Newb training materials

[constantine]

Jason:

Personally I am to the point where I'd sooner walk away than deal with a client who would demand service in conflict with my professional recommendations and nationally recognized industry standards. However, I can completely understand your reasons for seeing this through.

That said, if you complete the job the way you intend to, please post more pics before he decides to demand that you mutilate his trees. Also, if he insists on his original request, make him sign a release form explaining the hazards of tree topping, and when you bill him itemize your services as "Partial Removal". Tell him it's for your own protection.

By the way, I was exactly where you are today just several short years ago. If you devote yourself to high standards and integrity, you will be surprised at how quickly your business will flourish - regardless of the economy.

Best of luck.

+1

True, there are always clients who believe that they know what they want, but don't know what they are bargaining for. As professionals, it's our job to explain to them any unintended consequences of what they are going to get.

There are standards, and it's our job to live up to them - but without antagonizing a customer and making him or her feel stupid. Perhaps you could suggest a total removal, followed by replacement with a species better suited to the demands of the site. For example, in my area, you see many Cedars planted in close proximity to a house or other building. If it is on the south side, the tree will flourish, and tend to grow tall and narrow, which is what I can see that this guy needs, from your photo. If the customer goes for it, you've accomplished a number of things:

1. You've shown that you are both knowledgeable and accomodating at the same time.

2. You've expanded the scope of the job to include a stump removal and planting of the new tree.

3. You have a reason to check in with the guy in the future and reinforce your marketing message. Satisfied customers are your best advertisements.

4. You split an expanded job into separate phases, so the client won't choke at the overall price, since he pays it in three pieces.

It is very important to get your agreement with the client in writing. You don't want to leave any "implied warranties" out there which can come back to bite you.

Please let us know what happens. Good luck.

 

[CATreeTops]

finally

I came in at a bid so low (to get experience) that he couldn't refuse and almost 2 days worth of work later was able to finish these challenged trees. Thankfully the customer was able to be talked into not mutilating the trees as requested before and was able to try my hand at shaping the perimeter. However, this request to do it "right" was time consuming I learned with these particular trees.

The large green tree (don't know the species), as mentioned has been cut very aggressively early on in life it looks like specifically along the property line and was weighted heavily to the left. Both neighbors came out to give me their "advice" and the one on the property line was requesting I shave it back on her side more. I had to explain that the majority of the weight of this crazy tree was on the other side and would have to leave some to try to balance it. I trimmed the left pretty hard... it was just a weird tree to try to get right. I spent a lot of time standing back and trying to compromise between making it better looking and safe at the same time. So I wound up to the neighbor's dismay weighting it on the right side and cutting back on the left. It was so overgrown by the time I got to it too that the mass of tree just to get it where I thought I could call it done, added up fast. I hauled a lot of wood away.

The plum tree was easier but another challenge in doing this one - the tree was planted too close to the house. So again, facing the tradeoff between a pleasing shape and not growing right back over the roof again. Half of the cutting time was spent standing back and analyzing the shape of the tree - man!

Obvious lessons learned:
*Challenged trees require more money for the extra time to commit to the job of trying to do it right.
*The more wood hauled off, the more money it should cost. Even though the cuts weren't particularly dangerous for my person and so anyone with a pole trimmer could do this work, the mass removed was laborious all the way around.

Here are the results. If you see any rookie mistakes, I'd appreciate any feedback. My next task is properly bidding the work. My marketing materials will gain some text in the difference in work/cost between tree hacking and thoughtful shaping.

Thanks guys,
Jason