sharkfin12us
ArboristSite Operative
I have a slight dilema.I have a guy that has been doing my stumps for about a year or more.He has a customer that is a lawyer.Stump contractor said he was interested in having some work done.Stump contractor asked me how much i charge for day rate.Day rate is 1200 for 8 hours.Lawyer went over what he wanted i believe on the phone with the stump contractor.Stumps are not just what he does.He does contracting.The lawyer was going to be away for the week and i was available to do the work.I meet the stump contrator and we walked the property.He said he wants trees elevated.Then i came across codominant stemmed ash about 85 feet tall with some rott at the base had 4 leaders and it is visible it had some rot.I told stump guy needed to come down.Also choke cherry double leader which used to be 4 leaders but much have fallen or was removed with 2 leaders remaining also rotted.Also another cherry single stem with good lean with rot at the base.Im a certified arborist year now.Seemed ok with the stump guy what i was saying.Well when the lawyer returned from vaca he was happy with 4 trees i elevated but was upset with 3 trees i took down.He told me i should have called him about taking them down but when i spoke with stump guy he did not object to me taking it down.These trees that came down are hazards and their are targets nearby vehicle path way wires.When i spoke to the lawyer a week later i listened to what he had to say.He told me landcaper and certified tree guys had said the trees are ok i said no way.Any way we started to have heated argument.I told him i was not told i could not take them down when i spoke to the stump guy.Lawyer also has a cherry near play ground and splits and half broken off from one side the tree is in decline and should come down.He says its a beautifiul tree and he does not want it down.I would not let my child play under a tree that can potentially injure some one.I felt like this guy was trying to say nothing was wrong with these trees and i know that there is most definitely some thing wrong hazardous.He got so mad he said he would cut me a check for what he thought he should pay.After some talking we both calmed down.What are my legal options if this guy does not want to pay me for my 2 days? Before he even came back from vaca i told the stump guy i would throw in 2 trees trim if he was not happy to appease.Im not going to accept nothing less then the 2 days.Its miscommunication maybe on all our parts i dont want to blame the stump guy.I did what i thought was right trimmed 4 trees are were healthy and took down trees that had rot at base.Thanks for your input