travelling for blind work

[Stihl Alive]

leaving tomorrow morning at 4AM to drive 178 miles south to take down an oak and thin some limbs from two other trees. From the way the guy described it over the phone I said sounds like about a grand but without seeing it I really can't say. He said "well I'm renting the place, the owner wants the trees down and left me a blank check".

I said "I'll be there Tuesday Morning at sunlight"

anyone ever taken a risk like this before?

 

[Rftreeman]

I would ask for pictures, you may get there and it be a 3 day job or something of the sort. Is anyone going with you?

 

[Stihl Alive]

I would ask for pictures, you may get there and it be a 3 day job or something of the sort. Is anyone going with you?

pictures was my first question. He said he had ridden out there alone with no camera, then described the oak as he was looking at it. I've got a trusted groundie and 2 brush pullers going with. I have another job lined up right after this one. So this may be a small disappointment and a lesson learned, or it could be bling bling goes my conference ring.

I'll fill you guys in when I return.

 

[thejdman04]

Id want picutres first, also , check might not be worth the paper its made out of.

 

[pdqdl]

Either your buyer is a poor shopper or you have one heck of a good reputation. I would question any open-ended deal like that. Here is why: you drive 178 miles, then look at it and give the guy a quote. He says "no, I was thinking about $200 less than that".

I have never found an area so devoid of decent tree services that you could profitably drive 6 hours round trip and still beat the local competition. Caveat venditor !

Your option: do the work for less, or drive another 3 hours for free. Did the guy offer to pay your road time in case you didn't agree on a price?

 

[lxt]

:agree2: with what he said!! this puts you where they want you!! I have gone similar distance but not without an agreement up front including mileage and hr fee if price is non agreed upon!!!


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

 

[Stihl Alive]

we got it done. I charged him an extra couple hundred bucks because every single limb and the entire oak was all leaning over his house. took us about 8 hrs. Weird though, when we arrived in town, two blocks from his house we saw a sign for a tree service. He made no mention of anyone else coming out there at all. Whole thing was weird.

 

[pdqdl]

We're glad it turned out well.

Proof once again of the old adage: "No guts, No glory"

 

[treebilly]

just hope that wasn`t a rubber check. There might be a reason he brought someone from out of town.

 

[thejdman04]

Glad it turned out well.

 

[Stihl Alive]

just hope that wasn`t a rubber check. There might be a reason he brought someone from out of town.

cash. he actually asked if it was alright if he paid us tomorrow.

"no sir, that will not be alright"
so he takes off to go get the money from his father (this guy is like 45) and we go to work. Worked for about 8 hrs and started thinking we got duped and he wasn't coming back. He rolled up with our money right when we started packing the gear.

 

[KD57]

I would have to say you lucked out on that one. I am always suspicious when somebody calls for an out of town service to do the work. Possibly he has screwed all the local guys and they won't work for him anymore?