is anyone else anoyed with cheap tree triming services?

[treeslayer]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

:censored: knew I should have stayed 2 more years.

Had to leave 4th grade when the desk didn't fit anymore.......................
sure do miss recess.

 

[mr. holden wood]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

I would think such a smart guy would at least remember what you learned in Chapt 14.

 

[clearance]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

Ouch!

 

[treejock1]

You guys understood this ? Where exactly does the "cambium layer" start on the trees over there?

The seed?

 

[BC WetCoast]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

Must have some pretty smart sixth graders in your neck of the woods.

 

[mr. holden wood]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

Your the first C.A. I have seen that did removals with no more then spikes a saddle and sunglasses. Even the biggest dillweeds I know wear hard hats. You may have passed the exam but it looks like you didn't learn much.-Drew

 

[clearance]

Must have some pretty smart sixth graders in your neck of the woods.

Yeah, but a smart sixth grader could pass the test. The general public is generally stunned when they hear that all it takes is a fairly good short term memory. And that people who have never fell, bucked, climbed or even chipped brush are called arborists.

Now, would you let a doctor operate on you, or supervise an operation on you that had never held a scapel in his hand? Would you let a mechanic work or supervise work on your car that had never turned a wrench?

 

[outofmytree]

ISA Certification is a misleading credential. Anybody that can read at a sixth grade level should have no trouble passing the test. The general public doesn't know this.

You could say the same about many qualifications. The truth is that it is the individuals attitude toward their work and not their paper credentials that determine the result.

Now, would you let a doctor operate on you, or supervise an operation on you that had never held a scapel in his hand?

I have met doctors I would not trust to cross the road alone. Nonetheless, higher standards of education in any industry, coupled with enforced minimum standards (as we have here for plumbers, electricians and builders) will raise the overall standard of work. The method used to enforce the minimum standard can be tricky but make it law and public companies will comply. The effect trickles down from there.

 

[danieltree]

Yeah, but a smart sixth grader could pass the test. The general public is generally stunned when they hear that all it takes is a fairly good short term memory. And that people who have never fell, bucked, climbed or even chipped brush are called arborists.

Now, would you let a doctor operate on you, or supervise an operation on you that had never held a scapel in his hand? Would you let a mechanic work or supervise work on your car that had never turned a wrench?

You have to prove three years work in the field in order to get certification. I will be the first to admit that I do not know all , So if I get something I can not handle I pass it on. I have worked with quite a few arborists that have no clue as to how to physically do the work but they do have enough knowledge to recognize when the guys they hire do it correctly. If we ever want to get the hacks out of the business then we will have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Dismissing the certification as useless makes it useless, so whats the point right. I don't know about everyone else , but I am tired of the phone calls from people that want to know if I do flower beds.

 

[fishercat]

maybe if it were a perfect world.

As far as I can tell its about the only thing that separates us from landscapers and yard boys. Passing the test is not the issue, When you get certified you agree to follow an industry standard. Without licensing and certification there is nothing there for the customer to judge a companies qualifications. Six pack Joe may or may not do a good job but a certified arborist should always do a good job. And when the customer shops for an arborist they should know that. If we are not held to a standard then why have certification. Plumbers and electricians answer when they screw up and are held liable for these screw ups . Why not an arborist.​

it's not though.Most guys here get the certs to get more jobs and put themselves ahead of the competition.they don't give two tin $hits about the trees.i know many arborists here i wouldn't let trim an ilex opaca .

 

[M.D. Vaden]

Pertaining to the thread title:

Do you think that cheap tree services ever get annoyed with the companies that are not cheap?

Or the ones that are more qualified to do the work?

 

[clearance]

You have to prove three years work in the field in order to get certification. I will be the first to admit that I do not know all , So if I get something I can not handle I pass it on. I have worked with quite a few arborists that have no clue as to how to physically do the work but they do have enough knowledge to recognize when the guys they hire do it correctly. If we ever want to get the hacks out of the business then we will have to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Dismissing the certification as useless makes it useless, so whats the point right. I don't know about everyone else , but I am tired of the phone calls from people that want to know if I do flower beds.

Bull, unless you call work watching people work.

 

[clearance]

In this area working in the Home Depot garden section gets you your three years experience. Oh well, it's a lame requirement anyway considering the difficulty of the test.

Awesome!

 

[Hddnis]

Pertaining to the thread title:

Do you think that cheap tree services ever get annoyed with the companies that are not cheap?

Or the ones that are more qualified to do the work?

My first thought was to laugh, but taking the question seriously I would have to say no.

Most of them that I've known would like to have more equipment maybe, but they sure don't worry about more expensive companies.

I've had their guys stop and watch us on big jobs, so you might say they wish they knew more. I've always found them willing to learn if they think what I know will help them work faster. Often if you don't put them down they are willing to learn to do a better job.

Some are just careless hacks.



Mr. HE

 

[danieltree]

Bull, unless you call work watching people work.

I have worked under and around a lot of tree company owners that had no clue how to get the wood on the ground. They did know how to fill out a loan app and get a #### load of equipment though. As in many other construction type fields the higher you go up the ladder the less work savvy the people get. I have also worked around inspectors for the utility that had certifications up the wazoo but could not do the work, in fact there job was to watch us and make sure that the finished product was up to their standard.

 

[lxt]

Pertaining to the thread title:

Do you think that cheap tree services ever get annoyed with the companies that are not cheap?

Or the ones that are more qualified to do the work?

I hope so!!! especially when those services get the jobs!
Two competitors of mine (both cheap hacks) hate me! when we drive by each other on the road...they give me jestures all the time!

Employees of both companies have called me looking for work, these employees have told me "my boss hates you, says...I know I under bid em, how`s he doing it"

I laugh when they drive by & when I hear things like this, Maybe if they were professional, able to sell & didnt come across like pushy sweeper salesmen they would get work!!! as far as qualifications....there is their down side! neither one has any, nor formal training of any kind...self taught, I got the loan Hacks!!!!!




LXT........................

 

[Brush Hog]

:agree2:

And it was probably landscrapers, they leave the ground and:censored: everything up.

I take acceptation to this. I'm a landscaper with arbormaster training and going after my arborist license but I'll let it slide this time :deadhorse:

 

[BC WetCoast]

Having the ISA exam relatively easy, I believe is part of the ISA strategy. It opens the door to having more people willing to become certified. If it was too hard, then no one would even bother. For example, if the Master Arborist exam was the basic certification exam, very few here would have the knowledge or skill to pass and the certification would become meaningless. It isn't meaningless now because it's the pinnacle rather than the baseline.

In my view, one of the jobs of the ISA is to market the public on the value of the certification to the general public.

 

[clearance]

Having the ISA exam relatively easy, I believe is part of the ISA strategy. It opens the door to having more people willing to become certified. If it was too hard, then no one would even bother. For example, if the Master Arborist exam was the basic certification exam, very few here would have the knowledge or skill to pass and the certification would become meaningless. It isn't meaningless now because it's the pinnacle rather than the baseline.

In my view, one of the jobs of the ISA is to market the public on the value of the certification to the general public.

How is it valuable if it is easy, really now? Someone with that kind of power, responsiblity and authority (say someone who works for Hydro or Surrey), should have to do a bit more dontcha think? Know a bit more, have some real world experience, dontcha think?

 

[BC WetCoast]

Yeah, but a smart sixth grader could pass the test. The general public is generally stunned when they hear that all it takes is a fairly good short term memory. And that people who have never fell, bucked, climbed or even chipped brush are called arborists.

Now, would you let a doctor operate on you, or supervise an operation on you that had never held a scapel in his hand? Would you let a mechanic work or supervise work on your car that had never turned a wrench?

But not all doctors (only surgeons) operate on people, many do diagnosis and design treatment regimes.

But this is a moot argument as most professionals cannot do the actual work, such as most structural engineers cannot do ironwork, architects do not do construction, corporate accountants don't do bookkeeping, foresters don't log. And yes, most of these professionals will supervise those who do the work.

We have moved to a business environment where your education and credentials count more than your experience. You don't have to like it, but realize that it is there.