Send one brief to every company
Write the symptom or desired outcome in plain language. Include the appliance, fuel, last service if known, accessible photographs and any previous findings. Describe water staining rather than demanding waterproofing; describe smoke spillage rather than prescribing a cap. This leaves room for the contractor to investigate.
Keep the same brief when contacting several providers. If you give one company a cleaning request and another an inspection-and-repair request, the totals cannot meaningfully be compared. Ask each to name the inspection level and cleaning boundaries.
Separate diagnosis from the repair
A repair proposal should connect an observed condition to a particular correction. Ask for the location of the defect, supporting photographs and the limits of the diagnosis. When the cause is uncertain, a paid diagnostic stage may be more useful than a confident fixed-price repair based only on a description.
Do not treat the longest proposal as automatically better. Added work should have a reason. A company that explains why a component does not need replacement may provide more useful evidence than a package that replaces everything.
Compare access, materials and exclusions
Check roof access, lift or scaffold assumptions, interior protection, disposal and return visits. For repair work, ask for the material or system being installed and how it fits the existing appliance and construction. 'Repair chimney' does not identify the work boundary.
Check who handles related roofing, masonry, gas work and permits where applicable. If different trades are involved, ask who coordinates them and who is responsible for the joint between their work. These details often explain a price difference more clearly than an hourly rate.
Verify the people and the payment terms
Confirm the legal business name and contact details. Ask who will attend, whether subcontractors are involved and how to verify relevant credentials and current insurance. A directory profile is a starting point, not independent confirmation of those facts.
Review deposit, progress-payment, cancellation and change-order terms before accepting. Be cautious about pressure to approve immediately, vague cash-only arrangements or requests that avoid a written contract. Consumer-protection guidance is available through the FTC resource linked below.
Choose on documented fit
Your final comparison should answer four questions: does the company understand the problem, is the proposed scope supported, are exclusions clear, and will you receive a useful completion record? Price matters, but it only makes sense alongside those answers.
Keep rejected proposals too. They can clarify what was excluded from the accepted scope and help resolve later misunderstandings. Never assume the cheapest or most expensive total proves workmanship quality.