Someone started cutting a tree down for us and hasn't finished the job

[singinwoodwackr]

Thank you! Luckily, the weather has been mild with no winds but a lot of rain. We can get some pretty high gusts that come through our valley, but they aren't calling for any high winds in the next few days. We're in Tennessee.

Too far fo me

 

[Kitkat1]

You will never see him again. It’s dangerous to leave a tree partially cut. Here in Canada it’s against occupational health and safety regulations. Get it taken down asap and deal with the lawyers later.

Thank you! That is now my plan. I will be calling around first thing in the morning to see which company can get here first.

 

[ChuckMI]

You can sell the equipment he left to get part of your money back.

 

[Kitkat1]

I've never seen anyone cut and leave a tree like that in all my days of cutting
And I've been cutting since the 80s
That's beyond dangerous
Your best bet is to find a licensed tree outfit that will have the proper equipment to do it quickly.

Thank you! We watched him and helpers chop down three huge trees across the street a few months back, and they did a great job. We didn't expect him to show up alone when he came to take our tree down. He has been here several times, which is why we didn't really think he would just leave us hanging. The first time, he put up a bunch of ropes to drop individual branches first, then told us he needed assistance and would be back with help. Then he came back a few days later alone, redid the ropes and started cutting through the tree. Then the rope snapped, he left to get another one, came back, another rope snapped, he left and came back again, then eventually, he came to the door and said he needed a new part on his pulley system to get it pulled down and left again (with the other half of the payment so that he could buy the part). It all sounds so shifty now, of course. But he did try hard that one day. It's like he just gave up and is hoping it will just fall all by itself.

 

[Kitkat1]

You can sell the equipment he left to get part of your money back.

Thank you! We have definitely considered this.

 

[Haplo]

What about the tree service that he works for? This doesn't sound great for their reputation even though he was working on the side. Maybe they will come out and fix his mistake

 

[Kitkat1]

Too far fo me

That would be quite a haul! It's nice to know though that kind people are out there ready to help when possible!

 

[Kitkat1]

What about the tree service that he works for? This doesn't sound great for their reputation even though he was working on the side. Maybe they will come out and fix his mistake

I have thought about calling them. On the one hand, I don't want him to lose his job, but on the other hand, should he really be a tree guy?

 

[singinwoodwackr]

I have thought about calling them. On the one hand, I don't want him to lose his job, but on the other hand, should he really be a tree guy?

He should already lose his job, imo.

 

[pdqdl]

he works for a reputable tree company (we hired him on the side - he works with our neighbor), and he left his equipment here.

You do realize that this means you have hired a fellow with no insurance, who is most likely not going to be popular with his employer. He might also be using company equipment, and may get fired if his employer finds out what he has been up to. Some employers don't mind at all, and others (most) take a dim view of working outside the company.

Absence of any better photos, I'd recommend calling other tree services, trying to get 3, but be prepared to act quickly if you can find someone responsive. Get us some photos of the cut on the tree that is opposite of the wedges, and we can advise you as to the urgency. I suspect the picture of the cuts he has made will tell us why the rope is broken and what his level of expertise is.

We paid him half upfront, which we were comfortable with, given that he has cut down trees in the neighborhood and works for our neighbor. But, when he needed a new pulley part, he asked for the other half, and we paid that.

My guess is that you have been had. You are a victim.

 

[pdqdl]

He should reimburse you in full because he is incompetent and not properly equipped to do the job in a safe and timely manner. If he were competent he would know what equipment is needed for the job. An experienced treeman will know exactly what it will take to fall the tree. Would a "kind person" put your property and safety at risk like that?

This is all true. I cannot remember the last time I went to a tree and didn't know what I needed to finish.

Now sometimes we forget to load something, can't find it (rarely), but I never show up to discover that I need something I didn't reckon on.

 

[pdqdl]

If he's already broken ropes then he's made the face cut and has started on the back cut as is evidenced by the wedge stuck in the tree.

I'd say that tree has a high probability of falling all on it's own and you and your property are in grave danger.

You need to get it down asap.

It may even be a law enforcement issue. I think it is.

I couldn't see any evidence of a face cut. Did I miss it?

This scenario is so bad, I think the guy may not have made a face cut. If that's the case, he may have just been planning on pulling the tree over without a face cut, which would be an extreme version of ignorance about how to cut down a tree. It would also be a probable reason for broken ropes.

I suspect he cut down the extra ash tree because it interfered with falling into the woods.

Kitcat1! Can you send us some more pictures? At least a closeup of that rope holding on to the tree, maybe a wide angle shooting down the hill from the house, and certainly of all the sides where the guy was hacking on the tree. A good shot of how the rope is tied to the tree would be nice, too.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

To the OP- perhaps a licensed tree service near you in Tennessee will let you make payments over time at a reasonable rate of interest, or no interest at all. It can't hurt to ask.

 

[mbrick]

I wonder if calling his tree company and explaining the situation would either light a fire under him or they would come finish it and sort things out with him.

I understand you don't want him to lose his job but at this point he put your family and property in danger and split with the cost in full.

 

[Del_]

I couldn't see any evidence of a face cut. Did I miss it?

I didn't see a photo from that side of the tree.

I didn't imagine that there may be no face cut.

Maybe there isn't, like you suggested. It does look like the ground drops off on that side of the tree.

That may explain breaking ropes while pulling.

 

[thenne1713]

Hello! I am worried about a 80 foot dead ash tree in my yard, and I would appreciate any advice about what we should do at this point. A tree person with 10 years experience sawed through and roped off this tree for removal, but he has never come back to finish the job (pull it into the forest). He left twice when two different ropes snapped (the same ropes I assume are securing the tree right now). He left a third time to order a new part for his pulley system, and that was six days ago. Meanwhile, the tree base has been chainsawed, although I don't know how far through. He said that it is hollow in the middle, so I'm assuming there isn't much left to saw. He placed two wedges in the cut side (the side facing our house), and we can see ropes coming from the tree. We feel like he will eventually return because he works for a reputable tree company (we hired him on the side - he works with our neighbor), and he left his equipment here. My issue is, how secure is this tree in the meantime? Is this common practice or outrageous behavior (I feel like it's a bit outrageous to saw through a tree then disappear for a week). Are we being idiots for waiting patiently? Should be be calling in an emergency tree removal service? This tree is sitting on a ledge and would probably fall into the forest, but if it swung our way (and the ropes snapped), it would definitely fall on our house. Thank you in advance for any helpful information!

I can only hope/pray you asked for/ were provided an INSURANCE CERTIFICATE with your name/ address on it, before he started work?

 

[pdqdl]

That may explain breaking ropes while pulling.

That's exactly what I was thinking.
With no face cut, the hack may have accidentally assured a marginally safe tree for not falling on the house.
It's a pity that I'm so far from Tennessee. I'd kinda like to solve that tree problem. It looks easy to crash into the woods, other trees not withstanding.

I'm also thinking that rope that broke was probably some cheap crap they got at Home Depot. There hasn't been any mention of how they broke the rope, but I am guessing that there is a service area at the bottom of the hill so that a pickup can yank on it?

To the homeowner: here is why you shouldn't ever let anyone do a significant tree removal by themselves: It looks like your tree scammer made what he thought was an adequate scratch on the tree, then ran down the hill to step on the gas and pull the tree over. OOPS! Tree is still too strong! The cheap rope broke.

Do that a couple times, and your expert learns that he is out of his league and runs away.​

A truly expert tree feller could drop that tree unassisted, but they probably wouldn't do it by using a pickup truck tied to the rope, then running down to the truck and stepping on the gas.

 

[pdqdl]

...and he left his equipment here

What kind of equipment? I'd hang on to it, especially if it involves some chainsaws.

I suspect all he left was junk ropes and the wedges still stuck in the tree.

 

[villagelightsmith]

Hello! I am worried about a 80 foot dead ash tree in my yard, and I would appreciate any advice about what we should do at this point. A tree person with 10 years experience sawed through and roped off this tree for removal, but he has never come back to finish the job (pull it into the forest). He left twice when two different ropes snapped (the same ropes I assume are securing the tree right now). He left a third time to order a new part for his pulley system, and that was six days ago. Meanwhile, the tree base has been chainsawed, although I don't know how far through. He said that it is hollow in the middle, so I'm assuming there isn't much left to saw. He placed two wedges in the cut side (the side facing our house), and we can see ropes coming from the tree. We feel like he will eventually return because he works for a reputable tree company (we hired him on the side - he works with our neighbor), and he left his equipment here. My issue is, how secure is this tree in the meantime? Is this common practice or outrageous behavior (I feel like it's a bit outrageous to saw through a tree then disappear for a week). Are we being idiots for waiting patiently? Should be be calling in an emergency tree removal service? This tree is sitting on a ledge and would probably fall into the forest, but if it swung our way (and the ropes snapped), it would definitely fall on our house. Thank you in advance for any helpful information!

I dunno, Kitkat1 Your query is a bit like the fellow who, seeking to know his exposure and liability asked "How big is a ship?"
"What kind of ship?"
"A big one."
"How big?
Nobody ever said that timber fallers (or fellers ... the jury's still out on even that!) nobody has ever said we were all that stable or bright. If we're not already dead, we're either new at the trade, lucky escape artists, or we're thinking a bit.

 

[Bill G]

I have thought about calling them. On the one hand, I don't want him to lose his job, but on the other hand, should he really be a tree guy?

You need to stop worrying about if he will lose his job. That is not relevant. I hate to be graphic and critical but please consider if he has done this type of work for you and you do not say anything how will you feel if he continues and someone is injured due to his ineptness. Property is replaceable. lives are not.