Double check those addresses, folks

[ZinTrees]

Take this as a word of advice.
Put everything in writing. Detail your proposals with the trees to be removed, their location. Specify underground hazards (that you are not liable for them if they are not disclosed and damaged).
Detail the tree to be removed, the height in which the stumps will be cut, and whether or not brush will be removed or remain on site. The more detail you put in the better.
Do not agree to proposed work over text. Text is not a contract.
Have the client sign the proposal.
Cover your ass in every way you can. There are clients that will make you pay if you don't.
I'm speaking from experience.

on occasion if I can tell right off the bat that the customer will try getting out of payment, I will add pictures of the tree to the quote, and detail the species, size, defects, location, etc, and yes, VERY important to add a liability line into the description about undisclosed underground utilities, and also never a bad idea to mention we aren't liable for cracked driveways, pavers or sidewalks (depending on location and how we have to access the tree)

I bid a job a couple years ago for a crane removal, get told "nothing buried you can put the crane anywhere out front", well a week later we show up, start throwing outriggers down and the customer runs out "YOUR OUTRIGGER IS ON MY SEPTIC TANK"... that was fun, unused tank and we didn't fall in but we got lucky that the customer said something before we started shooting boom out directly over the unannounced septic tank (there was no above ground lid either)

had another one, storm job last year, I bid 2 trees, one sitting on his house but non emergency, other one standing out back no problems just want it gone, call the crane, about a week before we start the customer calls asking me to change the bill to double the price of removing the one on the house so insurance will "pay for the one out back" yuuuuup canceling that crane right now have a good day don't call us back, insurance fraud is sorta illegal


customers suck sometimes, 99.99% of mine have been excellent but lately I've had a couple try to make me do illegal stuff, I just usually quit replying to them
I do every bid with 2 people, so I have a witness to my verbal agreement jobs too, which in Tennessee IS a contract in itself, so is a handshake, but on high overhead jobs I do write things out very specifically and email a copy to the customer, if needed I will print one and deliver it to them a few days after the original verbal quote

 

[Howsitgoineh]

We almost did this recently. It was a large oak with two main stems, on one side of a driveway. Full removal, climbing was required. We found a tree that matched description on the quote, and one of our climbers proceeded to go up, and started limbing. Luckily the owner was home, and knew of the job that was scheduled down the lane. He kindly redirected us to the correct tree. Same address, but a different unit. He was real good about it too, and noted that the tree was likely to get removed in the near future.
I guess this happens more often than I realized.

 

[Rabid K9]

People greatly underestimate the power of the chips coming from a chipper

I watched a guy last year walk right into the stream of chips as it was being shot down a hill into the woods, he didn't think it was as funny as I did at the time, told him so but he didn't listen... sandblasted his ass!

Another local operator, who runs multiple crews is prone to a few ‘mares. Having seen the lack of details in quotes & job descriptions, along with the high staff turnover, can see why.

One I heard about, was crew arrived at residential property in nearby coastal town, Flat lot, close to front of residence. Dropped the wrong tree, winched it into chipper & proceeded to blow out the front lounge window of the house because the chute was wasn’t locked in….

Apparently the lady was less than happy.

The thing that alway amused me about that scenario, aside from the irony of the lady getting the chips from the wrong tree parked in her lounge room, was how well lubricated the chute slew gear must have been.

Have great respect for the chipper discharge, chipping some of our heavy hardwoods, windows are not safe. I prefer chippers on heavier trucks, the standard 3 & 5 tonners just get bullied by anything over 12" chipping wood.

 

[ZinTrees]

The thing that alway amused me about that scenario, aside from the irony of the lady getting the chips from the wrong tree parked in her lounge room, was how well lubricated the chute slew gear must have been.

Have great respect for the chipper discharge, chipping some of our heavy hardwoods, windows are not safe. I prefer chippers on heavier trucks, the standard 3 & 5 tonners just get bullied by anything over 12" chipping wood.

My chip truck weighs 11 ton empty, and over 20 ton with chipper, equipment and a full load of chips!

They last few days I've been feeding my chipper 12" wood with an excavator, chipper unhooked from a truck and just sitting in a field, it moves around a lot, kinda feel bad for the jack actually

 

[NeSurfcaster]

I love removals but if you take the wrong tree down there is no putting it back. Sometimes there's a dozen trees on the sheet or boss spits out which tree's to cut in 30 seconds. I often do a few and then double check the sheet or get him to point out the next few. Homeowners are only home half the time and some will tell you your supposed to cut down more or bigger trees then you were hired to do.

 

[Arbor1]

@pdqdl That is a heck of a mistake and you were so lucky that the tree owner was so nice. I was expecting much worse as I was reading the story.
I'm glad that spruce tree owner was so nice about it. And it also says a lot about the ability of that crew you had at that time.

 

[pdqdl]

Given the current field of potential employees, I'd hire Gerald back in a heartbeat. Despite his lack of navigational skills.

Besides, we didn't have GPS back then, much less Google Street view.