No more.

[treemandan]

The Dan abides dude and as long you don't find your self with your head in a toilet it ain't to bad. Now you got a scar.
But yes unreal. You got no compensation whatsoever? Ooof, sorry to hear. Personally The Dan likes to leave payment in the hands of the client but after awhile I have to step in, if there is previous cause for suspiction of balking at payment I am quick but quiet with action but I usually don't ever even have to send a reminder. The Dan does know what he is doing I guess.
The Dan does enjoy tackling a non- payment- compliant client. He has been known to kidnap the doggies and hold then for ransom. I told him I didn't think it was a good idea but he just called the lady up and said this ( if I remember correctly)," HI!, Mrs so and so, This is The Dan, funny thing I just saw this dog, looked like yours, out in one of my feilds, I got hold of it and it had a name tag so I called it, turns out its you! Well I gave her some water for now, see you soon!"
That has only happened once and I only hope it doesn't happen again. It does really suck.
Cute black lab, about 4 months old, nice pooch, The Dan was thinking of just keeping her but as always, The Dan abides. That IS actually what they call a "write off". Triple the amount of the loss and put it on paper, Heck in your case I would say at least 3000.00 .

 

[teamtree]

Are you in the tree business?

Why would you not remove the wood if they asked you to, even if it was after the fact.

 

[ropensaddle]

The Dan abides dude and as long you don't find your self with your head in a toilet it ain't to bad. Now you got a scar.
But yes unreal. You got no compensation whatsoever? Ooof, sorry to hear. Personally The Dan likes to leave payment in the hands of the client but after awhile I have to step in, if there is previous cause for suspiction of balking at payment I am quick but quiet with action but I usually don't ever even have to send a reminder. The Dan does know what he is doing I guess.
The Dan does enjoy tackling a non- payment- compliant client. He has been known to kidnap the doggies and hold then for ransom. I told him I didn't think it was a good idea but he just called the lady up and said this ( if I remember correctly)," HI!, Mrs so and so, This is The Dan, funny thing I just saw this dog, looked like yours, out in one of my feilds, I got hold of it and it had a name tag so I called it, turns out its you! Well I gave her some water for now, see you soon!"
That has only happened once and I only hope it doesn't happen again. It does really suck.
Cute black lab, about 4 months old, nice pooch, The Dan was thinking of just keeping her but as always, The Dan abides. That IS actually what they call a "write off". Triple the amount of the loss and put it on paper, Heck in your case I would say at least 3000.00 .

:hmm3grin2orange: The Dan is friggin hilarious in his third person world
I get a kick outta the Dan!

 

[Wortown Mick]

Are you in the tree business?

Why would you not remove the wood if they asked you to, even if it was after the fact.

Did you bother to read the original post?
You should like, reread it and see if you can figure it out.

 

[treeman82]

They gave me the money for the time I spent that day with the guy and chipper... not much, a few hundred though.

The wife was alright for the most part, and realized that I was helping her out... but her husband is getting senile (almost 80) and I think this was at least a part of the problem.

 

[AngelofDarkness]

I used to do a lot of "chainsaw favors" for neighbors in exchange for beer, a meal, or a few bucks. Nothing like a full removal, but a little deadwooding, cutting down bushes and crap and the like, stuff they would do themselves if they owned a saw. But then one neighbor kept bugging me for more and more stuff done all the time, every time I turned around he was at my door asking me to cut something else for free. Eventually it got old and I told him no, and he got all mad and said I had to be over at his house cutting up this or that or ELSE. I said what are you gonna do, call the cops? Now I am not so generous with the favors. I take care of one elderly neighbor and a friend of mine, thats about it.

 

[GlennG]

I find there are no reasons to do favors in this business. If someone can not pay well then to bad. I have to pay for saws, chains , ropes, climbing gear, chipper maintenance, insurance, liscence fees, vehicle inspection. etc,etc,etc. the list goes on and on and I never get a discount. My wife has to pay because she does not know for certain that I will be coming home in one piece. Money talks BS walks. Family and "very best friends" are one thing but just because someone is elderly does not mean that they are poor. Elderly folks often don`t know the value of todays dollar. To bad I`ll pass , they can get someone else to do the work. Why should I work at a discount rate when another customer pays full price even though the liabilities are the same?

I work on referrals only and I`m doing fine. I`ve been let down in the past and its always so-called friends, church members or the elderly. I view the elderly as sly foxes.

When I bid a job there is no wiggle or adjustment. Its take it or leave it. If they want to barter or talk about doing it cheaper I say, "nope this is the price".

Business is business.

I have a nice way with folks and I get along well with people. It took me a few years to learn how to weed out the cheapskates but I did learn. Its a good to know how to say "No" when you possess a skill that is in demand.

***Note*** If someone calls you and they say "I`m trying to get some bids on this tree"
your response should be " well after you get your bids call me me back and I`ll see if I can beat them".........don`t jump don`t waste you gas.


***Note*** If a perspective customer does not understand that you need to make a 'profit' then they do not care about you and you should not care about them or their tree problems.

 

[ms310]

Barter?

I think as mentioned before, just be very specific with what you are going to do and for exactly how much BEFORE you start cutting.

Well i am going over there tonight and i am going to take the advice of most the members and put stuff in writing before i get there, What i am going to do what i am not going to do. I dont know if i will actually barter with the guy him and his wife are great with my kids, always have been when we sold him wood. They own a store in town that specializes in nascar and harley, and they have in the past given my kids nascar diecast cars, and the like... I think that i am on my way to be a good neighbor, and help the guy out. But again it will be in writing so there is no miss-understanding when i leave the limbs behind for him to burn.

 

[TimberMcPherson]

I was thinking about this thread all day yesterday while helping out a lady who had no light getting into her house due to alot of badly placed small trees. (its winter here) She cant work due to having a kid, but will get back to work at a later time, husbands working his butt off. They are good people doing there best.
Days work, alot of chipping and driving further than I usually would and she gave me $200.

Happy? I wouldnt say I am but sometimes you have to give a little, screw it we are human arent we? I know over the years people have helped me out when I havent expected it.

We live a pretty shallow existance, china had its fake fireworks to impress and a pretty kid to mask the sight of the imperfect looking talented one. And we choose to work only when its profitable.

 

[treemandan]

:hmm3grin2orange: The Dan is friggin hilarious in his third person world
I get a kick outta the Dan!

yes its seems to be working out pretty good, thank you. Its a great way to avoid putting guilt on oneself for sure cause as funny as The Dan is he is not one to joke around, or make up stories. The Dan was ALL LIT UP and formidably drunk when the lady came to to collect her dog and pay the debt. The Dan asked why she didn't send her husband and belched.
All truth be told I am not the actually origination of The Dan, take that for what's its worth for now. The Dan is much more than just me.

 

[pyromaniac guy]

That sounds like a neighbor of mine. She wants everything done for a rock bottom price. Finds the lowest cost person to do the job. Wants them to use the cheapest materials. Cut corners to save money...

Then the work is done and she gets what she paid for...

Then she "switches" and the complaining starts. She now expects top quality. This is not right. That is not right. You need to fix this, etc. This is not good quality. Etc. (Luckily I have avoided doing much of anything for her and have just watched the show on the sidelines.)

it's always safest on the sidelines...

 

[woodchux]

Karma....

Do unto others... blah blah blah :angel:

 

[joesawer]

A couple of weeks back I helped this lady and her husband out with some trees at their house. I knew her through this guy I used to work for, she got laid off, and her husband is retired... money is tight. I told them that I'd come by on a weekend with the truck and chipper, give me something for the worker, and fuel, and we'd be alright. I would put in a solid day with 1 guy, and that's it. Well we put a couple of good sized norway maples on the ground, chipped up, removed the chips, and pruned 1 good sized black oak. Didn't get around to cutting up the norway maple wood, but I told them to get on Craigslist and somebody would be there in a few days to get it with the price of oil being what it is. A few days later they start calling EVERY day wanting me to come back and get rid of the wood... good sized stuff... 30" DBH trees give or take. I'm not a firewood guy, and am not into moving lots of wood around... not to mention the fact I don't work in the area at all if I can help it. I asked about Craigslist, or other people... they are unhappy with me... they want everything gone.. don't want strange people on the property, blah blah blah. So I go over last night to start moving wood down to the road and tell the guy to put up a "free wood" sign. Well tonight I drove by and all the wood is gone... great I said to myself. Call up.. WRONG! they hired somebody else and are unhappy with me...

I guess I can't be nice to anybody anymore.

Did these people "need" or "want" the trees removed? A lot of people "want" more tree work done than they can afford.
I have had the good fortune to be in a position to help people who "needed" tree work.
If it is a legitimate emergency or hardship on some one who cannot reasonably afford to pay all or even part of the cost and I can help, then I am the lucky one. But if it is someone who "wants" the work done and does not "want" to pay for it, tough, they can rake leaves or just let them pile up and rot.
One thing that helps is to have the person get bids from legitimate tree services so that they understand the value of what you are doing.
Then as was posted earlier offer a trade or an offer of just pay me what you can. I have worked for food, some of which was very good, a real treat. Let some widow who has been a great cook all her life fix you a working mans meal for payment and see what I am talking about. I have also been paid as little as five dollars for a pretty good days work, but I had already made up my mind to give it to them, so if five bucks was all they could afford I was not offended and tried my best to be gracious.
And most important- Communicate, communicate, communicate. Make sure that they understand what you are and are not going to do.

 

[ms310]

That is the main reason i did it

Do unto others... blah blah blah :angel:

Well i went to cut down those dead blue spruces last night for my neighbor, and all in all things went good. The bad, the trees had been burned off over a year ago and when i went to fall them and drive my wedges, the wood was spoungy on the outside i could get enough lift to let them "break loose" and go for a fall. So now i have my Metal Wedge in the tree ( didnt use my plastic ones not enough lift) and i have to finish the cut, Hit that metal wedge with my skip tooth! That will need sharpening again :jawdrop: . But, we got them both down and all was good. I told him that i would be back in a couple of days to get the trees cut up and get the wood out of his yard, and he said "my grandsons are in the house can we do it now" So he went and got his grandsons and we loaded my trailer up (3 face cord) with 1/2 rotted pine and i took it home. I still have another trailer load there that i will pick up next week. Before i left he asked me if i would be interested in cutting down some oaks for him..... And again i said yes, he said that he would have his grandsons there again if i give him a couple days notice and they can load while i cut. All in all i dont think i did a bad thing helping this guy out! Yes i do have some 1/2 rotten pine that i will burn in my Heatmor OWB but wood is wood and if i hadnt cut it off his land it would have come off mine!