Someone started cutting a tree down for us and hasn't finished the job

[TRTermite]

Just to twist/tweak things a tad. Anybody consider the OP is the perp and needed some advice on what to do with his F'' up?

 

[Seachaser]

Just to twist/tweak things a tad. Anybody consider the OP is the perp and needed some advice on what to do with his F'' up?

Now that’s a conspiracy! And I believe it. Never saw a conspiracy I didn’t like.

 

[mark3885]

Joined on Sunday, probably their own mistake and looking for advice.

 

[Kitkat1]

Well, I just came back to the thread and was surprised to see six additional pages of replies. I truly appreciate everyone's advice and concerns, and I apologize for not checking back sooner. The first day of replies confirmed our suspicions and worst fears, and honestly, I didn't think to keep checking back - my mind was on the tree, my house, and our safety at that point. The last we heard from the dude about the tree, he said he was renting some equipment and would be back in a day or two, so I took the initiative (finally) to start calling tree services. My first call was pure luck - the guy was concerned enough to be at my house within 1 1/2 hours to look at it. By 2:00 pm, they showed up with the giant robot that reaches 100 feet (the only company within 100 miles that owns one). He just kept repeating, "oh my God" when he first saw the tree in person. He told us afterward that he didn't really want to take the job because of the high risk, but he was worried that we would have a hard time finding anyone else willing or able to do it. He told us that the tree had been cut through and was being held by ropes not near strong enough to hold a 60 foot cut ash (his height estimate). The tree was also leaning and weighted toward our house, and he knew it was just a matter of time and the right wind to blow the tree right into our house. We were also having strong winds that day (they really rip through the valley where we live at the base of mountains). His company was doing some work for the city cutting branches close to power lines (because of high winds), but they rearranged their schedule and headed here right when the other job was done. Because the tree had been cut through, it was too unsafe to climb it at that point to drop branches. Getting a bucket near the tree would be difficult, because the tree is not reachable from the street and the front yard slopes toward a tall wooden fence, and the back yard (where the tree is located) is just one giant hill. He and his team showed up, dropped that crazy looking robot, and had the tree completely dropped within 3 1/2 hours. They cut the branches off first, cut it back to the trunk, and then pulled the rest into the forest. We paid $1,800 for the drop (no cleanup). They did their best to avoid the fence, but we knew that damage to the fence and to other trees/bushes were likely since they did not have the ability to rope the branches before dropping them. Jim's level of concern for our safety and our house was mind blowing. He knew it had to come down immediately, and he made it happen. We really thought an emergency same-day tree removal with a 100 foot robot would cost more than we could afford, but I think his price was fair and that he felt really bad for our predicament. In the last two years, we've had people quote $2000-$3000 to remove that tree BEFORE it had been cut through. Anyway, thank you all again for sharing your sage wisdom. If not for your advice, my husband and I would probably have a tree sitting in our house right now. I will check back in case anyone has any questions about it! Take care!

 

[lone wolf]

Well, I just came back to the thread and was surprised to see six additional pages of replies. I truly appreciate everyone's advice and concerns, and I apologize for not checking back sooner. The first day of replies confirmed our suspicions and worst fears, and honestly, I didn't think to keep checking back - my mind was on the tree, my house, and our safety at that point. The last we heard from the dude about the tree, he said he was renting some equipment and would be back in a day or two, so I took the initiative (finally) to start calling tree services. My first call was pure luck - the guy was concerned enough to be at my house within 1 1/2 hours to look at it. By 2:00 pm, they showed up with the giant robot that reaches 100 feet (the only company within 100 miles that owns one). He just kept repeating, "oh my God" when he first saw the tree in person. He told us afterward that he didn't really want to take the job because of the high risk, but he was worried that we would have a hard time finding anyone else willing or able to do it. He told us that the tree had been cut through and was being held by ropes not near strong enough to hold a 60 foot cut ash (his height estimate). The tree was also leaning and weighted toward our house, and he knew it was just a matter of time and the right wind to blow the tree right into our house. We were also having strong winds that day (they really rip through the valley where we live at the base of mountains). His company was doing some work for the city cutting branches close to power lines (because of high winds), but they rearranged their schedule and headed here right when the other job was done. Because the tree had been cut through, it was too unsafe to climb it at that point to drop branches. Getting a bucket near the tree would be difficult, because the tree is not reachable from the street and the front yard slopes toward a tall wooden fence, and the back yard (where the tree is located) is just one giant hill. He and his team showed up, dropped that crazy looking robot, and had the tree completely dropped within 3 1/2 hours. They cut the branches off first, cut it back to the trunk, and then pulled the rest into the forest. We paid $1,800 for the drop (no cleanup). They did their best to avoid the fence, but we knew that damage to the fence and to other trees/bushes were likely since they did not have the ability to rope the branches before dropping them. Jim's level of concern for our safety and our house was mind blowing. He knew it had to come down immediately, and he made it happen. We really thought an emergency same-day tree removal with a 100 foot robot would cost more than we could afford, but I think his price was fair and that he felt really bad for our predicament. In the last two years, we've had people quote $2000-$3000 to remove that tree BEFORE it had been cut through. Anyway, thank you all again for sharing your sage wisdom. If not for your advice, my husband and I would probably have a tree sitting in our house right now. I will check back in case anyone has any questions about it! Take care!

Wonderful you now can relax. More than a fair price considering the size and liability involved since it was already cut. That ain't no robot it is a tracked Lift ,great asset . Keep his stupid ropes and take him to court for what he stole from you at minimum. Then post he is a crook on Facebook.

 

[Del_]

I'm glad to hear it worked out so well in the end.

Going up in a lift under a tree already cut and back leaning is an extreme act of bravery. Or stupidity.


Glad it worked!

Evidently the face cut was already made and the tree had leaned back on the felling cut.

We'd still like to know.

 

[Kitkat1]

Hope the tree is not down on the OP guy and his desktop computer!!!!!!!!!!!!

and the pulley that was ordered from China was on the balloon that got shot down.

I could see our original tree guy using that excuse! And thank you for being concerned that my silence may have been because I'm dead! lol!

 

[chilipeppermaniac]

Me too, I don't remember posting advice, but I was keeping a watch to hear a positive outcome safety wise.

 

[Kitkat1]

Wonderful you now can relax. More than a fair price considering the size and liability involved since it was already cut. That ain't no robot it is a tracked Lift ,great asset . Keep his stupid ropes and take him to court for what he stole from you at minimum. Then post he is a crook on Facebook.

Thank you! His ropes and gear are all in the forest and we have no interest in trying to retrieve them. If he wants them badly enough, he can come dig through the rubbish and find them himself. The forest where the tree fell is mostly the neighbors property, which he is aware of, so we really can't stop him from retrieving them if he wants them badly enough. I couldn't remember the actual name of the equipment, but they referred to it as robot and said it was about the only thing at this point that would be able to reach the tree. It's a cool piece of machinery though. They guided it with a remote, and it just tracked right through our yard to the tree. They said it weighs 2,800 lbs and can conform to fit through a 36" space!

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

Well, I just came back to the thread and was surprised to see six additional pages of replies. I truly appreciate everyone's advice and concerns, and I apologize for not checking back sooner. The first day of replies confirmed our suspicions and worst fears, and honestly, I didn't think to keep checking back - my mind was on the tree, my house, and our safety at that point. The last we heard from the dude about the tree, he said he was renting some equipment and would be back in a day or two, so I took the initiative (finally) to start calling tree services. My first call was pure luck - the guy was concerned enough to be at my house within 1 1/2 hours to look at it. By 2:00 pm, they showed up with the giant robot that reaches 100 feet (the only company within 100 miles that owns one). He just kept repeating, "oh my God" when he first saw the tree in person. He told us afterward that he didn't really want to take the job because of the high risk, but he was worried that we would have a hard time finding anyone else willing or able to do it. He told us that the tree had been cut through and was being held by ropes not near strong enough to hold a 60 foot cut ash (his height estimate). The tree was also leaning and weighted toward our house, and he knew it was just a matter of time and the right wind to blow the tree right into our house. We were also having strong winds that day (they really rip through the valley where we live at the base of mountains). His company was doing some work for the city cutting branches close to power lines (because of high winds), but they rearranged their schedule and headed here right when the other job was done. Because the tree had been cut through, it was too unsafe to climb it at that point to drop branches. Getting a bucket near the tree would be difficult, because the tree is not reachable from the street and the front yard slopes toward a tall wooden fence, and the back yard (where the tree is located) is just one giant hill. He and his team showed up, dropped that crazy looking robot, and had the tree completely dropped within 3 1/2 hours. They cut the branches off first, cut it back to the trunk, and then pulled the rest into the forest. We paid $1,800 for the drop (no cleanup). They did their best to avoid the fence, but we knew that damage to the fence and to other trees/bushes were likely since they did not have the ability to rope the branches before dropping them. Jim's level of concern for our safety and our house was mind blowing. He knew it had to come down immediately, and he made it happen. We really thought an emergency same-day tree removal with a 100 foot robot would cost more than we could afford, but I think his price was fair and that he felt really bad for our predicament. In the last two years, we've had people quote $2000-$3000 to remove that tree BEFORE it had been cut through. Anyway, thank you all again for sharing your sage wisdom. If not for your advice, my husband and I would probably have a tree sitting in our house right now. I will check back in case anyone has any questions about it! Take care!

Great price & the best outcome! One question: did they have a guy in the bucket for the whole process, or did they switch out between the man bucket on the end of the boom, and a grappler claw with auto saw?

 

[lone wolf]

Thank you! His ropes and gear are all in the forest and we have no interest in trying to retrieve them. If he wants them badly enough, he can come dig through the rubbish and find them himself. The forest where the tree fell is mostly the neighbors property, which he is aware of, so we really can't stop him from retrieving them if he wants them badly enough. I couldn't remember the actual name of the equipment, but they referred to it as robot and said it was about the only thing at this point that would be able to reach the tree. It's a cool piece of machinery though. They guided it with a remote, and it just tracked right through our yard to the tree. They said it weighs 2,800 lbs and can conform to fit through a 36" space!

Yup those machines are super! Thanks for reporting back on here a lot of us were wondering how it went.

 

[Kitkat1]

I'm glad to hear it worked out so well in the end.

Going up in a lift under a tree already cut and back leaning is an extreme act of bravery. Or stupidity.


Glad it worked!

Evidently the face cut was already made and the tree had leaned back on the felling cut.

We'd still like to know.

Thank you! I did notice that the senior guys stood by the trucks yelling instructions to the younger guy who did all the work. I think Jim told us more about the cuts than I can remember. I will ask my husband and let you know what he said.

 

[mbrick]

Glad you found someone to take care of it. That is a nice piece of equipment.
Next question, going to follow up with the first guy or call his company??

I too would have liked to see the face cut detail before it came down.

Maybe you could share a few stump photos so we can see what the cuts looked like?

 

[Kitkat1]

Great price & the best outcome! One question: did they have a guy in the bucket for the whole process, or did they switch out between the man bucket on the end of the boom, and a grappler claw with auto saw?

Thank you! The guy stayed in the bucket the entire time and cut all the branches from the bucket. Since the tree had already been cut through, they didn't have to cut the trunk at all before pulling it into the forest.

 

[lone wolf]

Thank you! The guy stayed in the bucket the entire time and cut all the branches from the bucket. Since the tree had already been cut through, they didn't have to cut the trunk at all before pulling it into the forest.

Dangerous!

 

[Seachaser]

Thanks for reporting back!
Glad it worked out.

 

[Kitkat1]

Glad you found someone to take care of it. That is a nice piece of equipment.
Next question, going to follow up with the first guy or call his company??

I too would have liked to see the face cut detail before it came down.

Maybe you could share a few stump photos so we can see what the cuts looked like?

Glad you found someone to take care of it. That is a nice piece of equipment.
Next question, going to follow up with the first guy or call his company??

I too would have liked to see the face cut detail before it came down.

Maybe you could share a few stump photos so we can see what the cuts looked like?

Thank you! I did notice that the senior guys stood by the trucks yelling instructions to the younger guy who did all the work. I think Jim told us more about the cuts than I can remember. I will ask my husband and let you know what he said.

So, the face cut had already been made and the tree was leaning on the felling cut. This is the best picture I could get of the face cut last week.

 

[EchoShindaiwaMakitaDolmar]

KitKat, in my opinion and as others here have mentioned, legal action of some sort against the clown con-artist is essential. He left a tree in a state that was very dangerous, and MUST be held accountable.

"Wanton Disregard" comes to mind...

 

[mbrick]

So, the face cut had already been made and the tree was leaning on the felling cut. This is the best picture I could get of the face cut last week.

Yikes, I think this person was in well over their head.

 

[pdqdl]

So the homeowner now determines how I do the job .
Who are you to say that a homeowner lacks the expertise, so when you're all broke up and can't do tree work and hire someone, you won't have the expertise. I get it now.
So now it's about safety, I get it .

If you ever doubt that the final authority over the completion of a job belongs to the customer, just try telling them that you will do it your way when the government is your customer.

True, the customer can't tell you how to do a job. But they can damn sure tell you to get off the property, I don't want it done that way.

Who am I to say that? Common sense, it seems, at this point.
My advice to the homeowner was to use it. Your argument to the contrary shows a lack of it.