I hired S & T Coombe to install a Class A chimney system on my brand-new home after speaking with…read moreJeremy. I trusted them as professionals and specialists in this type of work, and I could not be more disappointed with the result. I paid $6,000 total, including $1,200 in labor, only to end up with an installation that damaged my home and required my builder to step in and correct it.
They subcontracted the install out, and the work performed was sloppy, damaging, and clearly not up to code or manufacturer standards. Instead of following manufacturer guidelines, which call for brackets to be mounted directly to the structure using steel stand-off hardware with properly flashed and sealed penetrations, they took a shortcut. They screwed pressure-treated wood strips through the vinyl siding and used those as the mounting surface for the support brackets.
This method is not code-compliant, not weatherproof, and not durable. The pressure-treated wood is exposed to the elements, which means it will swell, shrink, and eventually degrade and fail. More critically, the brackets were installed with enough force to visibly compress and distort the vinyl siding, destroying the Dutchlap profile and compromising the siding's ability to expand and contract. This isn't just a cosmetic issue, it's a long-term moisture intrusion risk that will lead to rot, mold, and hidden structural damage.
Every building professional and code expert I consulted confirmed this was improper and amateurish. Worse yet, when I raised these concerns, Jeremy of S & T Coombe didn't acknowledge the mistake, and instead doubled down that this is standard practice and something that they "do all the time". When I continued to push back on the install, he proposed a half-baked fix: they'd remove the pressure-treated wood strips, then cut slits into the vinyl siding, slide the same strips behind it, and reinstall the brackets through those slits, then caulk over the cuts and call it done. To top it off, they said I'd need to sign a liability waiver releasing them from responsibility for any future water damage this method might cause. This wasn't a real solution, it was a cosmetic patch job that still ignored manufacturer guidelines and basic building standards. No flashing, no proper mounting blocks, and no real waterproofing, just a way to cover their tracks and shift the risk to me.
This was done to a brand new house, and I now have to pay out of pocket to repair the damage and redo the installation the right way.
I've already disputed the labor charge through my bank, but the wasted time, stress, and physical damage to my brand-new home are on them, and they've done nothing to make it right.
If you're considering S & T Coombe please take my advice and run the other way. They subcontract incompetently, cut corners with zero hesitation, and when confronted, they try to cover their liability instead of fixing the issue. If they're willing to do work this visibly wrong, imagine what they're doing in areas you can't see. That's not just unprofessional, it's predatory.
And let's not forget: this isn't drywall or paint. This is a chimney system, a fire-handling structure that demands precision and strict adherence to safety codes. Shoddy workmanship here doesn't just void warranties or cause leaks, it can lead to fires, carbon monoxide exposure, and catastrophic damage. That they treat such a job so casually is not only irresponsible, it's dangerous.
S & T Coombe cannot be trusted. I wouldn't let them near my house again if they offered to work for free.
