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

[pdqdl]

Don't worry, the fox will be back to defend his statements, and don't argue or he'll get you banned.

BS. No can show that I have ever interfered in someone's opinion in that way. As far as that goes, Griz added clarification, and my statements need no defense.

Yes. I've been busy working. It snowed a big pile of slush the weathermen didn't see coming.

 

[Kitkat1]

Glad you found someone to take care of it. That is a nice piece of equipment.
Next question, going to follow up with the first guy or call his company??

I too would have liked to see the face cut detail before it came down.

Maybe you could share a few stump photos so we can see what the cuts looked like?

Dangerous!

They were careful to never have the bucket between the tree and the house, because they knew that was the direction it would fall if it did decide to fall. They seemed to be very careful and calculated in their approach to removing the branches.

 

[Kitkat1]

AND ... the tree is still standing. So what's your point? Know-it-alls like you are endlessly entertaining ...

Don't have to be a pro to use a little common sense. Do you REALLY think someone would've walked away for that long in today's litigious society if the tree was going to come crashing down on the guy's hou

 

[pdqdl]

So you are giving advice on what to do about a tree that was.abandoned halfway through the felling process based on your experience watching 5 half dead trees out of your kitchen window?

Yeah, 5 trees ain't enough.

I put in a bid to remove a dead pine about 6-7 years ago. I've been grimacing for the last couple of years, every time I drove past it, tracking the decay and dreading the job. The cemetery finally told me to hurry remove it! There was going to be a funeral right beneath it.

Knowing how long it had been dead, I was scared of working beneath it. I set a rope on one branch about 40 feet up, then hooked it to my tractor, figuring to break it off and minimize my risk while standing below it.

Nope! The branch wouldn't break. Neither would the bark-falling-off tree trunk with the giant hollow spaces we could see through to daylight.

I uprooted that tree, and left a pretty big gaping hole about 6 feet wide and 3 feet deep.

It just goes to show that even when you think you know how things will turn out, you might just be wrong. Try to be ready for the bad outcome, instead of what you had planned.

 

[pdqdl]

AND ... the tree is still standing. So what's your point? Know-it-alls like you are endlessly entertaining ...

Don't have to be a pro to use a little common sense. Do you REALLY think someone would've walked away for that long in today's litigious society if the tree was going to come crashing down on the guy's house??

Absolutely. I know guys that walk away because it is going to hit the house. They don't give a damn about no lawyers. They have nothing worth suing for.

In light of the homeowner's latest information, we can all see that this kind of character is out there just waiting for another victim.

I'm glad it all worked out.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Thank you! The guy stayed in the bucket the entire time and cut all the branches from the bucket. Since the tree had already been cut through, they didn't have to cut the trunk at all before pulling it into the forest.

I am glad you did right and took as immediate action as you did and a reputable and safe company took care of you fairly.
I am also glad that everyone in here was helpful, short of cutting down the tree for them.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

It just goes to show that even when you think you know how things will turn out, you might just be wrong. Try to be ready for the bad outcome, instead of what you had planned.

Good advice on a lot of subjects.

As a kid in the 80's, my first car was a Datsun 510 on it's last legs. In winter, I always carried a little firewood, blankets, spare fluids for the car, chains, flares etc in case I broke down in the snow or got stranded in a ditch etc.

 

[Kitkat1]

Smitty Smithsonite, yes, someone actually did walk away, knowing the tree was likely to crash on our house. I do think he got in over his head, but I will never know why he left us at such risk without at least warning us or telling us we needed to hire someone else. But you are right about common sense. We thought we had plenty of it, but here we are. We trusted a person who we had watched (with helpers) cut three big trees down across the street, had done other work for various neighbors, is good friends with and has worked with our neighbor, and we felt comfortable. What we should have done was to #1 do our own research first so we had even a basic understanding of what it takes to have a giant tree removed that is close to our house, #2 act on every red flag along the way instead of giving this person the benefit of the doubt and buying the bull he was feeding us, and #3, never try to save some money by getting a big job done cheaper by an individual instead of a licensed, bonded company. Luckily, our lesson learned did not include losing our home, or our lives, but it is indeed a valuable lesson learned (many, actually). Our initial stupidity not only put our house at risk but also the good workers who were brave and kind enough to finish the job.

 

[pdqdl]

Great price & the best outcome! One question: did they have a guy in the bucket for the whole process, or did they switch out between the man bucket on the end of the boom, and a grappler claw with auto saw?

I would be surprised to learn that was an option on that kind of machine.

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Kitkat1, I truly am glad you found us here, plus wound up safe from that particular tree.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

I would be surprised to learn that was an option on that kind of machine.

I don't disagree, but I asked because KitKat called it a robot/robotic, so I questioned if my eyes were looking at pics of a conventional spider lift/compact crawler, or if perhaps they used a second, unphotographed machine that was in fact a remote controlled robotic tree machine- which is usually truck mounted.

ETA: Yeah, I don't think the weight of a robotic tree boom could be supported by anything aside from a truck... Maybe some day.

 

[sean donato]

I don't disagree, but I asked because KitKat called it a robot/robotic, so I questioned if my eyes were looking at pics of a conventional spider lift/compact crawler, or if perhaps they used a second, unphotographed machine that was in fact a remote controlled robotic tree machine- which is usually truck mounted.

Local tree company here has a machine that looks just like the op pictured, but has a claw/saw arm on it. The guy stands back and runs it from a distance. Pretty slick. They use it on hills and banks a lot. No basket for it that I've ever seen. 100% remote controlled.

 

[kenmbz]

I am so glad this worked out for you, I have seen some companies drop trees on fences etc. and do damage.
Now you have some firewood and some memories.
Price based on the risk and resources used seems reasonable.

I have dropped a lot of big trees, but will call someone in if a crane or lift needed to safely cut.
Especially near property.

 

[pdqdl]

The easiest way to prevent damage to that fence would have been to pull the top rail and lay down the fence.

You might lose a pole or two, but the fence fabric will be ok and the top rail won't be injured. Posts are easy, fence sections... Not so much.

 

[chipper1]

So, the face cut had already been made and the tree was leaning on the felling cut. This is the best picture I could get of the face cut last week.

Wow.
After seeing that picture, I believe the only thing keeping that tree off your home was God!
Glad you got someone who could jump on it right away.
As for the actual height of it, I'd trust their judgment as they were right there with a piece of equipment they know the height/reach of.

 

[Del_]

Smitty Smithsonite, yes, someone actually did walk away, knowing the tree was likely to crash on our house. I do think he got in over his head, but I will never know why he left us at such risk without at least warning us or telling us we needed to hire someone else.

Thanks so much for sharing your adventure with us.

If the guy that walked away ever ask about his ropes, etc, my advice is to let him get his stuff in peace and make it clear that he needs to do it quickly and move on.

There is nothing to be gained by talking with him, arguing, giving him hell or chastising him for his actions or trying to cause him legal or business trouble.

Some tree workers are loose cannons and you guys don't want or need someone like that holding a grudge against you.

In the end you got a fair price for the job done so there is no financial benefit to be gained by invoking lawyers, the police, small claims court, etc.



I know I speak for all of us when I thank you for sharing your story.

Lesson learned!

 

[mbrick]

Thanks so much for sharing your adventure with us.

If the guy that walked away ever ask about his ropes, etc, my advice is to let him get his stuff in peace and make it clear that he needs to do it quickly and move on.

There is nothing to be gained by talking with him, arguing, giving him hell or chastising him for his actions or trying to cause him legal or business trouble.

Some tree workers are loose cannons and you guys don't want or need someone like that holding a grudge against you.

In the end you got a fair price for the job done so there is no financial benefit to be gained by invoking lawyers, the police, small claims court, etc.

I'm really not sure I agree or follow your reasoning for just "letting this guy walk" after taking their payment in full AND leaving a very hazardous situation behind.

 

[Del_]

I'm really not sure I agree or follow your reasoning for just "letting this guy walk" after taking their payment in full AND leaving a very hazardous situation behind.

I figured most of the guys in this thread wouldn't agree with me on that point.

But it is still my advice.

I'm thinking this fellow may not be playing with a full deck.

.....and he's familiar with the neighborhood.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

I'm really not sure I agree or follow your reasoning for just "letting this guy walk" after taking their payment in full AND leaving a very hazardous situation behind.

Yes- I agree!

Letting FEAR (of reprisal) dictate if one should contact LE, or litigate, is an absurd stance. KitKat already said the grifter has done work for at least two other neighbors, so if he's seen near KitKat's home and she finds damage- there are witnesses.

It's also unacceptable to advise others to act in fear!

 

[GrizG]

So, the face cut had already been made and the tree was leaning on the felling cut. This is the best picture I could get of the face cut last week.

Overall you were lucky! From that view the face/back cut formed a hinge named "Hopeful." Maybe it was a non-uniform hinge and thicker on the other side? I, and probably others, would be curious to see the stump!