Topping trees

[Windwalker]

Well I lost another job today.

I am not a certified Arborist and never sell my self as one, I am always upfront about that to the customer. I do removals, dead wooding, hazard trims and clearance trims. I also run a stump grinder and a portable sawmill, so I keep plenty busy that I don't need to get involved with pruning and shaping. When I get a call for that I pass and tell them to make sure the guy they hire is certified and uses proper pruning techniques.

I had a customer call me about trimming a wild cherry tree that was over a small shed in their backyard. Sounded like they wanted some limbs over the shed removed. I went out to give them a price and it turns out they want it topped. I said so you want it to look like a stick figure? She said yep, just cut all the branches off about half way up. I said that is not good practice and I think it looks bad and I don't do that. This is a scrubby old wild cherry that sits next to a shed and they have a burn barrel on the other side. The one side is scorched from the burn barrel and the tree has a good bit of dead wood in it. I pointed this out and recommended removal and planting a new tree in a better location away from the burn barrel. She said she would talk to her husband. She called and left a message yesterday that they still want to have the tree topped.

I see this a lot and I think it looks like shit, not even figuring the problems it creates. There are a lot of guys around here that do it, I'm just not one of them.

I did a job earlier this week where I removed three maple trees that were topped by a competitor two years ago. The homeowner was not happy with all the new shoots and how tall and how fast they grew in two years. He said he was worse off now since some of the new shoots where failing and some of the branches died and had a fair bit of decay. So he wanted the trees gone. After I explained about topping and what happens he said he wished the other guy would have told him what was going to happen before he spent the money to have them topped.

Rant over! Have a good day and climb safe!

I'm sure you've all run into this.

 

[ThatsNotMaple]

I run into estimates like this pretty much on a daily basis. I also encounter the "please cut down this topped tree" job every week or so. Honestly, we are starting to screen calls for job descriptions to prevent wasted time on estimates that will absolutely not yield any business.

When faced with an estimate that involves topping my usual line is "as an arborist I cannot in good conscience do the work you're asking for" - this is usually after explaining why topping is bad practice. If they persist I just tell them it would be unethical and I could lose my certifications. This is, obviously, not completely truthful and maybe in itself unethical, but I don't care. I would rather lose their business than my reputation.

Customer education is a huge part of doing estimates in this industry, but many times the customers just want what they want. Sometimes I can convince them to do what's right for the tree, but sometimes I just have to walk away knowing another tree will be removed in the next few seasons. You can't save them all.

 

[evo]

Well I lost another job today.

I am not a certified Arborist and never sell my self as one, I am always upfront about that to the customer. I do removals, dead wooding, hazard trims and clearance trims. I also run a stump grinder and a portable sawmill, so I keep plenty busy that I don't need to get involved with pruning and shaping. When I get a call for that I pass and tell them to make sure the guy they hire is certified and uses proper pruning techniques.

I had a customer call me about trimming a wild cherry tree that was over a small shed in their backyard. Sounded like they wanted some limbs over the shed removed. I went out to give them a price and it turns out they want it topped. I said so you want it to look like a stick figure? She said yep, just cut all the branches off about half way up. I said that is not good practice and I think it looks bad and I don't do that. This is a scrubby old wild cherry that sits next to a shed and they have a burn barrel on the other side. The one side is scorched from the burn barrel and the tree has a good bit of dead wood in it. I pointed this out and recommended removal and planting a new tree in a better location away from the burn barrel. She said she would talk to her husband. She called and left a message yesterday that they still want to have the tree topped.

I see this a lot and I think it looks like shit, not even figuring the problems it creates. There are a lot of guys around here that do it, I'm just not one of them.

I did a job earlier this week where I removed three maple trees that were topped by a competitor two years ago. The homeowner was not happy with all the new shoots and how tall and how fast they grew in two years. He said he was worse off now since some of the new shoots where failing and some of the branches died and had a fair bit of decay. So he wanted the trees gone. After I explained about topping and what happens he said he wished the other guy would have told him what was going to happen before he spent the money to have them topped.

Rant over! Have a good day and climb safe!

I'm sure you've all run into this.

Don't top the tree, offer the maple clients contact info for a referral? and most importantly get certified, its really not that hard just study up and perhaps go to a chapter conference.

 

[semifnordic]

get certified, its really not that hard just study up and perhaps go to a chapter conference.

And work for someone for 3 years... "The ISA Credentialing Council requires a candidate to have a minimum of three years of full-time experience in arboriculture...Documentation of work experience is required with submittal of application."

 

[southsoundtree]

Was this requested-topping a two-stage top, then later remove type job?

What was their current use and longer term plan for the tree and location?

 

[Tom Dunlap]

A huge turning point for me and my business happened when I only did work that is accepted professional practice.

Clients get glassy eyed quickly when tree science becomes the topic. Letting them know that the work can be done but I follow current trade practices. It wasn't ethical of me to do sub standard work. While they were digesting that I would tell them that the work they desired was like having paint go over rust. It works...but it's a setup to fail

I'd sell a lot of work right on the spot.