$1000 to drop this Shagbark Hickory?

[TheLazyBFarm]

I have this standing dead Shagbark Hickory near my house that needs to come down before Mother Nature decides to do it for me. $1000 estimate to drop the tree; no cleanup or stump grinding etc.; I'll take care of all that.

Pics:





From inside, same side far corner:



I *assume* a truck is going to be used since we discussed where the septic tank is located. I plan to have the main trunk milled for axe and tool handles.

Thanks for looking!

Comments and suggestions welcome!

 

[Del_]

Are they dropping it whole?

Or are they climbing or bucket trucking it down in pieces?

 

[TheLazyBFarm]

"I *assume* a truck is going to be used since we discussed where the septic tank is located."

We had a bad connection, so I didn't get a chance to get into specifics. He took over from someone who did a bunch of tree trimming summer 2020 (including this SH) - and that guy used a bucket truck to bring everything down.

 

[irhunter]

My suggestions:

1. Get a second quote.

2. Don't count on your milled wood until the tree is down. I have cut a lot of rotten-hollow-center hickory.

Roy

 

[lone wolf]

I have this standing dead Shagbark Hickory near my house that needs to come down before Mother Nature decides to do it for me. $1000 estimate to drop the tree; no cleanup or stump grinding etc.; I'll take care of all that.

Pics:

View attachment 1182104

View attachment 1182105

From inside, same side far corner:

View attachment 1182106

I *assume* a truck is going to be used since we discussed where the septic tank is located. I plan to have the main trunk milled for axe and tool handles.

Thanks for looking!

Comments and suggestions welcome!

I'm a Tree service and I would normally cut the tree up on the ground the way the homeowner wanted and put it in a pile. See if you can get that out of them at least.

 

[TNTreeHugger]

Get it in writing. Proof of insurance.

 

[lone wolf]

Get it in writing. Proof of insurance.

And call the insurance company to verify. Check their reviews on the net.

 

[TheJollyLogger]

I would never bid off a pic, so won't do so now. That is the price he quoted, so if you aren't happy, get another quote.

 

[ClimberBusinessman]

$1,000 isn't too horrible, but check to make sure they have both General Liability and Worker's Compensation Insurance, and call the insurance company or agent listed on the certificates at another phone number listed online (this avoids the very rare possibility that the phone # listed on the COI is simply another phone number of the tree company, where he impersonates an insurance company) to verify the coverage exists and is current. Don't plan on getting too much mill-able wood out of it, if it has to be cut down in pieces.

 

[EchoRomeoCharlie]

Doesn't seem unreasonable for a top down disassembly. He's probably using $30,000 worth of equipment to put it on the ground.


Won't hurt to get a few other offers though.

 

[fields_mj]

Since you're post didn't really ask any questions, I'm not sure what kind of answer to give. That's a job I'd normally do myself by renting a 50' towable lift for the weekend for $250. I'd take the limbs up as high as I could go, and then top it with a rope up high to help guide the it when it starts. Then go back and take a piece at a time until it was short enough that I felt comfortable taking the pole down. I also don't know where everything is at (like a septic field), or exactly how far it is from the house, and I totally understand that not everyone does these kinds of things.

 

[Seachaser]

"I *assume* a truck is going to be used since we discussed where the septic tank is located."

We had a bad connection, so I didn't get a chance to get into specifics. He took over from someone who did a bunch of tree trimming summer 2020 (including this SH) - and that guy used a bucket truck to bring everything down.

How far round trip?

 

[TheLazyBFarm]

How far round trip?

About 26 miles if he comes from home.

 

[Seachaser]

About 26 miles if he comes from home.

So 52 miles round trip. That’s minimum an hour on the road plus loading, setting up, plus preparation. He has to figure that in his costs.

 

[Paul Bunions]

I was quoted $800 and $1000 to make two or three cuts on an annoying oak, just to put it where I could get at it to cut it up. This seems normal in Northern Florida. Makes me want to open a tree service.

It was caught in another tree. I found a way to get a strap on it, and I got rid of it in a couple of hours. Not hard at all for one old man with limited skills and equipment. I think the tree services blew it. They could have come in here, spent 15 minutes, and pocketed $500. Surely that would be worth it. I would love to have a business where I could gross maybe $8000 per day doing little jobs.

I hate to say it seems normal here. Arborists may see it and jack up their prices!

 

[lone wolf]

Get 3 estimates.

 

[lone wolf]

I was quoted $800 and $1000 to make two or three cuts on an annoying oak, just to put it where I could get at it to cut it up. This seems normal in Northern Florida. Makes me want to open a tree service.

It was caught in another tree. I found a way to get a strap on it, and I got rid of it in a couple of hours. Not hard at all for one old man with limited skills and equipment. I think the tree services blew it. They could have come in here, spent 15 minutes, and pocketed $500. Surely that would be worth it. I would love to have a business where I could gross maybe $8000 per day doing little jobs.

I hate to say it seems normal here. Arborists may see it and jack up their prices!

The math is wishful thinking on your part, it usually don't work just like that. A few grand a day, probably.

 

[Paul Bunions]

A few grand, gross? Am I wrong to think that sounds good?

It is probably wishful thinking to hope a business could get 16 15-minute jobs per day, but I do think they would be better off taking $500 for a 15-minute job, in among the big jobs, than walking away. They could schedule a stop along the way.

 

[lone wolf]

A few grand, gross? Am I wrong to think that sounds good?

It is probably wishful thinking to hope a business could get 16 15-minute jobs per day, but I do think they would be better off taking $500 for a 15-minute job, in among the big jobs, than walking away. They could schedule a stop along the way.

They would be ripping you off if it took 15 minutes, they are dishonest. More like a couple of hundred.

 

[Paul Bunions]

I would guess it took me 15 minutes to get the broken part onto the ground. That was all I needed. I used a fishing pole, a tractor, and a strap. Totally safe. Never got near the place where the tree landed. Then another 30 to cut the trunk by the ground, because I'm slow and paranoid and only had a 20" saw. Cutting and moving it with a 37-horse tractor, maybe one hour.