who owns tree after quote / invoice

[Rupe]

thanks for advice.

 

Will have something to fire back @ them tomorrow when we finnish up. will charge them if the try to keep timber.

 

actually i will just type out invoice tonight for milled timber and hand it to them tomorrow if the decide to keep it. lol

 

cheers

 

If they got other quotes and you were the cheapest then that will help you explain why you need to keep the timber.

[Tom D]

I have it in my t's & c's that all arisings belong to me unless agreed otherwise. TBH I always ask at the quote stage because if we are only removing chip I'll only take one vehicle. Its never been a problem.

[Xaltu]

I would say it is not clear cut as only a quote is mentioned not what the agreed contract for the job says, which may be different from the original quote supplied.

[Amelanchier]

I'd suggest that the arisings belong to the tree owner until they leave the site unless otherwise stipulated in your contract. However, if you have added value to those arisings (perhaps by milling them) then it would be reasonable to expect compensation for that loss should the client choose to keep the timber.

[Andy Collins]

Imo they are paying for a service to take down a tree that belongs to them. If they want the tree arisings removed that is an additional service, and is to be charged for. Therefore I will give 2 prices, one to fell, one to fell/remove. This saves them thinking you'll do the tree for the wood. I've always believed that the tree belongs to the owner, until the site is cleared by agreement. In law, the client is responsible for the disposal of the arisings, to ensure that they arent dumped in a lay-by up the road.

[Arborist Sites]

Simply blame the environment agency and say that as a business once you process any timber it belongs to you and is your responsibility to dispose of properly etc etc etc.

 

Afterall depending on who you speak to at the EA it might be the word of the law on that particular day.

 

Maybe that will put them off, an idea anyway...

[MattyF]

have been in this situation ..cant really do a lot about it i gave him a time scale for the work in that i milled some timber and he wanted it !!! he also wanted a discount for finishing 2 hours early???!!! if i have intentions of milling the timber i will now discuss, if they want it its extra....thats a lot of wear and tear on a £900 saw

[treequip]

Double posted Oooops

Edited February 12, 2010 by treequip
Double posted Oooops

[treequip]

When the client accepts your quote they enter into a contract with you, the arrisings belong to whoever you specified in your quote or, terms and conditions. If it isn’t in writing it can get a bit sticky with the “who said what to who”

 

If you allowed the value of timber as a discount on price you need to explain that to them.

Assuming you own the timber through the contractual arrangement you can agree on a variance and charge for any processing.

[Rupe]

Andy C is right that you should charge extra for the removal, but that is where the problem can lie, in that the customer would then expect a discount if they keep the wood.

 

Lets assume its logs not milled wood to keep it simple.

 

Cut down tree and remove brash 300

remove larger wood also 100. Total job price 400. customer accepts and off you go.

 

Now you workign away, and you know there is 2-300 quids of logs from this job (once seasoned, split and delivered) and the customers asks to keep it and expects 100 knocked off the bill. If you are there with two trucks ready to take it all, and you are expectign the additional proffit at a later date then it is a difficult situation, but if you knew before hand you could have changed your plans, made it a half day job and booked something else in.

 

You have to explain to the customer that if the wood was rubbish that you would be charging 200 for the removal of it, but you discounted that to 100 cos you can sell the wood to make up the difference. Therefore you offer to split the difference and charge them an extra 50 to leave it behind. You get 450 and don't move any wood and they get 300 quids worth of wood for 150 but they have to split it.

 

Never works!

 

When you say you are planning on sellign it, you can see them think that they should be getting some of the money. I explain that they are already getting it in the form of the discount for removal, but if they want the full money for it then pay mne the extra 50 and sell it themselves. They rarely go fo it.

 

 

Customers who are definalty keeping the wood right from the start get a cheaper quote cos we save so much time on those jobs, but discounting the actual work to get the wood is not a great move IMO.