Stay away from this installer.
Stay away from this installer.
I am a Level 6 Local Guide on Google with over 150 reviews, written across 12 years. I value fairness in my reviews — positive or negative — and unfortunately, this is one of the worst experiences I’ve had.
We were referred to Lourens Wurz Projects by Eurafrican when we needed to replace our ageing fireplace. Lourens declined a site visit and quoted based on our description. The installation was meant to be straightforward.
Soon after, rain caused water and black residue to leak down the wall and onto the brand-new fireplace, staining it. Lourens eventually returned and spray-painted over the stains — a poor and temporary fix. After waiting 48 hours per his advice, we lit a fire. Immediately, black ooze dripped down the flue, and smoke with an overwhelming toxic smell filled the room. This was not a normal "first burn" smell — it was alarming and unlivable.
Lourens’s communication deteriorated rapidly. He changed his story, was rude (especially toward my wife), and sent new quotes while refusing to stand by his earlier advice. He has also withheld a warranty unless we now replace the flue kit — the same kit he previously said was fine. We’ve since blocked him and contacted two professional companies (McD's and The Fireplace Studio) to assess the work, which we believe was done poorly.
I strongly urge others to avoid using this installer. We now have a fireplace we're too scared to use, fearing a serious safety risk. The experience has been deeply stressful, and the service we received was unacceptable.