Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

[Ambull01]

Maybe you can find yourself a falling buddy - someone who is (legitimately) experienced, and who will split your score with you?

Philbert

Yeah, that's the smartest thing to do. I've been trying to think about who I could contact. Only people I know with legit experience are kind of unreliable. I freaking hate unreliable people. One of the reasons I started working out by myself. Oh well, I'll figure something out.

 

[SCBBQ]

Well, I have a possible scrounge score. How much of a score remains to be seen. Found a guy on CL that has up to ten oak trees he wants to be rid of. All standing I believe. Asked him if there's anything near the trees that could be damaged. Told me there's a house nearby. Depending on how close the house is, I may just totally pass on this. I don't really know if I want live oak which will take years to cure and not that comfortable felling right now. Man it sucks being a newb.

One of the scores I posted picture of a few weeks back was an oak tree that partially split and was hanging close to a house and fence. The neighborhood HOA wanted the tree down for safety reasons and we wanted to scrounge the wood. My dad looked at it and said I can do it, but I'm not taking any liability if a rope breaks or the limbs decide to give. The HOA called in a tree guy who did the same thing we were going to do. Everything went well, but the tree guy had insurance in case it didn't.

Dad is nowhere near a noob, but knows Mr. murphy is always there waiting on you.

 

[Ambull01]

One of the scores I posted picture of a few weeks back was an oak tree that partially split and was hanging close to a house and fence. The neighborhood HOA wanted the tree down for safety reasons and we wanted to scrounge the wood. My dad looked at it and said I can do it, but I'm not taking any liability if a rope breaks or the limbs decide to give. The HOA called in a tree guy who did the same thing we were going to do. Everything went well, but the tree guy had insurance in case it didn't.

Dad is nowhere near a noob, but knows Mr. murphy is always there waiting on you.

Right. If there was nothing else around but wide open space I would gladly do it. Sounds like this dude just wants to skip having to pay for tree removal. I would also have to take all the limbs. I'm going to pass on it. Still have the road side scrounge where everything is already bucked (may have to noodle a few rounds though). No need to get greedy.

 

[wudpirat]

I know what you mean, if it aint a blow down or a wind fall I get very nervous,
Damn trees will kill you if they can.
Even laying on the ground, they still can get you.
Love my hard hat, saved me more than once.
There's more to this tale, but I'll leave it to your imagination. BDDT
OBTW, no blood was spilled, no trips to the ER, but did see stars.
PPE, don't leave home without it.

The stupidity is strong in this one. YOTA

 

[7sleeper]

See it similar to SCBBQ,

You can find often similar adds, where house owners want to save on the money instead of getting a pro in to do the job. We are talking probably a few hundred to thousand dollars, depending on how problomatic the trees are. If something goes wrong the guy with the saw in the hand is at fault! Never forget that! Perhaps you could comprimise with the homeowner and have the trees felled professionally and you take care to the rest. But to be honest I believe that the homeowner already got a quote from a pro and had to sit down for a few moments to rethink his options....

7

 

[Ambull01]

See it similar to SCBBQ,

You can find often similar adds, where house owners want to save on the money instead of getting a pro in to do the job. We are talking probably a few hundred to thousand dollars, depending on how problomatic the trees are. If something goes wrong the guy with the saw in the hand is at fault! Never forget that! Perhaps you could comprimise with the homeowner and have the trees felled professionally and you take care to the rest. But to be honest I believe that the homeowner already got a quote from a pro and had to sit down for a few moments to rethink his options....

7

So you would still be liable holding the saw even though the home/land owner gave you permission to cut it?

 

[7sleeper]

The person doing the cut is responsible. Just that simple. If on the other hand your boss orders you "do that cut", it would be his fault. Of course as a pro you could always decline if it was too risky and if you didn't decline although it was risky you might be half at fault. But that is something that would be taken care of in front of a judge.

7

 

[Philbert]

So you would still be liable holding the saw even though the home/land owner gave you permission to cut it?

Get it on paper that he/she will hold you harmless, and that might be a different story.

Where I live (city) you have to be licensed and insured to cut branches over 2 inches in diameter, and they recently added a requirement to have at least one Certified Arborist in your company. So, you could be in violation of some regulation, even if the home owner gives you permission.

Philbert

 

[Ambull01]

Well I just may have to re-evaluate my whole scrounge approach now. I'm going to carry around a folder with release of liability forms and have the owner sign before I start cutting.

Two inches! I may be moving out of that city if I lived there.

 

[zogger]

So you would still be liable holding the saw even though the home/land owner gave you permission to cut it?

Here is a possibility. I agree with the others, joe home owner trying to get free work done, hazardous removals. whole thread on this here, craigslist laffs.

Make a counter offer, he gets the licensed tree service to get the trees on the ground and chip and haul off the branches for much less than a total job. You come in and buck and haul off the logs. He saves some money, you get an easy scrounge.

 

[Philbert]

Two inches! I may be moving out of that city if I lived there.

We don't have a big wood burner in the city. And we have EAB restrictions about bringing wood in or out.

The City lets us clean up storm damage trees, and the City crews will even let me scrounge from their cuts if I get there before the chip truck. Between that and my neighbors trimming, I am able to scrounge more than enough wood for our use.

Philbert

 

[wudpirat]

A good scrounge gets there before the chip truck. Rule #1

 

[MustangMike]

Often, those release forms don't mean squat - legally. They just make you thing so.

 

[Ambull01]

Often, those release forms don't mean squat - legally. They just make you thing so.

Yeah I've heard that too.

 

[svk]

Often, those release forms don't mean squat - legally. They just make you thing so.

+1
+1
+1!!!!!

You cut down a tree that causes damage, you are liable. Even OJ's attorneys couldn't get you out of that.

 

[svk]

The other scary thing. If your neighbor comes over to help on your land and hurts himself, your insurance pays. Happened to my neighbor. Guy on the other side of him (in his mid 70's at the time) was over helping clean up blowdown. This guy shouldn't have been running a saw let alone walking across downed trees. He fell off and hurt himself pretty badly. It cost our friend a mid 5 figure sum. Go figure.

 

[Ambull01]

The other scary thing. If your neighbor comes over to help on your land and hurts himself, your insurance pays. Happened to my neighbor. Guy on the other side of him (in his mid 70's at the time) was over helping clean up blowdown. This guy shouldn't have been running a saw let alone walking across downed trees. He fell off and hurt himself pretty badly. It cost our friend a mid 5 figure sum. Go figure.

Well I can see where that would make sense. I would think the same would be true with inviting someone over to clear a tree. Well maybe not quite the same lol. I'm just not touching anything that is remotely close to something it could damage.

 

[Ambull01]

So really the release of liability sounds more like a benefit to the home/land owner. Seems to me like it's just a written document for their benefit saying you, the dude with a chainsaw, releases them from liability in case of accidentally cutting your hand off.

 

[svk]

Well I can see where that would make sense. I would think the same would be true with inviting someone over to clear a tree. Well maybe not quite the same lol. I'm just not touching anything that is remotely close to something it could damage.

The problem with this was the guy came over offering to help then made stupid choices causing himself to get hurt. Completely out of control of the land owner.

 

[svk]

So really the release of liability sounds more like a benefit to the home/land owner. Seems to me like it's just a written document for their benefit saying you, the dude with a chainsaw, releases them from liability in case of accidentally cutting your hand off.

Depends how it is written but possibly. As mike said these are usually worthless.