Common Cleanup Practice For Lawn Damage

JamesV · Oct 30, 2020

I've been taking trees down on the side for some time in Ontario Canada, but usually in cottage or rural situations and now doing it more regularly. Recently I felled some trees on a residential grassed lawn that left some holes where the limbs dug in. I did my best to fill them in during the clean up. The home owner was okay with what I did, but wondering about the common practice on this. Is it expected during cleanup to restore the lawn to preexisting condition? Would that include sodding or seeding and rolling, etc? Hoping for some guidance.

capetrees · Oct 30, 2020

I've always tried to leave the site as if I was never there, everything the same look after as it looked before I got there.

JamesV · Oct 31, 2020

Thanks for reply. Looking for more details, do you do some landscaping services like seeding or sodding, or do you chunk the limbs/bole and lower to avoid lawn damage even when no buildings in danger? Either way, I assume you include the additional time in the service estimate, cost?

ATH · Oct 31, 2020

We piece the tree down as needed to avoid damage. Yes, that has to be communicated with client and priced into the bid.

If there is room to just fell the tree, I'll say "we can just drop it that way. It will leave some big divots. Or we can piece it down. The price difference is $xyz."

JamesV · Oct 31, 2020

Thanks for that, makes sense and kind of the way I've been thinking.

jefflovstrom · Nov 1, 2020

Not sure what experience you have or the make up of your crew, but we do a lot of zero impact removals here in San Diego where a hole in the lawn will piss off the client. When expressed and documented in the bid, it makes the bidding more competitive. Either they expect no damage or they understand there will be some lawn damage. All in the contract.
Jeff
It was a beautiful day!