# Homeowner gets taken advantage of



## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

My name is Alex and I am a home owner. I had a huge beech tree cut down last weekend and the guy that did it said he would return to haul the wood away the next day. He didn't show up and won't answer his phone or return my phone calls. The wood is blocking my driveway. Unfortunately I had paid him in full. My mistake. I would hate to have to pay again to have the wood removed so I was wondering if anybody would be interested in it. It is a* beech* tree. It has not been cut to fireplace length.Some of the rounds measure 24" in Dia. I live in Annandale Va. (NoVa) If you are interested please contact me. (703) ********.
Thank you.


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## macattack_ga (Apr 8, 2014)

Maybe Sunday... PM me.

or are you selling it?

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/grd/4412873329.html
Beech firewood - $600 (Annandale Va)


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## Hddnis (Apr 8, 2014)

Sounds like he'll pay you $600 to come and haul it away.



Mr. HE


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## Dirtboy (Apr 8, 2014)

Wish I was closer, decent firewood.


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## shutup-n-cut (Apr 8, 2014)

So is it $600 ? I am guessing yes from the CL ad.
Original post seems to me misleading since no mention of a price and blocking the driveway made me assume it was a freebie since it was just left there , Just me though , too far for me.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Obviously I need it removed. Macattack_ga offered to pick it up on Sunday. I had placed a ad on craigslist this morning saying I'd sell it for $600 +- and of course I'd like that to happen to recover my loss BUT I need it removed and don't want to have to pay to have it done. There is a lot of wood here. One fellow with a pick up truck would only make a small dent in it. Any questions or offers please give me a call. 703 ********.
Thanks for your interest.
Alex


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## Erock (Apr 8, 2014)

Too bad you're in Annandale va not Annandale mn otherwise I'd swing in tonight


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Erock said:


> Too bad you're in Annandale va not Annandale mn otherwise I'd swing in tonight



I own a house in Rochester MN on Silver lake. I'm waiting for spring to arrive to go visit. Hope it warms up soon


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## 513yj (Apr 8, 2014)

Sorry to hear about the loss but someone might pay 50 bucks for that but there is in no way, shape, or form $600 worth of wood there.


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## greenskeeper (Apr 8, 2014)

aint' that a beech


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## KenJax Tree (Apr 8, 2014)

Sounds like you're selling the wood to break even on the removal? For $600 your driveway might stay blocked for a while


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

KenJax Tree said:


> Sounds like you're selling the wood to break even on the removal? For $600 your driveway might stay blocked for a while
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Kenjax Tree. Allow me to restate: I had placed a ad on craigslist this morning saying I'd sell it for $600 +- and of course I'd like that to happen to recover my loss* BUT* I need it removed and don't want to have to pay to have it done. If I have to give it away I WILL.There is a lot of wood here. One fellow with a pick up truck would only make a small dent in it. Any questions or offers please give me a call. 703 *********


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## macattack_ga (Apr 8, 2014)

I've got a big trailer...


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## shutup-n-cut (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex , Not sure on how fast you are looking to get it cleared out but obviously the cheaper you let it go for the faster it will probably be gone.
Free on craigslist I am guessing would be fastest but I can also understand your point of maybe getting something for it if you can. Hope you get it cleared out and your driveway back. Maybe if anyone comes you can ask them if they can take the wood in the driveway first and then the rest after your driveway is clear.

Good luck and welcome to AS also.

and if macattack is coming then there you go


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Thank you shutup-n-cut.This is a very nice forum. We will see where this goes. What could possibly go wrong?


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## ronnyb (Apr 8, 2014)

I'll be the first to say it . This guy is a douchebag. He got scammed and wants someone else to pay to clean up his **** up. You get what you pay for. Let me expand- you found this guy on craigslist. Good job Walmartian.


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## macattack_ga (Apr 8, 2014)

Hopefully he will help load.


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## TreePointer (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss, if you want to price it to sell, consider the following: A cord of firewood that has been cut, split, stacked, and seasoned (dried for at least a year) should sell for at most $300 in your area. Note that a cord is 4' X 4' x 8' (or three 8' rows of 16" firewood stacked 4' high).

So for $600, someone would be expecting two to three cords delivered to their house. You want them to pay $600 to do all the cutting, spitting, stacking, removal, and seasoning. Not going to happen.

Folks who need firewood, in general, do not pay to do you the favor of removing wood you do not want on your property.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

ronnyb said:


> I'll be the first to say it . This guy is a douchebag. He got scammed and wants someone else to pay to clean up his **** up. You get what you pay for. Let me expand- you found this guy on craigslist. Good job Walmartian.


Ronnyb. At first I thought you meant the person that I paid in full to do a job and then not only didn't finish the job by hauling the wood away but won't return my phone calls was a ********** but upon reading your comment again it appears you are calling ME the **********. I don't understand. I paid someone thousands of dollars to do this job. I'm not familiar with the firewood buying/selling process but I thought that now that I have tons of beach wood in my driveway that it would be worth money. I see 7 pieces of firewood for sale at the local 7-11 for $10. My understanding is that beach is as good as oak for burning. I thought that maybe someone would be willing to buy the wood from me and I guessed at a price. I did not find this guy on craigslist. I also don't understand your "Good job Walmartian" comment. Would you please be so kind as to explain that to me?
Thank you


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## blackdogon57 (Apr 8, 2014)

Good post treepointer. The reason the guy who took it down left it behind is because is is worth nothing until cut and split. You couldn't pay me to take it away. Be happy if someone comes and takes it off your hands for free. Think about helping them load the truck.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

TreePointer, Thank you very much for your comment and the information. As stated, I am only a home owner, Not someone involved in tree trimming and firewood sales. Having said that, if I was a firewood retailer and could buy tons of wood for a small amount of money I think it would peak my interest.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Blackdogon57. Unfortunately I wouldn't be able to help anyone load the truck. I'm 60 years old, can hardly walk because of MS and am recovering from a bout of cancer. If someone wants to haul it away for free that's ok with me


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## Zale (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss- did the guy's phone number who took the tree down start with 540-?


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Zale said:


> Alex Kriss- did the guy's phone number who took the tree down start with 540-?


Yes it does. Does that mean it's a burner or a Obama phone?


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## lfnh (Apr 8, 2014)

There was a contract for this takedown you paid a professional to complete, correct ?
What did the contract specify ?
Down, bucked, chip brush, haulaway rounds, sweep up etc or something less than that ?
What was the payment schedule ?


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## Zale (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> Yes it does. Does that mean it's a burner or a Obama phone?




No, it means you will never see the guy again. He lives out west in the Winchester area. Consider yourself fortunate nothing was damaged and he actually cut the whole tree down before running of. You got off lucky.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

lfnh. Unfortunately I didn't have a written contract. I've always had a problem in that I trust people and take them at their word. You would think at 60 years old I would be smarter than that. I also paid him in cash. I'm bad


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## discounthunter (Apr 8, 2014)

friendly word of advice. give it away. this wood as is has NO value. it is green,unsplit,odd sized, and faily large. some one could eventually use it as firewood but they have to drive out there,load it ,unload it,split it and sit on it for 9 months to a year.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Zale. Thanks for letting me know that. I guess I am lucky after all. Do you know the guy?


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

discountthunder. Thank you for the advice


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## lfnh (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> lfnh. Unfortunately I didn't have a written contract. I've always had a problem in that I trust people and take them at their word. You would think at 60 years old I would be smarter than that. I also paid him in cash. I'm bad


 
Not hardly. Most have been there, just need to let someone who is interested what the situation at this point, so there's no messy stuff with a contract unfulfilled.
discounthunter has good suggestion there.
Good luck


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## TreePointer (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> TreePointer, Thank you very much for your comment and the information. As stated, I am only a home owner, Not someone involved in tree trimming and firewood sales. Having said that, if I was a firewood retailer and could buy tons of wood for a small amount of money I think it would peak my interest.



Happy to help. I sincerely feel bad for anyone who is a victim of dishonest dealings. Actually, I'm also angry that these things happen and give the rest of us firewooders and even professional arborists a bad name.

Lots of "firewood retailers" are tree service professionals who have to pay a dump/landfill to take their brush, logs, and stumps, so they take some of it back to their processing yards for c/s/s (cutting/splitting/stacking) and later selling as firewood. They certainly are not going to pay to take wood.

The rest of the firewood scroungers won't pay for wood unless they are desperate. This usually means that they burn wood to heat their homes and have run out before the end of heating season. Only then will they pay to get processed and seasoned firewood. Some will pay $10-20 per pickup truck load to cut treetops from a timber harvest, but that is also rare.

Another thing working against your getting any money out of your tree is the season. There are plenty of other homeowners who have winter/spring blow downs that are willing to give the wood away just to get it off their lawn. You are competing against them in the marketplace.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

TreePointer said:


> Happy to help. I sincerely feel bad for anyone who is a victim of dishonest dealings. Actually, I'm also angry that these things happen and give the rest of us firewooders and even professional arborists a bad name.
> 
> Lots of "firewood retailers" are tree service professionals who have to pay a dump/landfill to take their brush, logs, and stumps, so they take some of it back to their processing yards for c/s/s (cutting/splitting/stacking) and later selling as firewood. They certainly are not going to pay to take wood.
> 
> ...


Treepointer. This has been a very informative 12 hours on this web site and I appreciate your time


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## zogger (Apr 8, 2014)

If it was me, and I didn't burn wood, and wanted to recoup costs, I would finish cutting it to size, split it, stack it up on pallets and sell it next fall at full local retail price.

And in the meantime, just drag it off into the yard and outta the driveway.


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## UpOnTheHill (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex - sorry for your being taken advantage of. It makes it hard to trust people - even those of us that are trustworthy. Do you know anyone that burns firewood? Start asking friends and relatives. I imagine there has to be someone local that is an average joe like me and heats his house with wood. If one of my neighbors asked me if I would take care of that for free, I'd be tripping over my own feet loading the saws into the truck. Now you might have to help out with cleanup even if its hiring a neighborhood kid looking to make $20. If it were me, I'd bring help with me and do it no charge, but thats how I operate and how I was raised up. Good luck, I'm sure it will work out. Figure out how to move the logs off the driveway and go from there.


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 8, 2014)

KenJax Tree said:


> Sounds like you're selling the wood to break even on the removal? For $600 your driveway might stay blocked for a while
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



That's what it sounds like to me.. The guy keeps talking about his "loss"... Now, If someone comes & takes it away for free the job is now completed at a price point he agreed to pay for to begin with.. At that point there is no loss besides the aggravation & having to park outside your driveway. 

I'm not promoting the a$$ who burned him but $600 & you will allow someone to do you a favor? With that attitude no wonder this guy got burned..


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> That's what it sounds like to me.. The guy keeps talking about his "loss"... Now, If someone comes & takes it away for free the job is now completed at a price point he agreed to pay for to begin with.. At that point there is no loss besides the aggravation & having to park outside your driveway.
> 
> I'm not promoting the a$$ who burned him but $600 & you will allow someone to do you a favor? With that attitude no wonder this guy got burned..




Zogger and UpOnTheHill, Thank you. I am hoping to resolve this problem on Sunday
.
jimmycrackcorn, If you pay for something you don't get would you consider it a loss? I paid to have the tree cut down, cut up and removed. It didn't get removed and that is the "loss" I was referring to. It is true that if someone comes to my house and removes this tree for free than I have not occurred that loss. What do you think the odds are of that happening? I feel it is slim since UponTheHill doesn't live near me. (He sounds like a very nice person)


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## Zale (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> Zale. Thanks for letting me know that. I guess I am lucky after all. Do you know the guy?




No I don't know the guy but I know the type. Guys like him come into the Washington, DC. area every day and just cruise the neighborhoods. Once the pickup is full, they head back home. They always ask for cash and will talk you into paying them before the job is done. Consider it a learning experience and move on.


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## bert the turtle (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex, in my opinion some of the guys are being a bit harsh on you. It sounds like you got shafted on this job and unfortunately that happens. If you have a truck and a saw, there will always be people to take advantage of if that is your game. It happened to me after an ice storm 10 years ago or so. Live and learn. 

Anyway, the bottom line on this wood is that you want/need the firewood gone. It sounds like you made the $600 Craigslist offer on the assumption that $600 is a fair or even bargain price, based on your assessment of the retail value of firewood. The wood really isn't worth very much, it is the labor that gets it into burning condition (cutting, splitting, stacking, and then waiting) that adds the value. Offer it free on Craigslist. It really isn't free- the guy picking it up is doing the work that the person you paid should have done and is getting paid in firewood. 

It will be a fair deal for the guy getting the wood and it will be gone. Gone is the outcome you are trying to achieve. You got screwed and the best you can do now it is give the wood away. You'll end up with the outcome you wanted (tree gone) and while you will know that one guy gave you a raw deal, you will sleep well at night knowing you gave somebody a fair deal. That is worth more than the few $$ you might eventually get selling the wood to somebody. In all likelihood, it will rot in the driveway before someone will pay you to take it off your hands, especially after the winter weather we've had with trees down everywhere.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Zale said:


> No I don't know the guy but I know the type. Guys like him come into the Washington, DC. area every day and just cruise the neighborhoods. Once the pickup is full, they head back home. They always ask for cash and will talk you into paying them before the job is done. Consider it a learning experience and move on.


Zale, That I shall. Thanks


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

Del_ said:


> Alex Kriss,
> 
> Give it away for free to get rid of it. I've got 25 years in the tree biz and you would be most fortunate to have someone just come and get it and not even rake up afterwards. Firewood as a raw material is almost worthless. It's the cutting, splitting, seasoning, delivery and stacking that makes up the cost of the end product, firewood.
> 
> If I were you I wouldn't even insist that one person has to take it all. Put it out there on a first come first serve basis. Tell them to cut it and load it and any cutting they do extra someone else might come along and take before they get back.



Del_ Thanks for your insight. I won't (or can't) insist on anything


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## blackdogon57 (Apr 8, 2014)

Why not change your CL ad and make it clear that you are giving the wood away. Your ad still reads like you are fishing for ssomeone who is willing to pay you.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

bert the turtle. You have hit the nail on the head. You have summarized the last 12 hours very well. I joined this site this morning knowing nothing at all about the firewood business and I have learned a lot about it and the people involved.
Thank you for your observations 
Alex


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

blackdogon57 said:


> Why not change your CL ad and make it clear that you are giving the wood away. Your ad still reads like you are fishing for ssomeone who is willing to pay you.


I changed the CL ad 3 hours ago.
Thanks for the suggestion.
Alex


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

It is interesting to read some people's thoughts about what is valuable and what is not. When I was much younger I bought a rusted out 1956 chevy 2 door for $150. Everyone said it was worthless and not worth my time. I spent a year working on it as a hobby and put about $700 dollars in parts. It wasn't a show car by any means but I did sell it for $2,000. I thought that was a very good return on investment in 1980. Just thinking out loud I guess


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## discounthunter (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> It is interesting to read some people's thoughts about what is valuable and what is not. When I was much younger I bought a rusted out 1956 chevy 2 door for $150. Everyone said it was worthless and not worth my time. I spent a year working on it as a hobby and put about $700 dollars in parts. It wasn't a show car by any means but I did sell it for $2,000. I thought that was a very good return on investment in 1980. Just thinking out loud I guess


you sound like a good man. and you are correct to think this wood has value,but,not right now. split and seasoned then it has value.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

discounthunter said:


> you sound like a good man. and you are correct to think this wood has value,but,not right now. split and seasoned then it has value.


My goal is to be as good a person as my dog thinks I am.


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 8, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> Zogger and UpOnTheHill, Thank you. I am hoping to resolve this problem on Sunday
> .
> jimmycrackcorn, If you pay for something you don't get would you consider it a loss? I paid to have the tree cut down, cut up and removed. It didn't get removed and that is the "loss" I was referring to. It is true that if someone comes to my house and removes this tree for free than I have not occurred that loss. What do you think the odds are of that happening? I feel it is slim since UponTheHill doesn't live near me. (He sounds like a very nice person)



Yes I would consider it a loss if I got shafted, but I wouldnt try to pass that along to the next guy who would have to be a clueless homeowner with a new wood stove to pay that much for that amount of wood. Your just fishing for a sucker posting it for sale like that. You also know the fastest way to get it gone is to post it for free, especially since you think the odds of it happening are slim. Please don't act like you didn't know any better..


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 8, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> Yes I would consider it a loss if I got shafted, but I wouldnt try to pass that along to the next guy who would have to be a clueless homeowner with a new wood stove to pay that much for that amount of wood. Your just fishing for a sucker posting it for sale like that. You also know the fastest way to get it gone is to post it for free, especially since you think the odds of it happening are slim. Please don't act like you didn't know any better..



If you have read this thread that I started this morning you should have realized several things. I wasn't trying to "shaft a clueless homeowner with a new wood stove" to pay that much for that amount of wood. You should know I am a homeowner who had no idea on how the fire wood business is run. You should know I had no idea that wood that hasn't been cut to length, split and seasoned is considered worthless regardless of what type of wood it is or how much of it there is. You should know that I didn't know that asking for money for wood would be considered selfish and make me into someone who should be called a **********. You should also know that I wouldn't judge you


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 8, 2014)

I did read the thread..
I know.. I know. Your just a helpless victim.. If you thought it was going to be hard to get rid of in the first place why would you ask $$ for it, never mind $600, anyone with half a brain knows it isn't worth even a 1/4 that. Makes absolutely no sense at all. Take Del's advice as I have none.


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## zogger (Apr 8, 2014)

Hey, no big harm in thinking you could sell it. You might still could given the amazing prices for firewood in your area..but it would have to be c/s/s. 

I can relate to geezerhood and infirmities, when my back goes out sometimes it takes me five minutes to go hit the can, walking across two rooms, near pass out from the pain level. Thankfully that is only a few times a year. I couldn't pick up and move one stick of wood then if you paid me.

Any neighborhood high school kids you could shoot a 20 to, to at least drag it out of the driveway?

I just can't believe the lazy tree guy leaving ya'all stuck with a blocked drive like that.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> I did read the thread..
> I know.. I know. Your just a helpless victim.. If you thought it was going to be hard to get rid of in the first place why would you ask $$ for it, never mind $600, anyone with half a brain knows it isn't worth even a 1/4 that. Makes absolutely no sense at all. Take Del's advice as I have none.


You just can't seem to understand that I didn't know that it would be hard to get rid of and that it wasn't worth anything. This is information I have learned today. I was not born with the knowledge you were born with.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

zogger said:


> Hey, no big harm in thinking you could sell it. You might still could given the amazing prices for firewood in your area..but it would have to be c/s/s.
> 
> I can relate to geezerhood and infirmities, when my back goes out sometimes it takes me five minutes to go hit the can, walking across two rooms, near pass out from the pain level. Thankfully that is only a few times a year. I couldn't pick up and move one stick of wood then if you paid me.
> 
> ...



I believe I might be able to resolve this problem on Sunday. I'm glad to hear that your back problems occur only a few times a year. My primary progressive MS affects my ability to move every day. Thankfully I'm not in a wheelchair quite yet.


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## turnkey4099 (Apr 9, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> TreePointer, Thank you very much for your comment and the information. As stated, I am only a home owner, Not someone involved in tree trimming and firewood sales. Having said that, if I was a firewood retailer and could buy tons of wood for a small amount of money I think it would peak my interest.



Except you are asking (or were) for a ton of money for tons of wood. In the firewood business the profit is in the work involved processing that wood. Stumpage (what one pays to get the wood to process) is a very minor part of the equation and no one pays much for it. As others have said. For $600 it would have to be at least two cords, cut, delivered and stacked at my house.

At most you _might_ be able to sell it for around $100.

Harry K


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## Marshy (Apr 9, 2014)

turnkey4099 said:


> Except you are asking (or were) for a ton of money for tons of wood. In the firewood business the profit is in the work involved processing that wood. Stumpage (what one pays to get the wood to process) is a very minor part of the equation and no one pays much for it. As others have said. *For $600 it would have to be at least two cords, cut, delivered and stacked at my house*.
> 
> At most you _might_ be able to sell it for around $100.
> 
> Harry K


 
2 cords, thats it?? I'd expect 4 cord of cut seasoned wood for $600 bucks. I can get 6 cords of green firewood logs for $600, no way that tree has 6 cords in it!

As previously stated, if you want it moved then Free is your answer. If you dont want to let it go for free then ask $20 a truck load and make it known you will take offers and first come first serve.

I'd personally pay as much as $20 per truck load of that green wood if it wasnt more than 10 miles away, and I'd probably feel like I made out good too. Good luck.


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## koomie (Apr 9, 2014)

Guys read the OP,s reply's and see that he does not care about getting paid for the wood. He has since stated this on more than 1 occasion.You guys know a lot more about arbourist/firewood activities than he does, and surely would be better to offer advice than to throw him under the first passing bus.


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## ReggieT (Apr 9, 2014)

opcorn:


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## StephieDoll (Apr 9, 2014)

koomie said:


> Guys read the OP,s reply's and see that he does not care about getting paid for the wood. He has since stated this on more than 1 occasion.You guys know a lot more about arbourist/firewood activities than he does, and surely would be better to offer advice than to throw him under the first passing bus.




X2


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## flyboy553 (Apr 9, 2014)

X3

Alex, I have to commend you on your patience and politeness dealing with these guys! WAAAYYY beyond my personal tolerance level for sure
! lol Your dog is not out of line thinking as much of you as it does!

My mom had MS so I understand completely how hard it is to deal with this disease. Good luck to you in getting this problem cleared up! If I lived closer I would be there in a heartbeat just so you could use your driveway!

Ted


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## luckydozenfarm (Apr 9, 2014)

No joke, leave the guy alone about the $600 people. He didn't know what it was worth as he isn't in the business. You would think that since the guy was shafted by supposedly someone in our line of work, we could be at least gracious enough to let him down easy. Or at least help him out about his situation as best we could by moving the wood off his property. That's what this forum is designed for right?? Helping people out that may not have the experience or know how?? Sometimes it seems that some posters on this site feel it's their job to ball-bust others on things they did wrong until they feel like a complete idiot. Maybe it makes them feel like a better woodsman...I don't know..>SMH


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## jrider (Apr 9, 2014)

koomie said:


> Guys read the OP,s reply's and see that he does not care about getting paid for the wood. He has since stated this on more than 1 occasion.You guys know a lot more about arbourist/firewood activities than he does, and surely would be better to offer advice than to throw him under the first passing bus.


 That seems to be the general nature of this place. Many internet tough guys jumping all over people. Sad, because there is a lot of knowledge to be gained here, you just have to swim through an awful lot of crap to obtain it.


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## macattack_ga (Apr 9, 2014)

He's 20min from me. I'll be there Sunday and get it taken care of. It'll be a win-win for both of us.


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## blackdogon57 (Apr 9, 2014)

*Here's what your ad might look like if you really want to give away the wood.*

* FREE FIREWOOD!FREE FREE FREE (Riverdale, MD)*






I have plenty of firewood available for free. You may need a chainsaw to cut the larger pieces. Maple. Thanks!

Here's what yours looks like on CL right now:
* Beech firewood (Annandale Va)*









I had a HUGE beech tree cut down. There is TONS of wood available. You will need a big truck and a chainsaw to cut the pieces to length. Beech is a GREAT wood for burning. The pieces are up to 24" in dia. Give me a call or email me and we can work something out. Alex

Maybe you should call someone like this guy:

* Looking for free firewood*

Looking for free firewood , I heat with wood and need to start getting it for next year. I'm in the Laytonsville , MD area.. Please email me if you have any downed trees you would like cut up and hauled off your property !!!
Thank you


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## Deleted member 116684 (Apr 9, 2014)

I wish I lived closer. I would love some wood to cut and split, though I don't need any


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 9, 2014)

flyboy553 said:


> If I lived closer I would be there in a heartbeat just so you could use your driveway!
> 
> Ted



Me too!

Sometimes I can't believe the rude replies I read on this site...

SR


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## NSMaple1 (Apr 9, 2014)

I would definitely not say that wood is not worth anything.

Or are all the guys saying that it isn't really giving their worthless trees away for nothing? Stumpage prices are not zero - and that stuff is already cut down, partly cut up, and roadside. Pretty hard to beat beech for firewood too.


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## luckydozenfarm (Apr 9, 2014)

It's worth something to someone for sure. But he has a few issues working against him:
1) it's not cut to a consistent length
2) it's blocking his driveway.
3) It's only ONE tree, most firewood dealers prob wouldn't be interested unless they happen to be in the area.
4) It's April not December..not many are looking to buy firewood right now.
5) He has MS which probably prevents him from splitting/stacking it to sell it.

I would suggest he let macattack take care of it this weekend and call it a day. He's in the area and is willing to move it for him.


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## old_soul (Apr 9, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> Ronnyb. At first I thought you meant the person that I paid in full to do a job and then not only didn't finish the job by hauling the wood away but won't return my phone calls was a ********** but upon reading your comment again it appears you are calling ME the **********. I don't understand. I paid someone thousands of dollars to do this job. I'm not familiar with the firewood buying/selling process but I thought that now that I have tons of beach wood in my driveway that it would be worth money. I see 7 pieces of firewood for sale at the local 7-11 for $10. My understanding is that beach is as good as oak for burning. I thought that maybe someone would be willing to buy the wood from me and I guessed at a price. I did not find this guy on craigslist. I also don't understand your "Good job Walmartian" comment. Would you please be so kind as to explain that to me?
> Thank you




Sorry to hear about your situation, having said that, I cannot believe you paid the guy "thousands" for that tree. 

For thousands he should have showed up with the proper equipment to load out the wood (meaning crane, loader, wood truck, etc etc) Look at those cuts! All those little pieces, now it's twice as much work to load by hand.

That tree is not even that big, should have been loaded up and gone by noon. Most companies I know will not take payment until the job is done, that is a BIG mistake to pay ahead with an unknown operation.

If you were close by, I would help ya out just because I hate to hear about "companies" who do this kind of work. And even worse to screw someone who has a disability.


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## Toddppm (Apr 9, 2014)

If everybody is looking for someone to pound on, lets get the guys name and information. These jackasses are a dime a dozen. They swarm in everyday from Culpeper, Winchester, WV etc. and dump on the side of the road somewhere on the way back. It's really hard to believe people consistently fall for this **** over and over and over. I guess a good deal is too hard to pass up....
Here's what should be done to every one of these "companies" that do this type of **** http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/38/425805.html
With the internets the way it is now all it takes is a quick search to see who you're dealing with.


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 9, 2014)

Toddppm said:


> If everybody is looking for someone to pound on, lets get the guys name and information. These jackasses are a dime a dozen. They swarm in everyday from Culpeper, Winchester, WV etc. and dump on the side of the road somewhere on the way back. It's really hard to believe people consistently fall for this **** over and over and over. I guess a good deal is too hard to pass up....
> Here's what should be done to every one of these "companies" that do this type of **** http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/read/38/425805.html
> With the internets the way it is now all it takes is a quick search to see who you're dealing with.



Is it that bad down your way? That's nuts, just dumped on the side of the road?

We all know how they get away with it.. It's obviously because the homeowners let uninsured, unlicensed, un-comped, low ballers do the work. Let's face it, times are tough, PPL want/need services done that they can't afford. They either get 20 bids & go with the cheapest or go with the first guy they talk to without doing there homework.. Always do your homework! The internet is a plethora of information at your fingertips like Todd mentioned. If you never heard of the guy or he can't provide proof of insurance walk away.. Also, a simple way to avoid getting burned is to never pay upfront. When ppl in this line of work ask for a deposit it is a total red flag because there is no material to be out on the cuff. In my experience the ones who ask for deposits around here are either drunks/drug addicts, fly by nights, or business owners who can't make payroll or put fuel in the trucks usually because the of a shady habit. That may sound harsh to some of my fellow AS members, chances are some do ask, but that's just my experience around here, not looking for a debate. We don't take payment until the property is walked by the homeowner & everything is kosh, if they're not home at the time we will bill or wait. So most of the time we bear the risk of being burned, not the other way around, that's just how legitimate business works IMO. As a homeowner you just have to be smart, if your crazy enough to pay it, ask what the deposit covers & get a legal documented receipt with it all broken down. It's just common sense. I'm not speaking to the OP, just in general.


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## old_soul (Apr 9, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> Is it that bad down your way? That's nuts, just dumped on the side of the road?
> 
> We all know how they get away with it.. It's obviously because the homeowners let uninsured, unlicensed, un-comped, low ballers do the work. Let's face it, times are tough, PPL want/need services done that they can't afford. They either get 20 bids & go with the cheapest or go with the first guy they talk to without doing there homework.. Always do your homework! The internet is a plethora of information at your fingertips like Todd mentioned. If you never heard of the guy or he can't provide proof of insurance walk away.. Also, a simple way to avoid getting burned is to never pay upfront. When ppl in this line of work ask for a deposit it is a total red flag because there is no material to be out on the cuff. In my experience the ones who ask for deposits around here are either drunks/drug addicts, fly by nights, or business owners who can't make payroll or put fuel in the trucks usually because the of a shady habit. That may sound harsh to some of my fellow AS members, chances are some do ask, but that's just my experience around here, not looking for a debate. We don't take payment until the property is walked by the homeowner & everything is kosh, if they're not home at the time we will bill or wait. So most of the time we bear the risk of being burned, not the other way around, that's just how legitimate business works IMO. As a homeowner you just have to be smart, if your crazy enough to pay it, ask what the deposit covers & get a legal documented receipt with it all broken down. It's just common sense. I'm not speaking to the OP, just in general.




Doesn't sound harsh to me. I agree with you. 

That's why I hate the craigs list crap so much, it just spreads this kind of shoddy work around even more. 

I waste more time looking at jobs now than ever, people actually hire these clowns and this thread is what you get.

Lowest bid is not always best bid if only half the work gets done.

Written estimate should always be sent ahead of time. Even if homeowner doesn't ask for one. Details what is expected for the job and the price. 

Sorry I don't mean to derail this guy's thread but I see this kind of thing more and more and more lately.


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## Toddppm (Apr 9, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> Is it that bad down your way? That's nuts, just dumped on the side of the road?
> 
> We all know how they get away with it.. It's obviously because the homeowners let uninsured, unlicensed, un-comped, low ballers do the work. Let's face it, times are tough, PPL want/need services done that they can't afford. They either get 20 bids & go with the cheapest or go with the first guy they talk to without doing there homework.. Always do your homework! The internet is a plethora of information at your fingertips like Todd mentioned. If you never heard of the guy or he can't provide proof of insurance walk away.. Also, a simple way to avoid getting burned is to never pay upfront. When ppl in this line of work ask for a deposit it is a total red flag because there is no material to be out on the cuff. In my experience the ones who ask for deposits around here are either drunks/drug addicts, fly by nights, or business owners who can't make payroll or put fuel in the trucks usually because the of a shady habit. That may sound harsh to some of my fellow AS members, chances are some do ask, but that's just my experience around here, not looking for a debate. We don't take payment until the property is walked by the homeowner & everything is kosh, if they're not home at the time we will bill or wait. So most of the time we bear the risk of being burned, not the other way around, that's just how legitimate business works IMO. As a homeowner you just have to be smart, if your crazy enough to pay it, ask what the deposit covers & get a legal documented receipt with it all broken down. It's just common sense. I'm not speaking to the OP, just in general.



Funny thing is, this is a very wealthy area with just the 1 largest county about 1.5 million people. These guys do best I think in the middle class neighborhoods because they seem like down to earth nice guys. In the mega rich hoods they do well too though, especially the newest arrivals of illegal, unlicensed Jose's because the mega rich are all about saving a precious dollar.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

First of all I want to thank everyone for all the information you have provided over the past 2 days. I was a little bummed last night by some comments by a very small minority of people but after reading more comments today I am reassured in my belief that most people in the United States are still very good people. With people like MacAttack_ga, LuckyDozenFarm, Jrider, bert the turtle and so many more I can hold on to my slight optimism that my grandchildren will enjoy living in the US. Enough said about that.
Second I would like to give a little more history regarding the situation I ended up in.
*Old_Soul*, I have to admit that I did exaggerate a bit when I said I paid thousands of dollars for this job. The exact amount was $1,860. I wish you did live close by.
I didn't find this person on Craigs List. He had done a tree removal for my next door neighbor and he did a good, complete job. He showed up with 2 helpers and a big mulching machine. I didn't see his insurance certificate but he did say he was insured. I will say they did do a good job in cutting my tree down. The tree trunk is 15 feet from my house and there is a wooden deck next to it. There was no damage done to either one.
I brain stormed the problem with my wife and she said that maybe his phone got broken and he doesn't know my number (I didn't mention 411) or worse yet he got hurt on a job and is in the hospital. I sure hope not.
l

So if you look at this picture of the "not so big tree" I'm curious as to how much you all
feel would be a reasonable amount for him to have charged? I live 10 miles south of our nations capital and things cost too much here.
Again in closing thank you very much for all the great posts. 73 as of a few moments ago. I have learned a lot about the tree business


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## TreePointer (Apr 9, 2014)

I'd say that it's not an unreasonable price considering its size, proximity to structures, and the DC Metro market. (Yes, I have lived there and still visit many times per year.)


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## Zale (Apr 9, 2014)

Looking at your picture, that is a fair price for the removal. In all honesty, I would have charged you more.


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## woodsplitta (Apr 9, 2014)

I think you did ok with that price, that thing was a monster, what made you decide to take it down?


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## blackdogon57 (Apr 9, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> Alex, take your advice and flee. Just stop posting


Who pissed in your corn flakes this morning ? This is one of the better threads that I have seen for a while. Curious to see if someone shows up to clean up the mess


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## cantoo (Apr 9, 2014)

Where is all the brush? Is mcattack going to be in for a surprise? Tune in Sunday afternoon for the exciting conclusion.
People here sometimes ask for deposits because customers also can be deadbeats. We ask for deposits sometimes just to see the customers reaction.


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

wahoowad said:


> Alex, take your advice and flee. Just stop posting


OK wahoowad. I'll stop posting


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

woodsplitta said:


> I think you did ok with that price, that thing was a monster, what made you decide to take it down?


I have 2 collies and the burs from the tree kept getting in their paws plus it shaded the house so much moss is growing on the roof and siding. This tree is always dropping something


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## Marshy (Apr 9, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> OK wahoowad. I'll stop posting


 
Alex, tell him to piss off. 
Your inquiry about if you over paid for the size of tree is fair play in my opinion. Carry on.


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## KenJax Tree (Apr 9, 2014)

How did you pay? I must've missed it


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 9, 2014)

KenJax Tree said:


> How did you pay? I must've missed it
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I paid him $1000 when the tree was down. I then paid him $860 in advance to cut and carry which didn't happen. I put an ad on Craigslist and on this website to try to sell the wood that had been cut down for $600 and this thread got started


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 9, 2014)

Was this a two day job or something?


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 10, 2014)

Im probably not the only one trying to understand why you handed the guy the $$ in two different portions. At first you said it was thousands of dollars but then recanted, then talked about loosing a deposit, but.. you paid a $1000 once the tree was down, then you gave him another $860 which was suppose to be a deposit? If someone is charging a deposit it usually comes first, before the job even starts. 

I ask if it was a two day job because it doesn't make sense to give someone two different transactions for the same job on the same day unless the clean up was an after thought & the guy has to rent a chipper or equipment to remove. If not, that's just weird business if you ask me. Should of seen it coming. If you paid the guy a grand upon completion of the take down why would you allow the scenario to change to a pre paid basis?


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## luckydozenfarm (Apr 10, 2014)

Forget the tree in the pic. I like the bike!! I had a 2000 Yamaha R1 similar to that one in college. I had that thing up to 160 mph once...and the wheelies that thing would do....wow


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## Pelorus (Apr 10, 2014)

The defendant; Mr. Kriss, has withstood the interrogation fairly well. Minimal testiness.
The cross examination by the chief prosecutor; Mr. J.C. Corn, is expected to end upon the removal of the victim (the beech).


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 10, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> Im probably not the only one trying to understand why you handed the guy the $$ in two different portions. At first you said it was thousands of dollars but then recanted, then talked about loosing a deposit, but.. you paid a $1000 once the tree was down, then you gave him another $860 which was suppose to be a deposit? If someone is charging a deposit it usually comes first, before the job even starts.
> 
> I ask if it was a two day job because it doesn't make sense to give someone two different transactions for the same job on the same day unless the clean up was an after thought & the guy has to rent a chipper or equipment to remove. If not, that's just weird business if you ask me. Should of seen it coming. If you paid the guy a grand upon completion of the take down why would you allow the scenario to change to a pre paid basis?


 
It went like this:
Day 1: Phone call. Hey **** I would like to have the beech tree cut down. Could you do it and how much?
Reply- "Yes I can do it for $2000 dollars
Day 2: (not the very next day) He shows up with crew of 2 plus himself and chipper. Cuts the branches the chipper can handle.
Day 3: (not the very next day) Shows up with crew and cuts the remaining tree down. At this point I give him $1860 dollars cash (it's all I had with me at the time) with the understanding that he will return to remove the wood.
Today: I haven't heard from him and he doesn't return my phone calls.
Earlier this week I placed an ad on craigs list to see if I could sell the wood. I also placed an ad on this great website which started this very interesting and informative blog.
So there you have it


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 10, 2014)

luckydozenfarm said:


> Forget the tree in the pic. I like the bike!! I had a 2000 Yamaha R1 similar to that one in college. I had that thing up to 160 mph once...and the wheelies that thing would do....wow


 It belongs to my son. I used to have a Suzuki 550 rice burner back in the '90s when I could still ride a bike. Gosh I miss it.


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## stihl sawing (Apr 10, 2014)

Alex, you don't stop posting cause of one guys opinion, I deleted his response so he will stop posting.


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## shutup-n-cut (Apr 10, 2014)

Alex , I have got to give you credit for sticking it out with this subject. I felt guilty in my original posting saying that I thought your OP was misleading since it was on CL for $600 and no mention here in the OP of price so not really sure what to think before more information was out there . Can be a tough crowd here sometimes and cudos to yourself for having tough skin. Looks like you have a plan and best of luck.

As far as that motorcycle I had one for a while but thought it was probably smarter to get rid of it before I baeame just another statistic , waaaaay too easy to see three digits on the speedometer in the blink of an eye , with so many cars on the road and poor drivers it is probably safer to run a chainsaw naked.


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## Dirtboy (Apr 10, 2014)

Geez, this thing went further south than the thread about "Glad I burn wood not pellets". Sorry you got burned on the rest of the job Alex. Hang in there, lots of decent folks with good advice here.


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 10, 2014)

3 days for one tree!!

So there was never really a deposit? You pretty much paid him in full all at once, no separate transactions or deposits like mentioned before? He just never finished the job according to you.. Maybe there was a misunderstanding about the removal of the wood & your voicemails to him sound like a confrontation & he thinks the job is completed??

I'm not standing up for the guy AT ALL as I despise theifs with a passion...

Its just that in trying to understand this story i feel as if Ive heard a few different scenarios, deposits, no deposits, multiple transactions, single transactions, said you exagerated about the bid price but just now said you agreed to the amount you said you exaggerated about... Really, I'm not trying to argue or call you out.. Trying to understand.. Maybe this tree guy is hearing your voice mails & is saying to himself, "what the hell is this guy talking about, I even gave him a deal & knocked off $140, I'll deal with this later". Not exactly the best business ethic but definatley not uncommon for PPL to avoid confrontation, especially if they have they been paid accordingly. Could be way of base here, as 2g for that tree without removal is high, but it is a possibility.


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## stihl sawing (Apr 10, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> 3 days for one tree!!
> 
> So there was never really a deposit? You pretty much paid him in full all at once, no separate transactions or deposits like mentioned before? He just never finished the job according to you.. Maybe there was a misunderstanding about the removal of the wood & your voicemails to him sound like a confrontation & he thinks the job is completed??
> 
> ...


Post # 90 explains it all.


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 10, 2014)

stihl sawing said:


> Post # 90 explains it all.


Haha.. Yes I know this SS.. Thanks.. LOL. It's the whole reason I posted again.


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## jimbojango (Apr 10, 2014)

Dirtboy said:


> Geez, this thing went further south than the thread about "Glad I burn wood not pellets". Sorry you got burned on the rest of the job Alex. Hang in there, lots of decent folks with good advice here.


That thread went downhill faster and I was a prick to everyone in my path. Lol. This guy just got a raw deal.


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## 1project2many (Apr 11, 2014)

> The defendant; Mr. Kriss, has withstood the interrogation fairly well. Minimal testiness.
> The cross examination by the chief prosecutor; Mr. J.C. Corn, is expected to end upon the removal of the victim (the beech).


The questions may stop but I have doubts about change in the prosecutor's nature.

Alex, I have also been on the receiving end of this type of grilling here. I once admitted to carrying a fair amount of wood on the back of a small truck which led to some outrage. You're doing a fine job. Many people in this forum pride themselves on obtaining wood for free or cheap and are willing to work hard to get it. Trying to sell wood here will be about as successful as selling ice to the Eskimos but you've recognized this. Hopefully the person coming to get it will be as happy with the job and the wood as you will be to have it gone.


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## jimbojango (Apr 11, 2014)

1project2many said:


> The questions may stop but I have doubts about change in the prosecutor's nature.
> 
> Alex, I have also been on the receiving end of this type of grilling here. I once admitted to carrying a fair amount of wood on the back of a small truck which led to some outrage. You're doing a fine job. Many people in this forum pride themselves on obtaining wood for free or cheap and are willing to work hard to get it. Trying to sell wood here will be about as successful as selling ice to the Eskimos but you've recognized this. Hopefully the person coming to get it will be as happy with the job and the wood as you will be to have it gone.


Most people here enjoy cutting wood and being cheap while spending thousands on the stuff to cut it. Go read the pellets thread and Alex is a man made to burn pellets or natural gas. Sounds like it's two different cultures.


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## 513yj (Apr 11, 2014)

If'n it were me I would call the sheriff's department since it was over $1,000 you might get him pinched pretty good. It also might stop this from happening again to someone else. I wasn't privy to your conversation, but if you had a verbal contract with a clear understanding between the two of you then it will hold up in court and he is liable for breaking the contract.


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## turnkey4099 (Apr 11, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> First of all I want to thank everyone for all the information you have provided over the past 2 days. I was a little bummed last night by some comments by a very small minority of people but after reading more comments today I am reassured in my belief that most people in the United States are still very good people. With people like MacAttack_ga, LuckyDozenFarm, Jrider, bert the turtle and so many more I can hold on to my slight optimism that my grandchildren will enjoy living in the US. Enough said about that.
> Second I would like to give a little more history regarding the situation I ended up in.
> *Old_Soul*, I have to admit that I did exaggerate a bit when I said I paid thousands of dollars for this job. The exact amount was $1,860. I wish you did live close by.
> I didn't find this person on Craigs List. He had done a tree removal for my next door neighbor and he did a good, complete job. He showed up with 2 helpers and a big mulching machine. I didn't see his insurance certificate but he did say he was insured. I will say they did do a good job in cutting my tree down. The tree trunk is 15 feet from my house and there is a wooden deck next to it. There was no damage done to either one.
> ...



$1860!! Send him over my way. I paid half that for a tree not 1/4 that size and not a hazard tree. I saw that tree and can't believe you got off that cheap. I have another tree to remove that wants to fall on he house if it blows down. Only about 14" diameter, single stem and very tall. I expect to pay over $1,000 for that one. 

Harry K


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## luckydozenfarm (Apr 11, 2014)

I've heard from a friend that he paid about $3000 to bring down a 100'+ tall loblolly pine in his backyard. That's nuts! thank goodness I don't live in the city.


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## zogger (Apr 11, 2014)

turnkey4099 said:


> $1860!! Send him over my way. I paid half that for a tree not 1/4 that size and not a hazard tree. I saw that tree and can't believe you got off that cheap. I have another tree to remove that wants to fall on he house if it blows down. Only about 14" diameter, single stem and very tall. I expect to pay over $1,000 for that one.
> 
> Harry K



You can't get someone to help and just pull it over? Or does it have to be blocked down?


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## KenJax Tree (Apr 11, 2014)

Good work comes with a big price 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 11, 2014)

turnkey4099 said:


> $1860!! Send him over my way. I paid half that for a tree not 1/4 that size and not a hazard tree. I saw that tree and can't believe you got off that cheap. I have another tree to remove that wants to fall on he house if it blows down. Only about 14" diameter, single stem and very tall. I expect to pay over $1,000 for that one.
> 
> Harry K


That's a joke right? LOL...
He got "CHEAP" alright.. Well.. Full price, but cheap outcome.

Regardless of that, cheaper isn't always better my friend, do you want it fully removed, all the brush chipped, professional clean up not just a rake dragged across the ground a few times, you want your cars blown off, do you want insured PPL... Lately I'm amazed at the amount of voicemails we've been getting from prospects who reference that word at least five or six times in there msg.. Cheap cheap cheap..."I want the cheapest option available". Of course we will bid on the jobs unless we are weeks out, excuses as to why can't or won't don't get you a good reputation anyways. 

With these clients we will give them the least expensive option available, usually just get everything on the ground & limbed out but leave everything. We will get on site, inform them a second time about the amount of cleanup involved with tree work. The household male will usually be gloating about, talking about how his "$800 farm boss w/18" blade & burn permit" will take care of the mess & not to be concerned, "I just want the cheapest".. We will go drop 7-8 good sized trees, take care of dangerous binds/pressure points etc & leave it all as contracted. At this point the yards are a disaster zone but its what was asked for so we leave. 7 times out of 10 we will get a phone call a few days later to come back & haul everything away. It's the biggest pain in the a$$ as the homeowner on a chainsaw crusade had chopped everything into a thousand little pieces. Anyone who slings a saw for a living knows how long that takes to clean up. The only saving grace to these jobs is when we find the farm boss bound up in whatever tree he started with. The avoidable tangled mess still sucks but that means his crusade was limited.. Now these PPL have paid us to come out & set up twice which ends up costing way more in the end. Did one of these this week & have to do another on Monday. This pattern needs to end..






luckydozenfarm said:


> I've heard from a friend that he paid about $3000 to bring down a 100'+ tall loblolly pine in his backyard. That's nuts! thank goodness I don't live in the city.



A 100ft pine is pretty tall for the east coast.. A $3000 price tag to go along with it sounds like it could be alot, but what most homeowners don't understand is, how is this contractor going to remove this thing safely. In my experiences, a 100ft tree goes beyond just the accessibility factor, never mind a cities accessibility factor which always sucks to begin with & increases the risk factor by a fairly large amount (low power lines, gas lines, fences, cars, tiny driveways, houses on top of each other, no room to drop, no where to rotate booms, many, many unseen obstacles). Even if a bucket truck could fit into his back yard most don't reach 100ft, it would take a serious climb with alot of rigging just to piece the bare pin down after you have somehow gotten the limbs down without issue.. If the bidder doesn't want to climb it, you then have to use a crane, if you don't own one you have to hire. This is only an option if you can fit it somewhere & safely land the picks that then have to be processed. You still have a dump truck & chipper you are going to need room to use & safely remove the brush. After that you have to find room to operate your log truck & load the pins. Now, back to the crane, if you had to hire one, most operators I know have a $400-500 minimum & that is going to get tacked onto the bid itself, that's just a minimum.. 

So could your friend get it cheaper? Possibly.. but like I mentioned before in this thread, the HO would have to "do his/her homework"... figure out who owns their own crane as oppose to who farms it out. We don't have a crane at the moment so our bids on certain jobs end up higher than others will, we always tell the HO, """Look were not trying to talk ourselves out of work but, we will need to hire a crane for this job, his rates are X pr hour & has a $400 minimum just to come out. This job will take 8 hours & you will be paying that much more so there is a good possibility you can find it less expensive elsewhere""". Most of the time they will hire us just based on our reputation & word of mouth because they trust us to do it right without damage but some companies aren't like that, they won't mention the extra charge for the crane built into the bid & just hope it goes unnoticed. Did I mention the accessibility factor...? LOL..


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## Hddnis (Apr 11, 2014)

Jimmycrackpot, give it a rest already!

Seriously!




Mr. HE


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 12, 2014)

Hddnis said:


> Jimmycrackpot, give it a rest already!
> 
> Seriously!
> 
> ...



You clearly have no clue what I'm referencing..

Seriously..


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## turnkey4099 (Apr 12, 2014)

zogger said:


> You can't get someone to help and just pull it over? Or does it have to be blocked down?



It'll need to be blocked down unless someone with good insurance wants try falling it 90 degrees to the lean into the only open spot.

Harry K


jimmycrackcorn said:


> That's a joke right? LOL...
> He got "CHEAP" alright.. Well.. Full price, but cheap outcome.
> 
> <snip>
> ...



What's to joke about? I recognize that work like that doesn't come cheap and am willing to pay it. The $1800 to take down that monster in the picture sounds underbid to me.

Harry K


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## Joesell (Apr 12, 2014)

"QUOTE="turnkey4099, post: 4776813, member: 2122"]It'll need to be blocked down unless someone with good insurance wants try falling it 90 degrees to the lean into the only open spot.

Harry K


What's to joke about? I recognize that work like that doesn't come cheap and am willing to pay it. The $1800 to take down that monster in the picture sounds underbid to me.

Harry K[/QUOTE]

So if I have a contractor come out and give me a bid, and he assures me he can get the job done for x amount, do I as the homeowner have to pay him more when he realizes he under bid the job? Am I expected to finish the job myself because he feels like he's getting screwed? I realize that there's a lot of hacks out there who under bid everything and make it difficult for an honest guy to make a decent living sometimes. The homeowner doesn't write out the bid, he just pays what is asked for. It's up to the professional to know what the job is worth up front, or eat the extra cost, not the other way around. I've never heard of a contractor offering a refund for a job that goes easier then planned.


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## turnkey4099 (Apr 12, 2014)

Joesell said:


> "QUOTE="turnkey4099, post: 4776813, member: 2122"]It'll need to be blocked down unless someone with good insurance wants try falling it 90 degrees to the lean into the only open spot.
> 
> Harry K
> 
> ...



So if I have a contractor come out and give me a bid, and he assures me he can get the job done for x amount, do I as the homeowner have to pay him more when he realizes he under bid the job? Am I expected to finish the job myself because he feels like he's getting screwed? I realize that there's a lot of hacks out there who under bid everything and make it difficult for an honest guy to make a decent living sometimes. The homeowner doesn't write out the bid, he just pays what is asked for. It's up to the professional to know what the job is worth up front, or eat the extra cost, not the other way around. I've never heard of a contractor offering a refund for a job that goes easier then planned.[/QUOTE]

??? what does that have to do with anything I posted. I basically said that he got a bargain. That he got the shaft still has nothing to do with the amount of the bid.

Harry K


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## Hddnis (Apr 12, 2014)

jimmycrackcorn said:


> You clearly have no clue what I'm referencing..
> 
> Seriously..



I'm plenty clued in about you and your making a whole lot out of nothing. Why do you care so much what a guy paid for tree work?




Mr. HE


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## Joesell (Apr 12, 2014)

turnkey4099 said:


> So if I have a contractor come out and give me a bid, and he assures me he can get the job done for x amount, do I as the homeowner have to pay him more when he realizes he under bid the job? Am I expected to finish the job myself because he feels like he's getting screwed? I realize that there's a lot of hacks out there who under bid everything and make it difficult for an honest guy to make a decent living sometimes. The homeowner doesn't write out the bid, he just pays what is asked for. It's up to the professional to know what the job is worth up front, or eat the extra cost, not the other way around. I've never heard of a contractor offering a refund for a job that goes easier then planned.



??? what does that have to do with anything I posted. I basically said that he got a bargain. That he got the shaft still has nothing to do with the amount of the bid.

Harry K[/QUOTE]

I was referring to the part about under bid. My brain went straight to the possibility of that being the reason the guy didn't come back to finish the job. Sorry to put words into your mouth.


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## jimbojango (Apr 12, 2014)

who wants to buy some wood pellets?


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## jimmycrackcorn (Apr 12, 2014)

Hddnis said:


> I'm plenty clued in about you and your making a whole lot out of nothing. Why do you care so much what a guy paid for tree work?
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I don't care at all.. Never said I did. Simply explained why bids & numbers can look like they do to someone who isn't in the biz.


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## KenJax Tree (Apr 12, 2014)

I like bacon!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Como (Apr 12, 2014)

I had 6 Pines, 70 years old to take down. Right next to the building.

$400 for a chain saw and do not remember how much for 100ft of rope.

Got as far up as I could in the tree and roped it from there to the truck.

Tensioned the rope cut the base most of the way and then helped it over with the truck.

Took my old bones a day and a half, the felling was a few hours. After I had done the first one the others were pretty quick to fell, clear up was another issue. I have a burn permit so that got rid of the branches.

I had a bid of $3,000, at the end I still had my Chainsaw and Rope.

I had thought of what would have been the safest way, certainly a factor if you are working on other peoples property. I would have rented a cherry picker, taken off all the branches of consequence and then worked my way down.

Getting rid of the stumps was the biggest pain.

PS Rope has to be longer than tree is high.


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## KenJax Tree (Apr 12, 2014)

Como said:


> PS Rope has to be longer than tree is high.



At least twice 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## macattack_ga (Apr 13, 2014)

Mission accomplished. Alex is a super nice guy. Could not have finished without the help from his son.

Mac






Sent from my DROID4 using Tapatalk


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## Sawyer Rob (Apr 13, 2014)

macattack_ga said:


> Mission accomplished. Alex is a super nice guy. Could not have finished without the help from his son.



Glad you was able to help Alex and get the job done, best part is, you have some firewood too...

SR


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## stihl sawing (Apr 13, 2014)

Awesome.


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## Pelorus (Apr 13, 2014)

Closure. The End.


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## chads (Apr 13, 2014)

Good deal, hope it keeps ya warm next winter.
Anybody have a smoke?
Chad


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## Jakers (Apr 13, 2014)

faith in humanity temporarily restored...


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## mainewoods (Apr 13, 2014)

Way to go macattack- you are going to love that beech, it's one of my favorites.


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## koomie (Apr 13, 2014)

x2

Way to go Macca, you are the man.

We cleaned up an extra large Beech tree here in New Zealand years ago beside an old residential house that had been fully restored and turned into a bed and breakfast.

It was super difficult to cut down as we would get half a cut and then have to throw a sharp chain back onto the saw/saws. When splitting it later we found plenty of metal embedded inside the tree. From about 12-15 feet up and all the way up. Figure that in its earlier day that young kids prolly had built tree houses.

Nice looking wood, happy burning


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## Alex Kriss (Apr 13, 2014)

It was truly a pleasure meeting Mac today. He is a very nice person and a very hard worker. I offered him a little gas money and he refused it. It only took about 2 hours to load his trailer so I guess there wasn't as much wood as I thought there was.
So I would like to thank everyone who has joined this blog over the past week. It has been most educational and entertaining. I wish everyone success in their business but mostly I wish you good health and that all your jobs are done safely.
I think I'll go visit a thread about pellets VS wood that I've heard about ;>)
Alex


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## CRThomas (Apr 14, 2014)

[Qdon't="Hddnis, post: 4772403, member: 17127"]Sounds like he'll pay you $600 to come and haul it away.
That sounds like some of the deals I turned down. They got the shaft. Now they looking to shaft some body too 


Mr. HE[/QUOTE]
I dont


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## Hddnis (Apr 14, 2014)

CRThomas said:


> [Qdon't="Hddnis, post: 4772403, member: 17127"]Sounds like he'll pay you $600 to come and haul it away.
> That sounds like some of the deals I turned down. They got the shaft. Now they looking to shaft some body too
> 
> 
> Mr. HE


I dont[/QUOTE]


Um, I didn't say all that, just the first part.


Mr. HE


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## farmer steve (Apr 14, 2014)

Alex Kriss said:


> It was truly a pleasure meeting Mac today. He is a very nice person and a very hard worker. I offered him a little gas money and he refused it. It only took about 2 hours to load his trailer so I guess there wasn't as much wood as I thought there was.
> So I would like to thank everyone who has joined this blog over the past week. It has been most educational and entertaining. I wish everyone success in their business but mostly I wish you good health and that all your jobs are done safely.
> I think I'll go visit a thread about pellets VS wood that I've heard about ;>)
> Alex


 Alex you can't go away now.didn't you read the fine print in the AS contract.your here for life. glad mac was able to help and i enjoyed following this thread. there is lots of good stuff in all the forums here.off topic forum is fun. you know where to come the next time you need a tree cut down.FS


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## unclemoustache (Apr 14, 2014)

Pelorus said:


> Closure. The End.



Darn it - I missed the party again! Why do these exciting threads always pop up when I'm busy? 


.


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## zogger (Apr 15, 2014)

unclemoustache said:


> Darn it - I missed the party again! Why do these exciting threads always pop up when I'm busy?
> 
> 
> .



Ya, but you had some good adventure cutting down that big vine with some pine needles sticking out of it


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## macattack_ga (Jun 6, 2014)

That's my boy playing on the beech.


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## WVhunter (Jun 6, 2014)

Good on you Mac, Nice job! I don't guess poor Ol' Alex has been back, after the way some of these jerks treated him. What a shame, seemed like a straight up dude.


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## CRThomas (Oct 2, 2014)

If I were in your area and the wood was free it wood be gone all ready. Thats what I do for extra wood The area I live in thats what happened to people all the time my area is covered up with cheats and thieves what this country come to.


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