Boss calls me on a Sunday....

[Juicemang]

I was working in the yard today and the boss calls. He says "Evan can you come over to my house? I need you to retrieve a saw up in a tree". I paused for a minute thinking wtf, then said sure and he hangs up. I took all my gear not knowing what to expect. I pull up to his house and see him across the street standing under and 60' spruce. I looked up and saw a sthil chainsaw resting on a branch about 40' up. I go over and he introduces me to his neighbor. The guy says he climbed up to top it but was having problems using the saw and holding on the the tree at the same time. My boss says he looked out his window when he heard a saw running and saw this guy up in the tree. He ran outside and told him to get his ass down. He was up there with nothing but the saw and could'nt figure out how to climb down with it. So he tied it to the tree and came down. They guy wants me to climb up get his saw and set a rope so he can fell it. The tree was very dense and I told him It wasn't worth the effort to push my way through it all and then have to come back down through it again. I told him I would limb the tree up to the saw, top it and bring the spar down so that it could be dropped without hitting the sidewalk. He said ok and I did the job. I didn't ask for anything before I went up, and when I got down his wife gave me $50 and a few beers. There were some spectators watching and I gave out a few cards when I got down. This is the first time that I have done work for a friend of a friend on short notice without giving a price before I do the job. Thinking back on it now, I'm not sure it was the best thing to do. If they tell the people I gave cards to that I did the job for $50 and someone calls me out sometime in the future. They will probably question my estimate of the job. I'm just wondering what some of you would have done. I didn't have to move any brush or do any cutting on the ground. Just get the tree and his saw down safe. It took a little less then an hour. Would you have asked for money upfront? Or do what I did and take what they give you when the job is done? If my boss asked me to come give this guy a estimate I would have asked for $250. I'm not mad that I didn't get that, since it was kinda like doing my boss a favor... I just feel like I might have sold myself short and maybe even all tree guys.

Oh and when I got to the saw it was tied to the tree with a old seat belt... it was a 039.

 

[BostonBull]

You saved a guys life, got some exercise on a sunday, drank some beer, made your boss happy, and got 50 bucks. Not bad for a sunday doing yard work.

 

[PA Plumber]

You did the right thing. You had an emergency situation you quickly and professionally remedied. Nice Job.

 

[SRT-Tech]

sounds like a fun sunday to me, a lil tree climb, bit of sweat, drop a top, some cash and beer! my kind of Sundays.

 

[Magnum783]

This comment here better be worth it for it is my 100th. You did fine, I had a smiliar situation only it was my neighbor him self, yes the osha one for those of you who have read my other posts. He climbed to the top of a pine (with gafts and a saddle and no protective shirt) non the less he got scared his wife called me in great dispare and said "can you come get him down he is scared and won't come down. I think great now what, just days before I got the new rescue set up from wesspur and I played with in the garage hoping never to have to use it. Well I have now and it work great. YOu can guess the harassing I gave him when I got to the ground. When just days prior he was giving me flak about not having chainsaw protective shirts. I guess I get the last laugh.
Jared

 

[treesafemick]

you did the right thing.firstly your boss calls you and asks for a favour,that to me says something about what he thinks of you.belive me that small favour will come back to you ten times over.

 

[John464]

I'm confused by your story. If your boss called you in isnt he the one that should be compensating you for your time? I mean if I called one of my guys in they wouldn't think twice about not clocking in.

 

[Juicemang]

My boss is a superintendent of a country club. We do all our tree work in house during winter. I do some climbing on the side too. Ya I guess if he ran a tree service he would have payed me.

 

[rb_in_va]

Like Boston Bull Said...........you saved someones life.

The guy had already climbed down. Juicemang climbed up and got the saw. At least that is the way I read it.

 

[zzrjohn]

One day you will have a weekend job that requires that special piece of equipment that's at work, just remind the boss of his neighbour across the road............the favour will be returned.........:biggrinbounce2:

 

[olyman]

im with rb in va--he was already down--you did a good job--but me thinks his ole lady needs a free edumacation---!!!!!!! and about pay also--sunday or no---