How would you prune this tree

[Mick Dempsey]

Why did they switch it around on the morning of the work?
Because It is a common case of a tree surgeon not really listening to the clients concerns and steering the client into what they want to do rather than what the client really wants.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

Why did they switch it around on the morning of the work?
Because It is a common case of a tree surgeon not really listening to the clients concerns and steering the client into what they want to do rather than what the client really wants.

While I appreciate your input, please don’t assume that a client’s back and forth is due to me being an incompetent tree surgeon.

Even other posters literally stated they’ve encountered clients who have switched things around last minute like that.

For the last time, the client didn’t contact me because they were set on a height reduction. They contacted me asking me my thoughts and opinions on the tree. She asked if I thought the tree was too tall and I said no I didn’t think it was too tall and therefore did not need a reduction.

I even asked her her vision for the tree, what height would she ideally like it, and she couldn’t give me an answer. She said she didn’t have any vision. I also mentioned the re-planting option like another poster stated, something that would be smaller and more manageable.

I discussed every possible option there was. Ultimately she told me to use my judgement and do what I thought was best. She hired me to do the work we discussed in person, and then changed things up with what she was thinking the morning of.

Some people don’t read their contracts / estimates carefully when agreeing to / signing, some people forget, some people have no clue what they actually want, and some people are just funny about their trees.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

If a client phones a tree surgeon up they have an idea of what they want done.

They don’t get someone round for ‘thoughts and opinions’

Anyway, carry on.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

If a client phones a tree surgeon up they have an idea of what they want done.

They don’t get someone round for ‘thoughts and opinions’

Anyway, carry on.

Not necessarily. Maybe things are different out your way.

Out here, it isn’t uncommon for people to get consults to find out if any maintenance or anything should be done to a tree, etc. especially if they’ve never had a tree looked at and want to keep it healthy. Or they are unsure of what exactly should or shouldn’t be done so they want an assessment.

My main reason for starting the thread was because I was interested in people’s thoughts in general on a crown reduction for a tree like this and this size, not necessarily specific just to this particular job.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Well since you ask.
I would have banged out a crown reduction, not now, later in the year.
Tried to get it into a better shape from where it i s pulling away from that bigger oak in next doors garden.

Maples like that react well to reductions.
Go back every 5/7 years, rinse and repeat.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

Well since you ask.
I would have banged out a crown reduction, not now, later in the year.
Tried to get it into a better shape from where it i s pulling away from that bigger oak in next doors garden.

Maples like that react well to reductions.
Go back every 5/7 years, rinse and repeat.

Just curious would you have used a bucket / lift or climbed? Or a ladder and pole saw?

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Climbed it and a power pruner for the lower horizontals.

 

[southsoundtree]

If you care to, share your contract specs.


The "do what you think is best" is a problem waiting to happen.

 

[climbingmonkey24]

If you care to, share your contract specs.


The "do what you think is best" is a problem waiting to happen.

To clarify, when I write up the estimate I outline specifically what type of pruning is going to be done exactly, etc.

I meant that when she was asking me for my opinions / recommendations she was saying that she was trusting in my judgement to give her an honest opinion.

But yea I agree with you, that could become problematic if nothing specific is outlined.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

If a client phones a tree surgeon up they have an idea of what they want done.

They don’t get someone round for ‘thoughts and opinions’

Anyway, carry on.

This is definitely a cultural thing. My calls are 90% clients who just want to know what they should do with their trees and give me carte blanche to treat it like it was my own property. I give them a laundry list of things with different priority levels and they choose what they can afford to do. The other 10% are storm damage, things of that nature.

 

[evo]

If a client phones a tree surgeon up they have an idea of what they want done.

They don’t get someone round for ‘thoughts and opinions’

Anyway, carry on.

I’d guess that 50% of my work is based off my suggestions. I get hired for my advise. Even if it means a removal.
I share my opinion on how to benefit the tree or viability, we discuss options and then I quote the refined plan of attack.

 

[Reach]

I’d guess that 50% of my work is based off my suggestions. I get hired for my advise. Even if it means a removal.
I share my opinion on how to benefit the tree or viability, we discuss options and then I quote the refined plan of attack.

I am probably in the same category. I give a lot of opinions as well, most of which are heeded. That is why people call us, we have a reputation for knowing what we are talking about, and doing excellent work. People hire us because of those two reasons, not just one.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

.

This is definitely a cultural thing. My calls are 90% clients who just want to know what they should do with their trees and give me carte blanche to treat it like it was my own property. I give them a laundry list of things with different priority levels and they choose what they can afford to do. The other 10% are storm damage, things of that nature.

So 90% of your clients call you, they say ‘come over and sort my trees out’ they offer no opinions or offer up any clue as to what trees they like, dislike, want removed, pruned or whatever, just walk the property and come back with what you think.

90% right?

 

[Mick Dempsey]

I’d guess that 50% of my work is based off my suggestions. I get hired for my advise. Even if it means a removal.
I share my opinion on how to benefit the tree or viability, we discuss options and then I quote the refined plan of attack.

Well duh!

 

[southsoundtree]

Go pet Igor some, ok?

You're sounding argumentative.


Quite often potential customers have ideas, often they are clueless ideas that require some education.

I just knocked over 3 rotting maples that were topped or had 2 of 3 co-dominant trunks removed by _____'s Tree Service about 6 years ago.
Sometimes, its the tree guys who are also clueless. That tree service is well-equipped and long-established.

 

[Stumpsprouts]

If a client phones a tree surgeon up they have an idea of what they want done.

They don’t get someone round for ‘thoughts and opinions’

Anyway, carry on.

This is definitely a cultural thing. My calls are 90% clients who just want to know what they should do with their trees and basically give me carte blanche to treat it like it was my own property. The other 10% are storm damage, things of that nature.

So 90% of your clients call you, they say ‘come over and sort my trees out’ they offer no opinions or offer up any clue as to what trees they like, dislike, want removed, pruned or whatever, just walk the property and come back with what you think.

90% right?

Yes! I love my job.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

Maybe I am

Go pet Igor some, ok?

You're sounding argumentative.


Quite often potential customers have ideas, often they are clueless ideas that require some education.

I just knocked over 3 rotting maples that were topped or had 2 of 3 co-dominant trunks removed by _____'s Tree Service about 6 years ago.
Sometimes, its the tree guys who are also clueless. That tree service is well-equipped and long-established.

Oooh

Go pet Igor some, ok?

You're sounding argumentative.


Quite often potential customers have ideas, often they are clueless ideas that require some education.

I just knocked over 3 rotting maples that were topped or had 2 of 3 co-dominant trunks removed by _____'s Tree Service about 6 years ago.
Sometimes, its the tree guys who are also clueless. That tree service is well-equipped and long-established.

Don’t you have something to laminate?

 

[southsoundtree]

Hahaha

 

[Basswood]

It’s weird to me that a professional giving their 2 cents, and sometimes overriding the clients wants is such a foreign thing to some.

You don’t tell a mechanic how you want your car fixed.

 

[Mick Dempsey]

It’s weird to me that a professional giving their 2 cents, and sometimes overriding the clients wants is such a foreign thing to some.

You don’t tell a mechanic how you want your car fixed.

Well sometimes you do,

There are a million scenarios whereby a mechanic might say you may want to do this or that and you might not want to do it for cost reasons.

You don’t tell him how to do it, but you do tell him what you want done.