I don't usually complain but......

[TDunk]

Aight, so i went down to my granda's house and at the end of her driveway and there are 3 huge pine tree's (the smallest one is 28" and atleast 100' high). There on her nieghbors property and every year i trim the low branches for him/my grandma (and have never charged him a penny). I noticed her pavement is starting to crack from the roots and asked the the nieghbor about taking them down. He said "great, i'd love to have them down anyways to get some sun". OK, i'll be back in the day light to see how hard it's gonna be. So i go back in the morning, we start talking and i said to him "well, figure tops it run $1000 to take them down, get rid of all the brush, logs etc. and have the stumps ground". His reply was " your not going to do it for free??? a $1000 sounds a little steep to me" and walks away. Now call me dumb, but the going "tree rate" around here is $700 per tree. I was giving him a break b/c my grandma wants them out of there too. Am i wrong in going to charge this guy????

 

[PA Plumber]

Oh dear. If the relationship is good between he and your grandma, give him a couple of names of people you would trust. Might hurt a little, but it will give him a chance to see the savings you are offering him. If the relationship is rough, you may need registered letters through the mail and professional help, etc. I would take some pictures of the trees and what they are doing to the sidewalk/driveway no matter what. Won't hurt to have them on file and make sure they are at least date stamped. I'm sure you'll get some better advice from other members. Good luck.

 

[TDunk]

I guess it wouldn't tick me off so much if he and his wife didn't buy new vehicals every year, have 3 harleys.... you get the picture. And i'm not saying that the blacktop just starting cracking this year either, it's been rising for a couple years now but it's just now starting to crack. My grandma really doesn't talk to them that much, so i don't know if she came make them take them sown b/c there causing property damage or what.

 

[Locoweed]

He may not want them gone that bad or can't afford it?

 

[TDunk]

I guess it wouldn't tick me off so much if he and his wife didn't buy new vehicals every year, have 3 harleys.... you get the picture. And i'm not saying that the blacktop just starting cracking this year either, it's been rising for a couple years now but it's just now starting to crack. My grandma really doesn't talk to them that much, so i don't know if she came make them take them down b/c there causing property damage or what.

 

[osb_mail]

1000 dollars is low you are going to do the stumps to I guessing you don t own a stump grinder you would have to rent one 150 dollars in renting one . so Now you are down to 850.00 . Than you got your saw and haul fuel at least 50.00 dollars that put you at 800.00 dollars . Now for the risk part there is risk of you hitting something or yourself when dropping the trees . I would say that you are giving him a deal . Also what is up with the 700 dollars a tree services don t just put a dollar sign on a tree, every tree is different with many different factors .I would let them get some estimates from tree services and if they can find someone to match your price than let them take . I would say you will either end up with the job or the trees will be left standing . Hey can you also post some pictures of the tree also include picture of the roots .

 

[joesawer]

I don't know about your state, but most places i have worked the property line runs straight up above the surface and straight down below the surface. In these places the landowner owned and was responsible for any limbs or roots on their side if the line.

 

[Ray Bennett]

I have to admit, I thought you were trying to help your G-ma and it was nice of him to let you cut the trees. I would have probably laughed at you and ask if you were serious when you gave me a price.

I had a similar situation with some trees right on the property line at my house, I wanted to trim the lower branches so they did not rub against my bigger trucks when I came in my lane. I asked If he had a problem with me cutting the lower limbs off, he said he did not. I never thought to give him a bill. I realize you have more work ahead of ya than I did but it is for your grand mother's driveway.

 

[Stihl_Learning]

I have to admit, I thought you were trying to help your G-ma and it was nice of him to let you cut the trees. I would have probably laughed at you and ask if you were serious when you gave me a price.

I had a similar situation with some trees right on the property line at my house, I wanted to trim the lower branches so they did not rub against my bigger trucks when I came in my lane. I asked If he had a problem with me cutting the lower limbs off, he said he did not. I never thought to give him a bill. I realize you have more work ahead of ya than I did but it is for your grand mother's driveway.

I'm with Ray on this one
I'd be happy with permission to cut
I wouldn't ask for money to cut a tree that ultimately benefits my family members

 

[clearance]

Just do it

Buddy never asked you, you want to do it for your grandma, so be a good grandson and do it, for free, of course.

 

[geofore]

What next?

Have gramp's get an estimate from another tree service and take it over to the neighbor and ask if they would be willing to go half on the estimate instead of your price. Odds are it will be over 2k. You failed to point out to the neighbor that gramps is eating half. Maybe that was what he was waiting for and didn't hear, what's gramp's kicking in to this pot? Never low bid, you needed to tell him gramp's costs is the other half of the 2k and you only asked for him to go for half, @ 1k.
I don't think your price was high, I think you failed to point out to the neighbor that your gramps is in this for the other half making it 2k and he's only seeing half the real cost with the 1k.

 

[Erick]

I have to admit, I thought you were trying to help your G-ma and it was nice of him to let you cut the trees. I would have probably laughed at you and ask if you were serious when you gave me a price.

I had a similar situation with some trees right on the property line at my house, I wanted to trim the lower branches so they did not rub against my bigger trucks when I came in my lane. I asked If he had a problem with me cutting the lower limbs off, he said he did not. I never thought to give him a bill. I realize you have more work ahead of ya than I did but it is for your grand mother's driveway.

I'm with Ray on this one
I'd be happy with permission to cut
I wouldn't ask for money to cut a tree that ultimately benefits my family members

Gotta say I'm with Ray on this one as well, if he had come to you and asked you about taking the trees down then the $1000.00 quote would have been warranted. You have to look at it from his perspective you came to his door asking for his permission to cut down three of his trees that weren't causing him any problem, and when he graciously agreed you tell him it will be a thousand dollars please. Gotta say I would have laughed at ya and gone in the house to. He's probably on another forum right now telling the folks about the neighbors little scamming SOB of a grandson wanting to charge him a grand to cut down his perfectly healthy trees.

If you really want the trees down you need to do it for free, but I think now your gonna need to apologize and even then he may not give you permission again. Your other option would be to check your local laws concerning property lines and see if your grandmother can make him have the trees taken down. Either way I think you can pretty much forget about the grand as if he’s forced to take them down he d@m sure aint gonna pay you to do it now. Legal action never makes for neighborly neighbors, and it will probably cause you to spend more than a grand putting up a new fence.


(No I didn't call you a scamming SOB, I said that’s probably what he’s thinking)

 

[Fiore Indiana]

Buddy never asked you, you want to do it for your grandma, so be a good grandson and do it, for free, of course.

I agree.

 

[woodfarmer]

are the trees on a city road allowance, usually no one ownes to the street there is a set back. like some have mentioned this may now become a can of worms, you darned if you do and darned if you don't, if the roots have encroached on your grams property then they may be cut which could lead to the trees dying, neighbour probably won't be to happy. just leave the trees and forget about them for now, the neighbour may mull the idea over for a few days or he may never think about it again

 

[TDunk]

If they were on my grandma'a property, they'd already be down. But there not, and the nieghbor also wants them taken down to get some sun on his house. I don't mind doing small jobs for free, but this guy just rubs me the wrong way. And i know i'm going to end up doing it for free just to keep peace.

 

[Wood Hick]

I would take the high road on this one and do it for free. You stand to gain alot the way I see it. You solved your grandma's problem, perhaps made a friend in the guy, and be honest with yourself, you like to run those saws! He will be sitting somewhere telling everybody what a good person you are, instead of telling them how you gave him a bid to remove his own trees.
If you do business in that community, he will probably refer you to others.
I market firewood, but I GIVE my elderly neighbor firewood for the season every year. He tells anyone who will listen that I'm a saint, and it helps my business. Just my 2 cents!

 

[TDunk]

Talk about a can of worms, the nieghbor just called me up and appoligized for walking away ( he said he heard his phone ring, and when he came back out i was gone). He the $1000 was half what he was quoted 2 years ago to have them taken down and isn't mad about that part. Now get this, we have to fall the trees onto another guys property (i assumed the guy i was talking to owned it), he didn't say how much, but he wants a good chunk of change to let us fall the trees onto his property. He's going to talk to him today to see if the price has changed any. I did appolgize b/c i don't want any hard feelings, and he said the same thing to me. So that fued is over and on to another one. I did tell him i'd do it for free, he reply was we'll work something out.

 

[JoeCanuck]

Man, you should have stayed in bed.

Joe

 

[TDunk]

I admit i over reacted at first but i'm with you, i should have never even rolled out of bed this weekend.

 

[Ray Bennett]

I would take the high road on this one and do it for free. You stand to gain alot the way I see it. You solved your grandma's problem, perhaps made a friend in the guy, and be honest with yourself, you like to run those saws! He will be sitting somewhere telling everybody what a good person you are, instead of telling them how you gave him a bid to remove his own trees.
If you do business in that community, he will probably refer you to others.
I market firewood, but I GIVE my elderly neighbor firewood for the season every year. He tells anyone who will listen that I'm a saint, and it helps my business. Just my 2 cents!

Well said, I give away about 10 cords a year and I swear the more good deeds I do the better my firewood business does. No good deed goes unrewarded.

TDunk, its good to hear you did the honorable thing, I truly hope it comes back to benefit ya