I just got my fireplace cleaned and was told I need the floor of the fireplace repaired( which is concrete and only has a few cracks), and I need the walls replaced( one wall is metal and has some dents the other is like fiberglas or morter and has a 3 inch circular chip in it thar exposes the middle of the material). They quoted my wife $90 for the floor repair and $400 for the wall relacement, and told her if it wasn't done it could burn our house down. Is this something i could do myself by covering it with metal, glass, or brick, or do i need a professional to do the work.

Whenever I make a fire in our wood burning fireplace there is a sewer smell in the house. The smell is strongest in the basement. Can anyone offer any suggestions as to what is causing this?