# Bob's Magic Broom

**Trade:** Chimney Services · **Languages:** English

**Rating: 2.9/5** (medium confidence) — from 23 reviews across 3 sources.
78% of sentiment-scored reviews read net-positive. Last 6 months: 0 reviews, 0 negative.

## The honest read

The line that repeats through Bob's Magic Broom's older reviews is what the sweep said wasn't needed. A September 2010 customer noted he could have cleaned a second flue, checked it instead and reported it clean; a November 2008 customer was glad to see a service company be honest about what is needed; in March 2010 one chimney cost $230 and that customer said he wasn't charged more than the job required. The company works out of Medford, and its Angi and HomeAdvisor profiles both claim 45 years in business.

Everything written about the company dates from 2008 to 2011. In those accounts the work is straightforward sweeping done carefully: both chimneys cleaned and every piece that dropped outside picked up, in a May 2009 review; a sweep from the roof with the firebox vacuumed out in about half an hour, in October 2008; a visit in the middle of a snowstorm in January 2009. Bigger work shows up once — in June 2010 a customer whose chimney needed rebuilding from the roof up called Carl, who sent someone out for a free verbal estimate of $1,300.

Timekeeping is where the complaints sit, and one of them is serious: among the concrete complaints on its Angi profile is an arrival six and a half hours late, alongside a lost or mismanaged chimney cap and missed follow-up calls on repair estimates. The written accounts hold milder versions — about an hour late in October 2008, slightly late in January 2009 with a call to say they were stuck in traffic, and a couple of false starts finding the house in August 2009, with delays returning calls. A February 2011 customer wrote only that it did not go well. A 2008 response from the company described a staffing crisis, with two employees let go after being found doing side work with company tools.

Price accounts pull in both directions. A November 2009 customer called several sweeps and found this one the cheapest; a January 2009 customer said the price beat competitors; a July 2008 customer who was otherwise pleased thought it ran on the higher side.

For a yearly sweep or an inspection around Medford, this is a long-established shop whose customers kept describing honest calls about what did and didn't need doing. Agree the arrival window when you book, and if you want a cap or a repair, get the estimate in writing with a date to hear back.

**Strengths:**
- Honest about needs — told one customer a second flue needed nothing
- Thorough cleanup — one customer saw no trace they had been there
- Reachable owner — Carl took calls and sent estimators out
- Chimney rebuilds — a roof-up rebuild quoted at $1,300 in 2010
- Snowstorm callout — came out mid-storm for a January 2009 customer
- Competitive pricing — two accounts found prices below other sweeps

**Concerns:**
- Very late arrival — Angi complaints include one six and a half hours late
- Lost chimney cap — both profiles list a lost or mismanaged cap
- Missed follow-up — profiles cite unreturned calls on repair estimates
- Late arrivals — four 2008–2009 accounts describe arriving late or delayed
- Past staffing trouble — a 2008 response describes letting two employees go
- Dated accounts — the written reviews run 2008 to 2011

**Where sources disagree:**
- Price: a November 2009 customer called several sweeps and found this one the cheapest, and a January 2009 customer said the price beat competitors, while a July 2008 customer thought it ran on the higher side.

## Claims & citations

Every claim below is backed by real evidence rows — uncited claims are dropped in code before publication.

- 4.7 stars from 51 ratings, 84% of them five-star, on both its Angi and HomeAdvisor profiles _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Angi: 4.7★ from 51 ratings”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Angi star distribution: 84% 5★ · 6% 4★ · 4% 3★ · 4% 2★ · 2% 1★ (of 51 ratings)”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor: 4.7★ from 51 ratings”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor star distribution: 84% 5★ · 6% 4★ · 4% 3★ · 4% 2★ · 2% 1★ (of 51 ratings)”
- A Medford chimney sweep whose Angi and HomeAdvisor profiles claim 45 years in business, with emergency service and free estimates listed _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Angi profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep with 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star) and 45 years in business, mark…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep, 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star), 45 years in business, offe…”
- Listed services include video inspection, caps, liner installation, dampers, gas and oil flues, fireplace cleaning, animal removal, and chimney and fireplace rebuilding _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Services offered (Angi): video inspection, caps, chemical & physical removal of heavy build-up, cleaning of fireplace, cleaning of smoke sta…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “Services offered (HomeAdvisor): video inspection, caps, chemical & physical removal of heavy build-up, cleaning of fireplace, cleaning of sm…”
- Told a September 2010 customer a second flue was clean and needed nothing, and a November 2008 customer praised the company for being honest about what was needed _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “They were very friendly and did a good job. Actually, he could have cleaned a second chimney flute, but he checked it out and said it was ve…”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “He was great. He was reasonable. He didn't charge me more than needed to be charged. He was totally honest about everything. One chimney cos…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “5★ Excellent - was nice to see a service company be honest about what is needed.”
- Carl, the company's owner, answered a January 2009 caller directly and sent an estimator out for a June 2010 rebuild _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Our chimney needed to be rebuilt from the roof up. We called Carl for an estimate and he sent someone out who gave a free verbal estimate of…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “5★ My oil burner had built up soot and smoked, so besides having our oil company out to service our burner we needed a chimney sweep to clea…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep, 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star), 45 years in business, offe…”
- Thorough cleanup: an August 2009 customer saw no trace the sweep had been there, and a May 2009 customer had every piece that fell outside cleaned up _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Joe arrived a little late, apparently the job before ours took longer than expected. However, he was otherwise great. Very polite and effici…”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “A couple of false starts due to them having problems finding my house and delays in returning phone calls. But they eventually got there and…”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Came, cleaned both chimneys, meticulously cleaned all the pieces that fall down outside the chimneys and was done! Highly recommend!”
- Chimney rebuilding: a June 2010 customer whose chimney needed rebuilding from the roof up was given a free verbal estimate of $1,300 _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Our chimney needed to be rebuilt from the roof up. We called Carl for an estimate and he sent someone out who gave a free verbal estimate of…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “Services offered (HomeAdvisor): video inspection, caps, chemical & physical removal of heavy build-up, cleaning of fireplace, cleaning of sm…”
- Angi's profile lists an arrival six and a half hours late among the concrete complaints about the company _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Angi profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep with 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star) and 45 years in business, mark…”
- Both directory profiles list a lost or mismanaged chimney cap and missed follow-up calls on repair estimates _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Angi profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep with 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star) and 45 years in business, mark…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep, 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star), 45 years in business, offe…”
- Four written accounts from 2008 and 2009 describe late or delayed arrivals — about an hour late in October 2008, slightly late in January 2009, and false starts finding the house in August 2009 _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Joe arrived a little late, apparently the job before ours took longer than expected. However, he was otherwise great. Very polite and effici…”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “A couple of false starts due to them having problems finding my house and delays in returning phone calls. But they eventually got there and…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “5★ They were slightly late in arriving but called to let me know that they were stuck in traffic and on the way. The young man arrived, asse…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “5★ The chimney was in very bad condition and had been bellowing out black smoke. The oil company explained why this was happening (I won't b…”
- A 2008 response from the company described a staffing crisis, with two employees let go after being found doing side work with company tools _(confidence: medium)_
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep, 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star), 45 years in business, offe…”
- A February 2011 customer wrote only that the job did not go well _(confidence: medium)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “not well”
- The written accounts run from 2008 to 2011, across Angi and HomeAdvisor _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “not well”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “He was great. He was reasonable. He didn't charge me more than needed to be charged. He was totally honest about everything. One chimney cos…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “5★ The company was very responsive and punctual, interactive and professional. We'll definitely call them again to perform any chimney-relat…”
- Specializes in Chimney Services _(confidence: high)_
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Our chimney needed to be rebuilt from the roof up. We called Carl for an estimate and he sent someone out who gave a free verbal estimate of…”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Came, cleaned both chimneys, meticulously cleaned all the pieces that fall down outside the chimneys and was done! Highly recommend!”
  - [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm) — “Services offered (Angi): video inspection, caps, chemical & physical removal of heavy build-up, cleaning of fireplace, cleaning of smoke sta…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “Services offered (HomeAdvisor): video inspection, caps, chemical & physical removal of heavy build-up, cleaning of fireplace, cleaning of sm…”
  - [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html) — “HomeAdvisor profile for Bob's Magic Broom, a Medford MA chimney sweep, 4.7 stars from 51 reviews (84% five-star), 45 years in business, offe…”

## License

No license record has been checked yet for this contractor.

## Sources

- [Exa](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-robert-doyle-55458b87): 0 web mentions across the open web (each linked to its source)
- [Angi](https://www.angi.com/companylist/us/ma/medford/bob%27s-magic-broom-reviews-73306.htm): 4.7★ from 51 ratings
- [HomeAdvisor](https://www.homeadvisor.com/rated.bobsmagicbroom.155737069.html): 4.7★ from 51 ratings

## Recent reviews

- **Angi · Bert J. · 2011-02-01**: not well
- **Angi · Edward Y. · 2010-09-01**: They were very friendly and did a good job. Actually, he could have cleaned a second chimney flute, but he checked it out and said it was very clean and nothing was needed.
- **Angi · Travis S. · 2010-09-01**: Very well
- **Angi · Deirdre R. · 2010-06-01**: Our chimney needed to be rebuilt from the roof up. We called Carl for an estimate and he sent someone out who gave a free verbal estimate of $1300.00. We scheduled the work and were told they would come out to do the project as soon as they could, as there were other projects ahead of us. The work w…
- **Angi · SUSAN S. · 2010-03-01**: He was great. He was reasonable. He didn't charge me more than needed to be charged. He was totally honest about everything. One chimney cost me $230.
- **Angi · Jay H. · 2009-11-01**: I called around to several chimney sweep companies and Bob's Magic Broom had the best prices (and had mostly positive comments on Angie's List). I had them come out to clean the chimneys and give an estimate for some minor repair work in one of the fireplaces. The man who came out said that we were …
- **Angi · Christine F. · 2009-10-01**: For years we have used a differeny chimney sweep company, but they have raised their prices dramatically, so we were looking for an alternative for the annual cleaning. We found Bob's Magic Broom through Angie's list and they have been absolutely fantastic. They will have us as new customers for lif…
- **Angi · PRISCILLA C. · 2009-09-01**: The initial call was for a clogged chimney. I had no problems with the service person who came out and performed the sweep. It was quick and efficient - no complaints so far and a simple, positive experience. He took pictures and rough measurements for a chimney cap but there was no follow-up call f…
- **Angi · Wendy W. · 2009-08-01**: A couple of false starts due to them having problems finding my house and delays in returning phone calls. But they eventually got there and did a thorough, professional job and really cleaned up. Nice guys, good sense of humor.
- **Angi · QUAN N. · 2009-08-01**: Joe arrived a little late, apparently the job before ours took longer than expected. However, he was otherwise great. Very polite and efficient. Cleaned after himself so well that I did not see any trace that he had been there (except that all the fireplaces and the oil furnace flue were exceptional…

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Data freshness: last scanned 2026-09-14T17:51:06.433Z.
Cite as: Bob's Magic Broom — Tavlee (https://tavlee.com/contractor/bob-s-magic-broom)
Source: https://tavlee.com/contractor/bob-s-magic-broom