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  1. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    I can understand the need for reasonable and quality work depending on what is involved. Still there should be an "Angie's List" for contractors with ratings on customers--the contractors are often defenseless against the problem customers. Why is it that a customer supposedly dangling a...
  2. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    There are good wealthy people to work for and bad ones. Here in "Disneyland", Fairfield County, CT, we get all types; referrals like the cosmetic executive who are just manipulative types that like to treat workers badly, to quality old money types of sound mind who are just trying to get a job...
  3. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    I don't why someone in business would even want to turn the problem on to other people, just tell them you are too busy, or don't return their calls. Finding a replacement is their problem.
  4. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    Debt collection is hard to execute. As far as I know you don't get paid until the property is up for sale as it is just an impediment to that. I have been trying to collect on a multi thousand dollar debt by a guy who ripped me off years ago on an expensive collectible. I got a legal...
  5. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    I did some work for a cosmetics executive years ago her landscaper didn't want to touch; clearing a lot of brush, prickers and fallen wood in a waste area. A friend helped me and we did as she asked. I billed her and she did not pay. A cosmetics executive living in a multi million dollar...
  6. tomstrees

    Problem customers

    Are you willing to work for problem customers? I haven't had many over the years, most are easy to work for pay quickly and I do return business with. One problem cuckoo lady called me this morning. Last winter she called me wanting some log splitting, saying she needed some firewood for...
  7. tomstrees

    Home Depot--Firewood from Latvia!

    The wood they sell seemed really light, not the birch which is known for quick burning. When customers come in I am sorry to have to sell it to them knowing it won't last long, no oak, or other hardwoods that burn slow are in the bundles. Even grocery stores have locally sourced woods.
  8. tomstrees

    Home Depot--Firewood from Latvia!

    A local supermarket has Reed's ginger ale on special now under $4 a four pack, great flavor and totally natural. Weirdly my father liked Verner's ginger ale which he had somehow been sold on many years previously. Not a real ginger ale like Reeds. Or make your own, organic ginger is available...
  9. tomstrees

    Home Depot--Firewood from Latvia!

    This is weird, the local Home Depot where I work part time sells firewood imported from Latvia! Both their White birch and other hardwood firewood is from Europe, from Latvia!!! "Eco Forest" I think this is a link it...
  10. tomstrees

    Old trees fertilizing methods

    150-200 plus year old trees are not something that can be reinvigorated much right? The only sensible solution is to either leave it alone or maybe top dress with humus rich soil, others here would know better. On this request by a customer I used an organic fertilizer, some lime, etc...
  11. tomstrees

    Old trees fertilizing methods

    A customer had this 150 year old oak tree with very little in the way of real foliage, mainly sucker growth. She was hoping that something could be done to re-invigorate it. I got the best organic fertilizer, low nitrogen and it did not seem to help. I guess the message here is don't do...
  12. tomstrees

    Estimate increase over time

    The dollar gets weaker every year, but it seems like customers expect labor to be cheaper.
  13. tomstrees

    Hiring extra labor

    I would never let workers run power equipment, too risky. A local guy hired an illegal and the guy intentionally put his finger webbing to be cut by a chain saw, just enough to create an accident that would heal, and sued the guy's company!
  14. tomstrees

    Do you let customers help with work?

    I don't do that much tree work now, have the investment in saws and my own attempt to stay in robust physical condition. And on insurance, I am not carrying liability, have health insurance but am vigilant on safety issues. Ultimately it comes down to doing the job efficiently. I prefer...
  15. tomstrees

    Do you let customers help with work?

    I'd agree, it depends how busy you are. A local property owner contacted me on a bunch of fallen trees on his property. He's been playing the field and was complaining he couldn't get laborers or landscapers to do the job (at his price). It looked like a couple half days, and I said $50-$75...
  16. tomstrees

    Hiring extra labor

    But what if you don't have enough work to hire full time? How do you get occasional workers legally?
  17. tomstrees

    Hiring extra labor

    How do you find labor in a labor intensive business, and try to do it legally? This problem caused me among other challenges to bow out of tree and landscape work in the early 2000s. I have seen numerous businesses continue to hire illegal workers as regulations and compliance are still weak...
  18. tomstrees

    Do you let customers help with work?

    I looked at a customer's property yesterday, he has probably 8 or so acres @ $1million an acre. Guy wants to participate in various improvement jobs. I don't see any problem if he doesn't increase danger or safety issues. I work at Home Depot where insurance companies dictate strong terms to...
  19. tomstrees

    Do you let customers help with work?

    I had a couple log splitting jobs recently where the customers came out to help, is this not a good thing or should it be permitted in some situations? I'm seeing this more often during the covid restrictions. Customer one didn't really do that much just fed me some wood I was splitting in the...
  20. tomstrees

    How much does basic liability insurance cost?

    What would be the least amount you would need to be spending on liability insurance doing some tree work to cover possible accidents? Also what is really meant by various types of insurance? When I had landscaper's insurance, it really didn't cover tree work, and seemed to be geared to just...

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