A Step In Time Maryland, LLC

We had a very good experience with Michael. Estimate we were given was at a good price and the work was completed and exceeded my expectations thank you%

Mike Shipe has helped several of my clients with chimney projects, and the feedback has always been excellent. He consistently arrives on time and provides honest, fair assessments. In some cases, he’s even advised against unnecessary work—something you don’t see often in this industry.

We’ve worked together on a variety of projects, including chimney caps, stainless steel liners, crowns, and full rebuilds. Mike and his team maintain a clean job site and always complete the work on schedule. I highly recommend him for any chimney-related needs.

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. I would give zero stars if I could. The tenants at one of my properties called this company to perform a chimney inspection. They had the owner of the company call me to give me an estimate. I missed his call, which mind you was an unscheduled call on a Friday evening after 8pm. He left a message with his direct number and asked me to call him back. I called him back the next day and didn't get an answer. Understandable, he's the owner of the company and may not answer calls on the weekend. I get it. I then called again on Monday, he answered the phone and proceeded to explained to him the reason for my call - that he performed an inspection at one of my properties, that I was trying to get breakdown of his findings as well as an estimate. He was a bit rude on the call, stating that he visits a number of properties a day and didn't remember. He gave me his office number and requested that I call there to get the estimate. Ok no problem. Other than him having a bit of an attitude like I was interrupting his day, no big deal. I called the office and they informed me that he must not have added the information as there wasn't anything in the system for that property yet. The rep stated that she would have to call him for the info and get back to me. Good times. lol. Again, it's not the reps fault and I understand how people can get busy. I just found it a but funny how the owner gives me attitude like I'm bothering him, shoots me off to his office for the info and he didn't even do his job of getting the info in the system. Anyway, I never received a call back from the office. I tried calling back a couple more times but got their answering service. Outside of owning a few properties, I own a "Brick and Mortar" business myself so I understand how time can get away from you. I figured I'd give them them a few more days before trying again. After a week, I called the office and received the answering service again. Since this is now the 3rd time I've called the office without a call back I figured I'd try the owners number again. He did give me his number and ask that I call him back directly in the initial call. When I called this time, he was even more rude that he was the first call. After I told him why I was calling, he again stated that he does a number of inspections each day and he can't remember them all. I told him that I wasn't expecting him to remember them all or even my property in general. I was just expecting a call back as promised. He hung up on me. The owner, not an employee but the actual owner of the company hung up on me. I couldn't believe it. Just for the record, I wasn't nasty and I didn't raise my voice at all. This in my opinion is inexcusable. I'll just say this in closing. I almost never right bad reviews. As I stated earlier, I am a business owner myself so I know how reviews can impact your business. I know how people can leave a bad review over stuff out of your control. Trust me I get it. However, the owner hanging up on a customer that wasn't being rude, wasn't using foul language or yelling is something I couldn't just let slide. I am also a member of the chamber and will ensure they all know how they owner treats potential customers. I highly recommend using a different company.

I also want to mention that the representatives answering the phone were very nice. I'm sure they were trying to help. However, I'm sure they can only do so much when the owner of the company appears to have no respect for community he's serving.

Thought they did a good job until there was a piece of pipe not screwed in that came apart and despite many calls and messages they never came to fix the job. It was crazy expensive and guaranteed and we could not get a hold of them to fix it.

This company was contacted by my mom. We “needed” chimney work to be done as well as an oil furnace to be cleaned. $6,000 later, the chimney dirt is still in the basement preventing the furnace from being turned on. My mom is elderly. She. Has. No. HEAT!!! She was never offered a contract so we have no idea what work was “suppose” to be done. Truth is, the initial cleaning of the chimney was done, it was done prior to the additional chimney work. The dirt from that work is still in the basement and the furnace cannot be turned on without this debris being cleaned and vacuumed again. This company took the money over a week ago and refuses to come back and rectify the situation they caused. Avoid them like the plague.

I had A Step In Time come out to clean and inspect my chimney, and I couldn’t be happier with the service! From start to finish, the experience was seamless. Scheduling was easy , and they were able to come out within a few days of my call. The technicians arrived on time and were friendly.

The cleaning process and repairs were thorough. The price was reasonable, and there were no surprises or hidden fees.

What stood out to me was their professionalism. I’ll definitely be using again and recommending them again and recommending them to friends and family.

My daughters needed their chimney inspected (and fixed if necessary) per their homeowners. Michael Shipe came out on the day we scheduled and said they needed it fixed and it would cost $1200. He then proceeded to tell me what else he can fix around the house. We scheduled a day between 8-10 AM. I got there at 7:45 and waited. I had been told they will call about a half hour before they get there. I finally called about Mr. Shipe about 9:45 and was questioned if I was the $700 job or the $1200 one. He then proceeded to tell me they won't be there until 1PM. I would have planned my day accordingly if I had known that. I then got a call saying that they will be there at 11. I waited and they finally did come at 1. The people who did the job took no time to do the work and were nice. they said I will get a receipt on Monday. I called on Tuesday and left messages. I called on Wednesday as well. I finally reached Mr. Shipe and he was quite rude and told me to call the office again and when I told him I had he laughed and said well if you want the receipt then that is what you will have to do. I did get it after that.

Michael is a straight shooter and no nonsense. He was able to diagnosis my issues quickly and came back with an estimate that was 20k lower than my first estimate! It was a relief knowing he wasn't out to get me since my knowledge of chimneys is zero. His company was efficient and I have working chimney in less than a week (with money in my pocket)!

The guys were a well oiled machine. Excellent work, efficient, and great cleanup! Attentive to detail, and very reasonably priced!

I think the before and after photos below speak for themselves. I appreciated the no nonsense attitude of the owner, his pricing, and his integrity (no deposit). His crew was also highly professional and went above and beyond.

I had a water leak around my chimney so I had several companies come out and inspect it. Mike was a really nice charismatic guy and his estimate was much more affordable compared to other companies so I went with him.
His guys replaced the cap and top two rows of bricks. A few weeks went by and there were significant cracks in all the mortar they recently installed. They came back out and sealed the new cracks.
Fast forward a few rain storms and the leak is still present. I had two other companies come out and re inspect it and both told me the entire chimney needed to be rebuilt...
It seems like I was offered a potential band-aid fix for a larger problem, i wish I would of known that up front but that was never offered.
So now I'm out $1900 and still have a leaking chimney.

I had a nice experience with this company. Mike arrived just when he said and cleaned out the dryer vent. He then looked at the fireplace and chimney and diagnosed the problem and set up a time to do the repairs. Everything was done in less than a week and the men were very professional and courteous.

Outstanding experience. I had a very bad leak in my chimney leading to a lot of water damage in the house. I called several companies who were dismissive or couldn't come out to see the damage for weeks. Michael came out within a couple days to evaluate, and had his team on-site to repair the chimney less than a week later. He is responsive and abides by his word. I'm very pleased with the quality of work and definitely recommend A Step In Time to others.

Michael and his team did an amazing job repairing my foundation and chimney. His team was very responsive, professional, and skilled craftsman. They went out of their way to accommodate my timeline and even worked on the weekend to make up for bad weather. I would highly recommend them and would use their services again.

Mike was very thorough in explaining what work was needed and would be completed. The 2 gentlemen that performed the work were also very thorough and very respectful of my property. When it was discovered that the repair could be done differently, the price of the repair was adjusted accordingly reflecting a savings. I was very appreciative of the honesty. I would highly recommend!

Michael came out and quickly evaluated our chimney that it was ready to use and didn't need much work. He even waived the fee since there was nothing to be done and offered to come back and help with some of the other masonry work we will need on the house in the future. We will definitely be calling him again as he was a real nice guy and didn't try to overcharge us on anything. Thanks, Mike!

I would highly, highly recommend Michael (the owner) and A Step in Time Maryland, LLC.

First off, Michael was on time and performed an inspection of my chimney and gave a fair and accurate estimate. He was no-nonsense and answered any and all questions that I had.

The main reason I am leaving this review is because Michael went well above and beyond his call of service. In casual conversation, I had told him about a recent bad experience with contractors removing water / water damage from my basement and he asked if I wanted him to take a brief look.

Background: My basement had flooded the week before, and after filing an insurance claim, had a company come out to remove the 3-4 inches of water in my finished basement (no carpeting) and remove any affected drywall that had been water damaged.

Long story short, that company charged me $19k for the 7-8 hours they were here on a weekday, during normal working hours. I had called the company and after some haggling, they agreed to "giving me a 50% discount" so I ended up paying around $10k.

Michael offered to look at the "work" that they had done (removing drywall, my entire downstairs bar, bathroom, etc.) and said that at most, the "work" that that company had done was at most $5k and that I was being scammed.

He walked me through the entire process of identifying them as complete scammers, even calling them himself (to which of course the scammers never answered). In the end I filed a claim with the DLLR and also got my money back from them by filing a claim with my credit card company. Michael saved me over $10k with his knowledge and integrity.

I would recommend Michael and A Step In Time Maryland, LLC. He was incredible. Thanks, Michael!

Mike was extremely helpful throughout this process. Our home was built in 1967, so we have had many updates that are needed. He walked me through step-by-step, what would be needed and why. I really appreciated the thorough inspection and explanations. The crew came out and finished the work in one day. Our top of our chimney needed to be fixed as it was crumbling and unsafe. We also had a step on the front where the brick came loose. I can't even tell which brick it was anymore because the job was done so perfectly! Pictured is the top of the chimney from my second story window as well as the front step. Thank you Mike and crew! We will certainly be using a Step in Time in the future!

We received a marketing coupon and decided to call this company for a chimney sweep and clean. This company gave us a first appointment almost a month out from our first call, a man named Michael, came in for two mins literally looked at the chimney and told us to schedule for a follow up…we schedule that and waited almost three weeks, they called and canceled the appointment the same day. They rescheduled us for another two weeks out , no call no show. Never heard from them again. Terrible customer service. Do not recommend.

We had a sinkhole in our backyard threatening our back patio and deck. Step in Time came out and inspected the area, came up with probable causes, and the best solution for our unique situation. They really helped put our minds at ease. Thanks!

Absolute crook. I had a money mailer claiming you could get your chimney swept for $99.00. When I called to schedule the chimney sweep, I was told my chimney needed to be inspected first, and that this service was free prior to them scheduling the chimney sweep. The owner of the company came out and spent about 5 minutes doing his so-called inspection. He came back with a quote of $2500 to line my chimney and that I had to make a decision within a couple of hours because he was going out of the country for a month next Saturday and was sure to fill the slots quickly. After some thought I called him back and told him I was only interested in the chimney sweep which was already scheduled for the following Saturday. The money mailer coupon was an advertising ploy to get the owner out to your house to sell you something you probably didn't need in the first place. I was told when I scheduled the chimney sweep, they would call me the night before to narrow down the window to a 2-hour window instead of a 4-hour window of time. I never received that call. On Saturday morning I called the owner and asked him when the technician was coming out and he asked me if it was for a repair or chimney sweep. When I told him a chimney sweep, he rushed me off the phone, said he had another call and that he would call me back in a few minutes. I never received a return phone call. It was now 30 minutes shy of the 4-hour window. I called his cell phone, and he said the technician sweeps 16 chimneys a day and said I would receive a phone call within the 4-hour window. Needless to say, I wasted my day sitting around waiting for someone to sweep my chimney. The appointment was scheduled a month in advance. I would never suggest doing business with this company. I am a person of honor and keep my word. This guy is a salesman at best with a big ego boasting about how wonderful he is and the great work he does. He is not a man of honor merely a crook out to waste your time and take your money. Do yourself a huge favor. If you have a coupon and aren't willing to drop 2 to 3 thousand dollars on whatever services/repairs he claims you need don't waste your time. The inspection was a total joke. He did not inspect anything but his billfold. Very disappointed at being treated this way by a man who clearly does not honor his word or honor the coupon he is sending out in the mail. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME.

My mother had this persons company come out to the house to do an inspection this early afternoon for her chimney. He didnt even take the ladder off his truck to inspect the chimney ( got him on camera). He then came into the house and into the furnace room and busted a hole in her wall where the vent for the furnace goes out and up the chimney. I contacted this person and started to ask him questions about the process of a chimney inspection and then he proceeded to literally cuss me out and then tell me that he was going to kill me. I was shocked at his response to a very simple question about how he does a chimney inspection. Very unprofessional person. He will be reported to the Maryland State Licensing Board and hopefully his license will be revoked. No customer should ever have to deal with this person.

Was very quick on the estimate and extremely professional. Showed up on time, cleaned up their mess, and were very kind. My family will definitely be referring thier services. Thanks again team at A Step In Time!

Timely and knowledgeable estimate. A bit high, but reasonable. The technicians were polite, efficient and careful. Closer, on roof inspection by the technicians determined a few changes to the initial recommendation, resulting in a lower cost. Glad they did not do any unnecessary work and were willing to adjust the cost. Good work, great customer service . Will use them again!

Always quick to respond for appointments. Always on time. Had multiple services completed perfectly and when promised.

completed. Best job with

They canceled on the first appt due to a work-related incident that the owner had to attend to. On the 2nd appointment he was 30-40--minutes late for their 2-hour window. I felt uncomfortable with the owner. He is a very pushy and wired individual -- like he drank 100 cups of coffee before he got to my home. A big know it all which is fine - he sounded like he knew his stuff; but, when I said, I'd be getting other prices, he said "I'm not your guy. That's not the way I work. I have 12 appointments a day and I schedule as I go". I said, see you later. I could only imagine what it would be like to have to work thought a project with him. No thanks.

Michael was out today and gave us a honest and fair estimate of the work needed on our fireplace. We are very impressed with his knowledge and the prompt turnaround for the work completion.

My Mom recommended A Step in Time Maryland as the BEST to call for my chimney repair! They were wonderful to deal with from the initial estimate to scheduling and completing the work. Thank you so much Mike for your integrity and for your excellent service! I highly recommend and will use again!

Update: I received a threatening text message from the person who said he's the owner after leaving my review.

This company was supposed to come out for an inspection. A couple days prior to our appt we confirmed our appt and that we'd be home. The "owner" came to our home for the inspection, called my phone (I didn't hear my phone) and left because I didn't answer my phone. He did not ring the doorbell and said "it looked like no one was home", so therefore the inspection didn't happen because we missed his only call. He said "this is how I do things". Extremely poor effort, unprofessional and first impression of this company. Unrealistic business model. Obviously, we'll be calling someone else.

Complete garbage. Made an appointment for 8/17, but due to the circumstances, we asked if we could get bumped to 8/15.

Talked with Michael and made a deal to call at exactly 8am and he could make it out the next day. After several attempts of making contact, it was determined he did not check his schedule and he would not be coming.

Come 8/17, Michael called at 8:49am to say he was on the way. Didn't get to answer the call, but called back at 8:58. Now he is stating he is not coming. This organization gets a 2hr window to show up for the inspection, but can't allow customers to call back within 9 minutes.

Look elsewhere for your structural needs.

A Step in Time helped us with extensive repairs on our property, which is located on a steep slope on the South River. They rebuilt two large retaining walls, fixed a badly cracked concrete patio, poured a new section of patio, and repaired a concrete boathouse that was badly water damaged. The team was fast, getting on-site within days and finishing up the work quickly and efficiently. The work was done beautifully--and correctly--with attention paid to foundation work, drainage, and reinforcing tie-ins to existing sections of retaining wall. We especially appreciated the professionalism of the crew--we live in a tightly-packed neighborhood and they were extremely considerate of the neighboring properties. Pricing was very fair given the high quality of the work. We definitely intend to hire this company again for additional projects on the property.

I am kind of baffled by the negative reviews. Our experience has been great. We called the company because neighbors recently used them to recap and repoint their chimney and said their experience with them was good. We needed the same kind of work on an all masonry fireplace.

Mike (the owner) came out and, yes, he's a mile a minute of energy and, yes, he will proudly tell you about his dog rescue in Aruba. But his knowledge was spot on. As far as the people that complain about his "flashlight" and quick looks... heck, even I knew "about" what was needed. So I didn't think a person of his experience needed an inordinate amount of time to be thorough. And for the inspection and explanation phase, he used a pair of binoculars and a laser pointer to show me things that I wasn't aware of. I went into this knowing I wanted it fixed right... Is he the cheapest? I don't know. But his prices aren't outrageous.

The star of the show, though, was Miguel and his crew. I'm not sure how many crews Mike runs, but Miguel is great. He's young, but very skilled. And the crew seemed experienced. They showed up on the days they said they'd be here, worked very hard all day, and cleaned up the mess of bricks that came from demolition and rebuilding the top portion of the chimney when the job was done. Mike was also here that first morning and showed Miguel a few other things he'd notices with our front walk and stoop/stairs and asked if Miguel could fix them since the mortar was already going to be onsite. This was unexpected. I'd not asked for it and, frankly, neither Mike nor Miguel had to do this. I'm very grateful it was done.

They didn't have the stainless steel cover for the chimney the day the project was done, but they installed a black one. Miguel ensured me he'd ordered the stainless one and would be back to install it when it arrived. True to his word, I got a call about a week later that it was in and he was sending a couple of guys over to do it. They were done in no time and I didn't have to make any additional phone calls to ask about the status... a rarity, it seems, in home repairs today.

In summary:
- Showed up for the estimate on time. I understood what to expect and Mike required no deposit. Just a written estimate and a handshake kind of deal.
- Crew showed up on time and used quality materials. Miguel even explained the kind of brick being used and made sure the color was as close a match as possible.
- Crew put up and took down scaffolding without damage to house. They went around the yard and picked up all the bits of brick from demo.
- Crew power-washed everything and applied a brick sealant the next day after it dried out.
- Entire outside chimney was re-pointed.
- They raised part of my sidewalk that had a "settled" and filled in some cracks on the sidewalk and base of my stoop... all at NO EXTRA CHARGE.
- Showed back up without having to be called to replace the incorrect chimney guard with the correct one.
- Heck, they even used their own garden hose when they power-washed the chimney and sidewalk and when mixing the mortar (which please the wife tremendously!).

Nope, I will accept Mike's high energy that a couple of people complained about any day of the week. I completely disagree that he came across as arrogant. That wasn't my experience at all... he just bounced in subjects and did tell us about the animal rescue a couple of times, but I made sure to ask questions for things I wanted clarified about the chimney repair and he answered every single one. In return, I got good and timely work at a fair price.

And Miguel... well, he's just awesome. Hard worker and 100% professional. I will take that combination over unreliable contractors and shoddy or overpriced work any day!

Best company ever….Period :) If you have dealt with contractors you know it's hard to find good ones. This is a best one. They showed up for the job really early, they were very professional, and got the job done really quickly. I'm so pleased to have stubbled upon such a well run business, that I'm more than happy to write this review and spread the word. Excellent job guys! Keep up the good work. I will also refer you guys

Mike was great. He told us what he would recommend and why and then let us make a decision with no pressure from him. He is direct and to the point.

Well that was the worst experience I have ever had with a company who came to my home. I got a coupon in the mail and scheduled a $99 dryer vent cleaning and a free chimney inspection - which were listed on the coupon. A man, who did not introduce himself and I later learned is the owner, arrived at my home seemed mainly interested in looking at the chimney and saying what needed repairing. I explained I need a dryer vent cleaning, which I scheduled. He looked at the dryer and said if the hose is blocked it would cost $300-400. I told him the hose isn’t blocked and scheduled the $99 cleaning. He told me I wasn’t listening to him and I said I’m not falling for a bait and switch. He then said that he has a $10 million dollar company and doesn’t have to put up with this. I told him he has terrible customer service and to get off my property. I then called the office and shared what happened. The woman listened, put me on a long hold and I hung up. What kind of business owner speaks to customers like that? Disgraceful

We'd been struggling with some intermittent leaking from our chimney for awhile, and despite our best attempts we were never able to solve it on our own. One call to A Step In Time though set us on a fast track to recovery; Michael came out quickly and inspected the chimney, finding the issue and also pointing out some areas that might require some preventative work all in the same visit. A quote and less than a week later, his crew was able to come out and take care of everything - new chase covers to resolve the leak, sweeping the chimneys, and a host of other small tasks to resolve and prevent additional water damage.

I definitely plan on using their services again in the future!

Mike was very pro-proactive prior to my chimney cleaning. He asked about age, materials, and usage questions concerning my house/chimney and pellet stove. After the evaluation we agreed timing was too early.. we will revisit in the fall. Also got a personal reminder call the day before my Saturday appointment.

I live in Harford County and have used them for several services. They stand behind their work and are very professional. I trust them with roofing, power washing, vents, and much more. Their quotes are fair and service is fast and professional.

This company is completely unprofessional. Stay away from them. The morning of our appointment, we noticed a missed call from them. We called back no less than 10 minutes later, and the person who answered (I believe it was the owner) was incredibly rude and told us to call back when they opened (even though they called us first?). When we called again later, we were once again instantly verbally abused for no reason. At that point it was clear that this company operates with zero standards and professionalism, and we chose not to move forward with their services.

One of the worst experiences I have had with a company. I called to schedule an appointment for a chimney sweep. The woman who answered the phone was very nice and scheduled an appointment for Thursday. Thursday come and I received a call from I am assuming the owner. He starts the conversation by asking “do you even live in Maryland.” I asked why and he said I have a New Jersey cell phone number. I said yes I do and he responded by asking where I was located. I thought it was strange because I gave them my address but said Annapolis. His response “I am not going to waste my time driving to Annapolis. Someone from the office will call you to reschedule.” (I didn’t know a paying customer was a waste of time). The office called and scheduled for Saturday from 1-3. Saturday at three comes and no one shows or call. I call the company and the same man answers. I asked about my appointment and he said well it was snowing earlier. (There was light flurries that ended by 12). I asked if someone was still coming out and he responded “I don’t know, I’ll have to call you back on this New Jersey number.” He never called back and I never heard anything. Absolute worst customer service ever. I have lived in Maryland for over 10 years and have had my cell phone number for over 20. I am not sure if the owner realizes this but cell phone numbers travel with the person. Why so many assumptions were made about my phone number is beyond me. I would stay away from this company and their completely unprofessional owner.

As an engineer and corrosion expert, I am unusually picky about contractors and materials - even more so with chimney contractors when compromise can cause carbon monoxide inhalation, fire, or weather damage. Mike's bid was very reasonable, but I chose him over other contractors because it was clear to me in our dealings that he is honest, competent, and serious about his work. His crew showed up on time and exhibited exemplary workmanship and professionalism throughout the day. Mike supplied durable materials with superior corrosion resistance that will last the life of the structure. There's great value in a job well done. More than that, I have peace of mind that the furnace and fireplace can be operated safely for years to come.

Michael came out and gave me a quote, which was very reasonable to replace a few bricks and to repair the crown on the chimney. He was extremely friendly and gave me some good advice about maintenance/parts on our wood stove. The guys came out and did a great job. They were quick, clean, and polite. It was a really good experience. Would hire them again!

Very satisfied with the work and service I received from Michael and his staff.
Showed up pointed out the problems i was having and gave me a really good price for everything and got me on the books.
Very happy with everything will definitely be using them again

We had our chimney cleaned by Ariel and Walter and they did a fabulous job. They were very professional, polite and courteous. They placed mats down over the carpet and left everything neat and tidy when they were finished. I would highly recommend both of these guys.

I very highly recommend A Step in Time for tuck pointing historic properties. They repaired the exterior of my 1890s Baltimore carriage house dramatically improving it’s structure and beauty. Michael Snipes, Miguel the foreman and his crew are all very sweet people who do excellent work. They are extremely knowledgeable regarding the intricacies of old buildings. They definitely went beyond the call of duty leaving everything perfect including a clean job site. I feel very fortunate to have found them! I give them Five Stars!!!!

Mike was punctual and very friendly. He took the time to show me exactly what repairs were needed and explained why. Highly recommend!

Despite some positive reviews, my experience was nothing short of infuriating. First appointment (for chimney sweeping) the tech never showed up for (mid October). I called to inquire and they rescheduled me. Then called to let me know the tech was unavailable and wanted to reschedule me for over a month later. Instead they booked me with a different tech who could come out the next week. The next time they came out was for our "safety inspection" which lasted less than two minutes by the owner, but no one to sweep (despite the office telling me they would be sweeping when they came out for our inspection). The owner told me to call the office to book the sweep now that his inspection was done, so, fine - I did. They booked me for a few days later, then called me to reschedule due to rain (understandable). After another rescheduling for a few days later they called to reschedule me again for the next day as the tech was behind - I was told I would be the second one on their list and that he would arrive between noon and four. When I called around 4, I was told he should be on route. He never showed, no one from the office called me and when I called, they never responded. Not worth the lack of respect or service for my business.

We recently used A Step In Time to demolish our chimney that was in danger of collapsing into the house. The job was carried out fast and safely without any issue.

When the plumber we contracted to remove the gas line from the fireplace did not show up, we called Michael and he was able to get someone out the next day so the demolition could be completed.

Michael and his team did an excellent job; they were able to safely bring down our unstable chimney while working around solar panels on the roof. The office staff was professional and responsive. We will be using them to design and build a new wood burning fireplace and chimney.

Had a scheduled appt for a chimney inspection/cleaning and the date of the appt it was raining. I called mid-morning and was told they will be here between 1 and 3 today. Looking at the check at 4–wondering where are they. Pulled my phone and the technician wants to reschedule. Well-it’s not raining here and it’s only been a sprinkle on/off. Hmmmm, I will call another reputable and responsible company. Beware!

Mike was efficient, HONEST, reasonably priced and got two deals for the price of one. I will definitely be using him again!

Thank you!

They were very responsive to my request for chimney cleaning. When Michael came out to evaluate our chimney, he was very helpful in also answering questions I had with other household projects they could help me with. I appreciated his advice but never felt pressured to sign up for additional work. I highly recommend Step in Time.

I’m a very pleased customer.

I contacted A Step In Time Maryland LLC to get a quote for some masonry repair to my chimney. An appointment was scheduled and later confirmed. Michael Shipe, the principle, arrived exactly when scheduled. We reviewed this and a few other repairs I had been getting quotes for. As a result, we had several different exterior things done. As a retired home building exec, knowing what I was looking for, I was impressed with the quality, accuracy and cleanup of all three phases of the work that was done. I watched and interacted with Mike’s team as they progressed. This is a quality organization right down to the person answering the phone!!!

Thanks to all for a “Job Well Done”!

Our free estimate was absolutely horrible and demeaning from the start. The gentleman walked up our sidewalk, asked me if i owned the home and then proceeded to ask me where my husband was and stated “you probably dont know much abour chimneys do you?”
I should have stopped him there, but gave him a chance.
He walked in, looked up the chimney for all of 10 seconds, spoke to my husband on the phone rattling off a million words a minute and when my husband asked for him to leave the estimate with me. The gentleman said “this is your estimate.”

Don’t waste your time with a company who employees misogynistic workers, or who don’t even care to leave their information to do you work.

Came out instantly and fixed our chimney. We received an amazing price for the cleaning and fixing of the chimney.

If you have dealt with contractors you know it's hard to find good ones. This is a good one. They showed up for the job early, were professional, and got the job done in a timely manner. I'm so pleased to have stubbled upon such a well run business, that I'm more than happy to write this review and spread the word. Excellent job guys!

We had a pleasant experience coming to the conclusion of how to move forward with capping off our chimney and the timeline to do so. We appreciate the timely communication as well. During our initial meeting we had discussions of other potential projects in the future and will definitely keep A Step in Time in mind!

A Step in Time Maryland repaired two chimneys, the foundation wall and flagstone walk. Their work was prompt, professional, and reasonably priced. Two thumbs up!

Just called to set up appointment for my annual sweep with A Step In Time, and they were able to give me a quick appointment. I spoke with Michael Shipe, the owner, who was answering the phones and helping out. We discussed other chimney work he has done for me over the years and was very eager to work with me again. Thanks for the continued good work over the years! Give them a call!

Initial inspection was professional, timely, and informative. Inspection focused on the top of chimney to clean off soot, repair missing mortar points, and repair the chimney cap. However, some smaller brick work above the front window and over the garage was an easy add. If the repair work is as professional as the initial inspection, the second review will be a breeze.

Needed a chimney repaired and certified for a fireplace conversion so I had them look at all three chimneys I have since there was cracks running up the oil chimney blocks from the roof line to the top of the chimney. The third chimney had quiet a few missing or chipped bricks as well as a cracked cap. They went out of their way to find the exact matching chimney block and sealed it all to match the rest. Their masonry work crew led by Miguel does excellent work and the finish is great. Even when an issue came up with getting a cap damper installed in the wood burning fireplace they had someone on the phone and scheduled for that week to resolve it. Will be using their masonry services again.

Mike arrived polite and went right to work on giving us an estimate. He took photographs of things I could not see from the roof, and explained everything / answered all my questions thoroughly. He was super knowledgeable and extremely passionate about safety.  Thank you Mike and A step in time maryland llc for you professional review today. And thanks for answering all my questions! We look forward to using our updated fireplace after you guys repair it, sweep the chimney, and make it safe for our family!!

The owner Michael came to my home and performed a free chimney inspection. It was fast, painless, and honest. He didn’t try to upsell me on any extra work when none was needed (hard to find that these days). Now we can have our chimney swept without any worries that something may be wrong.

The chimney on my 30 year old vinyl siding house was leaking onto the metal firebox. We arranged with Mike, the owner, to come and do a free inspection. Mike arrived on time and diagnosed the problem as a leaking chase cover. He was very knowledgeable & professional, and explained the situation thoroughly. He gave us a written estimate for the repair. We accepted the estimate and arranged for his staff to come and measure for a new stainless steal chase cover. His staff arrived on time and were very quick and careful of my house. When the new chase cover arrived in a couple of days, his office called and arranged for the install. Again, his staff arrived on time to do the repair. They did excellent work, cleaned up very nicely, and were very pleasant to work with. I'm a completely satisfied customer and would recommend A Step in Time to anyone.

Mike was great taking my call after hours and offering to come and troubleshoot my chimney problem the next day. He was a straight shooter who says what does and does what he says. Absolutely recommend him.

Owner was rude and didn't allow me to talk. Came to repair chimney approximately 3 years ago. Due to peak season, he offered to repair chimney for free if I could wait until January. This was back in October. Workers finally came, but owner said they would come back next week to repair chimney with 2 furnaces attached. He would "only" charge $1500. He denied saying work would be done for free & hung up after I asked him to listen to me. Also said for Workers to Not turn furnace back on despite being cold outside. No heat since October. Very disappointed & hurtful.

Im very pleased with the work that was done to my property would definitely keep using this company for any repairs or cleaning service very professional workers and staff

Mike came out and was as professional as we was pleasant! Gave me straight , honest information. I appreciate the transparent approach and punctuality on the appointment! Thank you!

To be fair, I’m unable to properly rate my experience because they never showed up. I originally scheduled an appointment and had a conflict in my scheduled, so I called to rescheduled for another time. I received a call asking if I can move the appointment to 1-3. I mentioned that it would have to be either at 1 or after 2:30 because it’s between The time my son gets off the bus. The receptionist said that she would make a note for it to be the last appointment of the day. No call, no show. I called to notify them that no one showed up. The receptionist mentioned that typically the staff would mention if they were unable to make it to an appointment. None the less, she rescheduled the appointment. The day before that appointment I received a call saying that there was a conflict in schedule and asked to move it to Saturday morning. No problem. No one showed up. I didn't Even bother to call back.

The worst company I have ever had to deal with. One star is being generous. We are still dealing with leaks in our newly installed slate roof. Wven after several years We are still having to repair large plaster areas on walls and ceilings in three rooms. They made a mess of our house and had to send in multiple crews just to complete a mediocre installation. The owner Mike wasn’t even licensed with the MHIC to sell for this company. He was extremely rude and unprofessional. It was a shame, as my well respected neighbor recommended them. He did not even have the decency to apologize. I am surprised they are still in business.

Mike and his crew are the most responsive and best in the industry. He was our 2nd estimate and came in far less than the first, yet he did much more for us in the long run. Plus he stands behind his work. Just today, 4 months after he made our repairs, our chimney was having problems and he called me within minutes and explained my problem. He basically fixed my issue over the phone within a matter of minutes. He truly will stand behind his work !!! Thank you Mike,

Peter

Excellent response and knowledge in assisting with remediation of our structural concerns. Setting up appointment, review and turnaround was great. A difficult service to find and this is a top notch company!

Saw an ad in clipper magazine and thought I'd do a chimney cleaning at the end of the season instead of just before. Called and scheduled an appointment, fine no issue there. Confirmed my appointment for today between 9-11 4/27 yesterday, also fine. Get a call Mike is 4 minutes out, cool no problem. Get a call 15 minutes later saying he walked around the property and now needs to reschedule to Saturday without even knocking on my door. I cancelled all together. Young lady on the other end didn't have much of a response. Based on other reviews, seems I've come out ahead. Other comments have said a chimney inspection first and then cleaning, however was that mentioned as a pre-requisite? Also no.

Update October 2021. 5 months after my initial review I received a response. It appears the reviews since mine are a mixed bag, however many of them all are similar to mine. So thrilled to have read my name multiple times! Clean up your customer pathway, maybe add that to your ads so people know upfront, and then maybe you’d have less complaints.