Ripped off by tree surgeons

[Jon@CareFell]

Brilliant that you came back with a comprehensive reposte Martin 

 

As ever, here comes the “but”...

 

But, I’m confused.....

 

You say you’ve been through the mill with various trades, and, as a consequence,  had a go at some things yourself (tree felling included - which ended badly), and you’ve been generally unhappy with some elements, and gone so far as court action.....

 

And I can relate to all of that having also renovated an 1830s farmhouse from near dereliction. I feel you Bro!

 

But the but is....

 

The biggest lesson from my journey was CHOOSE THE SERVICE PROVIDER WISELY! Sometimes £50, £100, £150/day cash for a casual labour type scenario is entirely appropriate, sometimes is just isn’t. 

 

The “I wouldn’t get out of bed for less than £100/day” quote seems to have made quite an impact upon you. But frankly, the ‘cost’ to an employer of providing a man (or woman) @ £100/day is close to 1 ½ times that so why would anyone bother to get out of bed, to get someone out of bed, to work for £100/day?  

 

That just leaves the option of ‘the man from the pub’ who will do it for £50-100 cash to top up thier Social (whilst undermining the very principles of the Welfare State so as to have more disposable cash to throw ale down their Gregory.)

 

Take the cheap option and shoulder the responsibility of what happens if things go bad....

 

or

 

Outsource the job AND the responsibility to someone that you can hold to account if things go bad....

 

Rarely is it possible to have both!

 

 

 

 

Some very good points. A client of mine had some issues with a tradesman, not tree work mind but it is a case in point.

He got a cheap quote from a chap and the guy he employed had one of his machines break, it was probably old and poorly maintained. He then had to go and fix said machine and come back. Then, I expect, realising he was making no money rushed the job leaving it half done. Not only was it half done he caused damage while doing it. Not everything came to light until a few months later. The upshot of all this was that my customer had to pay someone else to finish the job and was left with a load of damage that he actually fixed himself.

[Vespasian]

20 minutes ago, Rich Rule said:

Well the job has been done...  I think the guy who did it deserved a bit more than 150 knicker.

 

What say you Vespa?  Easy isn't it?

 

 

Damn thats scary..

 

Now, taking on something as plainly dangerous as that is a different kettle of fish.  we're not talking a piddling job here are we.. 

 

Considering the set up time, the element of danger involved were talking good money for taking on that thing..   If there was a way, I'd set the charges at the stump and run like hell..   damn the other tree's round abouts..

[Mark Bolam]

That job was probably safer than felling ash stems from a ladder on a banking....

[Vespasian]

18 minutes ago, MattyF said:

The job I was talking about was a completely different job that required heavy machinary to lift and mill a huge oak Butt but emphasis the point customers don’t see the cost ... unfortunately are industry is riddled with jack of all clowns like you who think they are experts with no training or overheads creaming off easy jobs and having accidents making are insurance go up and have to apply more HSE regs to are crews to prove we are not as dumb which in turn requires more paper work and training and cost which I’m sure you won’t apply to your work and continue how you are as a liability , I quite agree with the OP that is not a £400 job but we have no idea or really care why he was quoted so high... he is not obliged to take the quote and won’t !

I've not had no accident to date, and even if I did I'd put it down to me.  never made an insurance claim neither and don't intend too. again if I break it I pay for it..  personal injuries?, if I get caught its down to me, tough tities is what I say I'll deal with the consequences in my own way..

 

I'm as livid as the next man when idiots cost me money on insurance, especially as I don't intend to claim on it myself.. I insure my van third party just to make me careful, and live by my own code of conduct..  even if someone crashes into me, I pay..

 

So yea, I won't cost you or other tree surgeons a penny more than you pay.. and its not like I'm out cutting tree's down everyday..  sometimes I can go for months without chopping off a branch...

[Vespasian]

7 minutes ago, Mark Bolam said:

That job was probably safer than felling ash stems from a ladder on a banking....

well the ladder was put up for comic effect Mr Bolam 

[Mesterh]

So firms who run well maintained new equipment who run two-three man gangs all insured and qualified can't put a decent price on the job because it can be done by one bloke who turns up in his car?

Who knows why the original quote was £450, maybe it was a firm with 100 staff, large overheads who specialise in jobs that one man bands can never do.

 

Remember, if said firms didn't replace equipment regularly there would be hardly any second hand machines available. We would all have to buy brand new at a higher cost than now due to less demand. Just because they charge more doesn't make them rip off merchants. It's all relevant. 

 

 

 

[difflock]

Like a very old cartoon, from 50 odd years ago,  a Peanut type character, who was having troubles with his Go-cart, took it to the local Go-cart repair specialist, a dishevelled looking kid, who quoted Peanut a sum, let us say £1.00 (and 50 year ago, that was serious money to a child) to effect a repair.

Peanut agreed.

Said specialist then instantly whacked the Go-cart with a hammer, stated it was fixed, and held out his hand for payment  .  .  .

Peanut squalked; "£1.00 to hit it with a hammer, I could do that myself!"

Specialist sagely replied, "the £1.00 charge was for knowing where and how  to hit it"

A whole lot of truth was contained in that cartoon.

mth

Edited February 8, 2018 by difflock

[eggsarascal]

17 minutes ago, difflock said:

Like a very old cartoon, from 50 odd years ago,  a Peanut type character, who was having troubles with his Go-cart, took it to the local Go-cart repair specialist, a dishevelled looking kid, who quoted Peanut a sum, let us say £1.00 (and 50 year ago, that was serious money to a child) to effect a repair.

Peanut agreed.

Said specialist then instantly whacked the Go-cart with a hammer, stated it was fixed, and held out his hand for payment  .  .  .

Peanut squalked; "£1.00 to hit it with a hammer, I could do that myself!"

Specialist sagely replied, "the £1.00 charge was for knowing where and how  to hit it"

A whole lot of truth was contained in that cartoon.

mth

http://www.nfps.info/_blog/NFPS_Blog/post/the-10-thousand-pound-bill-for-fixing-a-boat-with-a-hammer/

 

The customer isn't just paying for what you do, they are also paying for what you know.

Edited February 8, 2018 by eggsarascal

[difflock]

Well "my" tale(or parable?) was much more succinct, and conveyed exactly the same wisdom!

cheers

mth

P.S.

I am quite sure, in the days of the Egyptian Pharaohs, such tales were told of Chariot repair specialists!

Or in cave man days, stone wheel repair specialists!

Possibly, even, before the wheel was invented, blunt instrument  repair specialists!

Edited February 8, 2018 by difflock

[Mark Bolam]

57 minutes ago, Vespasian said:

well the ladder was put up for comic effect Mr Bolam 

Well, you couldn't use spikes because the tree is being retained.

What's left of it, that is....