What's a 30% reduction to you?

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

I don't see why anyone should be writing a spec that just includes a percentage without explaining it. It takes seconds to describe works accurately - I suspect people either;

1. can't be bothered,
   
2. don't know what they're doing or
   
3. expect to get the work,
   

 

Honestly, if you're going to use a percentage - state what it's a percentage of! Otherwise you might as well say "cut off not too much and not too little."

 

I use the metres from the outer limit of the crown method and often specify a maximum cut diameter as well. Of course, I'm not going to climb the tree with a set of callipers but it communicates my expectations. Everyone can be on the same page.

 

I've often thought we should spec what's going to be left of the tree rather than whats coming off. The cut diameter is part of that but maybe something like;

 

Undertake a crown reduction by the removal of no more than 2m of the outermost canopy back to suitable secondary growth points, leaving minimum crown dimensions of 8m radial spread and 18m overall height at any one point. Resulting pruning cuts must not exceed 150mm in diameter.

 

That took 20 odd seconds to write, its not hard. Just a tiny bit more effort (more so on large numbers of trees!)

 

I know people like a flexible spec so they can make their own judgements when climbing and react to the pruning points - fair enough, there is room for leeway but it fundamentally ties down what the hell is going to happen to the tree.

 

well said Tony, anyone would think this is rocket science, its just a communication thing.

 

It would be so much better if ALL jobs had been specified in the manner Tony describes before the quoting stage, even for domestic jobs, that way we would all be quoting for the same job and on a level playing field.

 

one mans quote currently for a 30% reduction is not another mans 30%, Quality work takes a little more time to do, is harder to do and requires more skill. Anyone can come along and "wack" out 30% of a tree overall and that makes this an unfair quoting scenario.

 

The customer is often blissfully unaware of this situation.