Fireplaces, Heating Stoves, Flues and Chimneys - What sort of contractor do we want?

We recently purchased an old home. There is a chimney but the fireplace was bricked-over. We opened up the brick to reveal the firebox. There is a tile flue that passes right through the bottom to the top of the firebox and it looks like when the oil furnace was installed in 1930's they decided they didn't need fireplace heat and so repurposed the chimney to run the tile flue for the oil furnace and then bricked it over. We're quite sure the exposed rooftop of the chimney needs new tucking at least, maybe more.

We want to remove the oil furnace, put the chimney back to work as a vent for a rebuilt wood-burning fireplace.

So who does this sort of work? Is there a difference between chimney sweep companies and repair companies or are they generally one and the same? I see some advertise both, but are sweepers really competent for repairs? On other hand, what do masons know about chimney function? Is there some other sort of specialist I am looking for?

Thanks for your guidance.

I would call a sweep first. Tell them what you have and what you want to do. They should be able to tell you, over the phone, if they can do the job or if there is someone better suited for the job. They will not do a job if they can't due to liability. It's always good to get references and check them.

many sweeps also do repair or relines the national fireplace institute ( NFI ) is a good way to see who is local and qualified