?Arborist? cutting next door, tossing into my yard

[Trinity Honoria]

I need your advice... owner of house next door hired someone with a 'cherry picker' to cut down his 40'+ pines in his front yard... he let the first top, about 10'-12', crash into my 50 yr old pecan tree... then has been tossing all the segments he has cut into my yard since...

Now he wants to pull his big ole truck across my front yard... after reading your posts here, it would seem he has poor work habits by not even letting me know he was going to use my yard as a dumping ground (assuming the huge limb landing with an OOOMP!!! in my pecan tree was not deliberate)...

OK, folks... tell me what would've been good work ethics here...

and if i let him scar my front yard with his big ole truck

 

[newb]

Take pictures and if hes still there I'd call the police and make a report. What he did was tresspass and damaged your property. He gives us all a bad name. He also probably underbid a quality arborist to get the job. For the sake of all of us, dont't let him off the hook. Pete

 

[Newfie]

How well do you get along w/ your neighbor?

Was your neighbor witness to this hacks work and let it continue?

 

[Trinity Honoria]

the neighbor is an architect who thought i would improve the neighborhood (fooled him!)-- as a single mom of 4 munchkins, in graduate school 120 miles away, overwhelmed by home ownership, may i say we didn't get off on the right foot???

the neighbor's wife saw the problem and did nothing (they live across the street, purchased house next to me to rennovate & sell-- the trees are coming down in preparation of the landscaper)... if the neighbor asked me, nicely, i'd probably let the big ole truck in the yard... if the hack had let me know he was cutting next to my line, stuff 'might' come on my property, i wouldn't have been miffed... IF when the large limb crashed into my pecan tree, he'd let me know, i woulda been pleasanter... assuming he had the RIGHT to drive that huge thing across my front yard just didn't sit well...

and yes, the neighbor let it continue... but the wife is a gentle creature {just like me HA HA HA} and wouldn't interfere, regardless of what she saw... Mr Architect will probably be knocking on my door this evening...

and he is cutting solo-- just him, his saw, and his big ole truck...

 

[darkstar]

sounds fishy

 

[Trinity Honoria]

sounds fishy

nope-- i didn't see any fish...

 

[treeseer]

Trespass yes, pictures YES PLEASE send them here and save them too, police maybe later.

The pecan tree--if it's damaged, I recommend they send you a check for the loss in value plus repair cost. It takes $60. to file a suit in small claims court, and the publicity for the hack is priceless. :angel:

Your neighbor has the opinion that their yard will be worth more without those trees--print out "Tree Values" from the link below and give them a copy.

pm me if you want, saying what town you're in; I may be able to refer you to someone.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

my neighbor, Mr Architect, will not give a rats a$$ what i show him on the value of the trees... the houses on this street are not high end homes, but he thinks his is the Taj Mahal... and he "knows all things" as to what is tasteful... therefore, i have considered over the years of putting 100 pink flamingoes in my front yard

i didn't understand the landscaping until i realized his front door looks into the front yard of this house next door-- so it's all about him <grin>...

from what i can tell, my pecan isn't damaged at all-- no sign of bark loss-- it hit in a 'crotch' of the two major limbs about 10' off the ground (sorry if my terminology is wrong)-- but it hit in a strong part of the tree that seems to have absorbed the crash ok... i'm not adverse to asking someone to come look at it...

i'll be watching what else happens-- some light weight pine branches are lodged in one of my precious dogwoods. the dogwood branches end over his property line, so it'll be interesting to see if they clip those...

 

[Trinity Honoria]

Tree Terrorizing Continues

OK, now guy up in 'cherry picker' (can someone tell me a better term?) is up, cutting about 2-3' lengths of branches, tossing them towards a ground guy who never looks up...

Question: as i've read threads here, i keep reading about using ropes etc... so far, this man is only cutting and either tossing by hand or when it's the main trunk, simply shoving what he's cut off the trunk and letting gravity take it down...

i know i have neither pics or vids yet-- but does this sound like "good practice?"

thanks for all this list has already taught me... a month ago, i wouldn't even know to ask questions...

 

[treeseer]

but does this sound like "good practice?" .

nO harm, no foul, ok practice to just drop things if they hurt nothing. Are they still trespassing? Can you borrow a camera?

 

[Tree Machine]

Usually the limbs don't harm much lawn, but the hunks being pushed off create mondo divets in the lawn.

I use a tire system, my most low-tech piece of gear, and it totally preserves the lawn. My clients appreciate that very much, but many homeowners accept that tree work is big dangerous work and the lawn is going to take a beating aroung the base of the tree.

If I'm ever going to work on the next door neighbor's property, I ask permission first, and assure them a 100% cleanup. Usually i do something free for them as a thank you for being OK with it all. Many times those neighbors then become my new customers.

As long as they're not damaging your property, Trinity, it's just unfortunate they didn't feel like being courteous. If they had come to your door and let you know what was going to be happening, I imagine you'd be OK. But they didn't, so it gave you cause for question.

I think they should have given you two or three minutes of their time. Being informed means a lot to people.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

well, i just returned from a movie... there're are branches scattered along the side of my yard-- in my yard.

a man who either has Parkinson's disease or is drunk (he has a horrendous tremor and is shaking) is up in the cherry picker. he then started up the chain saw and began cutting off 6" slices of the trunk...

my caution of letting this group (they were solo day one, had a ground guy this morning, and 4 guys picking up wood when some trucks arrived to carry it off) drive onto my ground was a knee jerk reaction to their lack of concern for my property before the truck was on my property... they are removing 7 or more trees, all able to be reached with the truck not on my property... if they had indicated they were going to be dropping trees on my property prior, i wouldn't have reacted negatively (the four of the trees are/were within 8" of the property line-- with their particular style & technique, they knew they were going to be tossing stuff over here)

as to my concern as to shoving large hunks of trunk off at great heights, they were shoving them toward my house-- one landed 6" from my home.

the neighbor hasn't come over to chat, although he had ample time to this morning. if he had asked me to let the truck come across my yard, i would have allowed it as keeping good neighbor relations in a tentative situation is more important than my yard... however, being demanded by said hack that he essentially had the right just didn't sit well...

and as someone mentioned divots-- yep i have them now... and i will deal with it. this is a situation where i need to pick my battles... and you gents have all educated me well here!!! i thank each and every one of you...

 

[treeseer]

as to my concern as to shoving large hunks of trunk off at great heights, they were shoving them toward my house-- one landed 6" from my home. keeping good neighbor relations in a tentative situation is more important than my yard... however, being demanded by said hack that he essentially had the right just didn't sit well... ...

Let's see, they were trespassing yesterday, they are trespassing worse today, and you're still being nice. The neighbor and his contractors treat you like spit, and you want to keep 'good' relations with them?

At this rate they'll be stealing your silver tomorrow, and you'll be polishing it for them.

 

[notahacker]

I sometimes want to change the name of my tree service to...Common Sence Tree Service! There are seriously a lot of "hack job" guys out there. I have at least 2 in my town. They drive the ligit companies crazy!

 

[Trinity Honoria]

Let's see, they were trespassing yesterday, they are trespassing worse today, and you're still being nice. The neighbor and his contractors treat you like spit, and you want to keep 'good' relations with them?

At this rate they'll be stealing your silver tomorrow, and you'll be polishing it for them.

i see i have irritated you... well, there's no silver to steal as that disappeared in my house fire in 1996...

the damage has remained minimal (divots and close calls are minimal in my estimation)... i do know these are not a group of guys i would hire... and getting pissy about minimal damage and further damaging a marginal relationship with my neighbor doesn't feel like good judgement to me... the neighbor (Mr Architect) has always had 'issues' with me as i don't belong to the country club... i'm just a simple social worker... confronting him on this, unless there's major damage, is a no win situation...

i started the thread as it appeared the problems could become large (such as major damage to one large pecan tree on that side of my yard or to the house)... i realize i was being my skeptical self... so far, the worst scenario has not occurred...

 

[Dadatwins]

I do not believe your arguement would be with the 'ivory tower' neighbor, but with the nitwit tree company that is trespassing on your property and causing damage. Shot holes in the ground may look minimal, but damage to underground utilities may be a reality. Logs bouncing 6" near my house should issue a much bigger response than 'oh well'. Why wait till something does get damaged? I would request they get off your property immediatly, repair the damage and work from the property owners side, however difficult it may be.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

why am i not out there, tackling the guys with chain saws?

for one, i come across like a screaming banshee :blob5: :blob5: and it will only create more problems with the neighbor. these trees can only come down once. i have the children & animals remaining in areas of the house/yard where they are safe. and from my perspective, the primary problem is with the neighbor who (1) has hired guys who are doing an honest days work, but perhaps without the ability to do a professional job and (2) he's been around enough to see what is being done-- he sees it, is ignoring it, and he knows better.

due to Tree Machine's experience, i certainly know to leave the area when they bring in the stump grinder, as there are some large stumps remaining... and i dread what can happen with that machine running...

i started this entire discussion as the tree cutting episode started so poorly, i was expecting it to get much worse... other than divots, there's no damage.

it's also been interesting to hear the responses from all of you... you have not only educated me to appropriate behavior as the outraged neighbor to tree work, but how to be appropriate toward my neighbors when i have work done-- and what to expect of my arborist to preserve good neighborly relations...

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

If I were you, I'd immediately speak to whoever is in charge of the tree crew and ask them nicely to please respect the property line.
By allowing them to work on your side, it's conceivable that you are opening yourself up to liability. One of the workers could be hurt or killed on your side and you have no idea what kind of insurance they carry, and from the sounds of things, they may have none. By seeing them on your side and not stopping them, you may be giving implied permission to work there.

 

[Trinity Honoria]

touche`!!!

Hey Trinity Guy is not irritated.

He's just feisty by nature. As you can see we are a ready bunch.

Dan

Dan,

good return!!!

and yes, i appreciate the energy and zest here... which is why i stay, read a lot of the threads-- the topics may not concern me now, but ya never ever know!!!

 

[Trinity Honoria]

If I were you, I'd immediately speak to whoever is in charge of the tree crew and ask them nicely to please respect the property line.
By allowing them to work on your side, it's conceivable that you are opening yourself up to liability. One of the workers could be hurt or killed on your side and you have no idea what kind of insurance they carry, and from the sounds of things, they may have none. By seeing them on your side and not stopping them, you may be giving implied permission to work there.

EEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!!!

never thought of it this way... and i already have enough attorneys on retainer for a variety of situations (no, i am not litigious-- just am involved in a variety of things!!!)

ok, i just mowed the lawn so i could clearly see what is going on... largest divot is about 6" across and 5" deep...

the tree guys have just arrived... and my money is on (1) no business license, (2) no liability insurance...

OK, so let me ask this... there's wood on my side, but other than picking it up, they aren't on my turf... other than the guy who stepped over here to slice up the branch that bonked my pecan tree, they haven't been on my side... so is this still a problem???

your guidance is welcome...