
- Sweep and Level 1 inspection, $189
- Level 2 camera inspection, $345
- Repairs quoted in writing, never on the roof