tree md
Addicted to ArboristSite
I went to bid some severe storm damage yesterday and met a guy there who was also submitting a bid. I introduced myself, shook his hand and told him I would just stay out of his way until he had talked to the HO and submitted his bid. He introduced himself to me and told me the name of his company. I won't disclose his name on a public website but will say that his company is an oil line inspection company. I kind of scratched my head on that one but he was a nice enough guy and I was respectful of him.
This property is a total loss as far as trees go around the house. The HO had already cut up 4 large trees that had hit the deck around his house himself. There are two trees on the house. One is a 2' Hackberry that has two smaller Hackberrys under it, all three a laying on the house. The 2 smaller Hackberrys are structurally fine at the roots, they are just pinned to the house by the larger tree. HO wants to save the two smaller trees. There is a 30" Oak that is split into, half of the mature Oak is on the ground and half is partially on the house. There are at least 6 more trees that are going to have to be climbed and large hangers are going to have to be removed; mostly mature trees. There is half of another mature tree on the other side of the house which has split all the way down the trunk with half of the tree on the ground which is going to have to be removed.
One big mess. HO doesn't want heavy equipment on the lawn and there is no way to get to 3/4 of the work with equipment. Very nice, well kept, large home. HO said the insurance adjuster said that he is going to cover all of the repairs and the tree work I outlined. He said the adjuster said to call if the tree estimates came in higher that he had allowed for and he would try to adjust the claim.
After Joe Pipeline leaves I talk to the HO, give my estimate and ask how I compared to Joe Pipeline. He said I was quite a bit higher. He told me this dude bid all of the work for $1931.00 for him and one other guy. I had bid around 60% higher for my 4 man crew. I told the HO that I flat out could not compete with that price and congratulated him on winning the lottery!!! I told him that was a lot of cleanup and some pretty technical climbing and removal to be doing for 2 grand. He said tell me about it, I have been cutting and stacking for three days. He told me to still write up my bid, that he was going to get other estimates and if the other estimates turned out to be closer to mine Joe Pipeline was going to be suspect. He told me that he hadn't checked the other guy out and had done some research on my company. He said he checked me out thoroughly and liked what he saw (and he's a cop).
I don't knock any man for trying to work out here but for Pete's sake, at least learn what the work is worth before you jump out there trying to do it on your own. Part of me thinks it would serve this guy right to be awarded the job. He has definitely bitten off more than he can chew for less than 2 grand.
This property is a total loss as far as trees go around the house. The HO had already cut up 4 large trees that had hit the deck around his house himself. There are two trees on the house. One is a 2' Hackberry that has two smaller Hackberrys under it, all three a laying on the house. The 2 smaller Hackberrys are structurally fine at the roots, they are just pinned to the house by the larger tree. HO wants to save the two smaller trees. There is a 30" Oak that is split into, half of the mature Oak is on the ground and half is partially on the house. There are at least 6 more trees that are going to have to be climbed and large hangers are going to have to be removed; mostly mature trees. There is half of another mature tree on the other side of the house which has split all the way down the trunk with half of the tree on the ground which is going to have to be removed.
One big mess. HO doesn't want heavy equipment on the lawn and there is no way to get to 3/4 of the work with equipment. Very nice, well kept, large home. HO said the insurance adjuster said that he is going to cover all of the repairs and the tree work I outlined. He said the adjuster said to call if the tree estimates came in higher that he had allowed for and he would try to adjust the claim.
After Joe Pipeline leaves I talk to the HO, give my estimate and ask how I compared to Joe Pipeline. He said I was quite a bit higher. He told me this dude bid all of the work for $1931.00 for him and one other guy. I had bid around 60% higher for my 4 man crew. I told the HO that I flat out could not compete with that price and congratulated him on winning the lottery!!! I told him that was a lot of cleanup and some pretty technical climbing and removal to be doing for 2 grand. He said tell me about it, I have been cutting and stacking for three days. He told me to still write up my bid, that he was going to get other estimates and if the other estimates turned out to be closer to mine Joe Pipeline was going to be suspect. He told me that he hadn't checked the other guy out and had done some research on my company. He said he checked me out thoroughly and liked what he saw (and he's a cop).
I don't knock any man for trying to work out here but for Pete's sake, at least learn what the work is worth before you jump out there trying to do it on your own. Part of me thinks it would serve this guy right to be awarded the job. He has definitely bitten off more than he can chew for less than 2 grand.
