Moral Dilema - help

rca779

I'll try to keep this as brief as I can

I have a row of conifers, about 20 feet long that had grown ridiculously high. Had a young guy come around who has just started his own business. He quoted me to take the top off the trees and bring the overall height down to about 7' so that I could maintain it myself in future.

Got home last night after he had completed to find that the hedge is still over 10' in height. Spoke to the guy who said he didn't want to cut it down any further as there was "dead" wood behind. It's not dead though, just a lot of brown that you often find in conifers. I said I wasn't satisfied as the hedge hadn't been trimmed to the height we agreed. I also spoke to my neighbour who actually had to help the guy and offer advice on how to do the job. The long and short of it was that he simply wasn't up to doing the job and didn't have the right equipment.

I exchanged a few text messages with him last night as he wanted paying. I said I wasn't paying as the job wasn't finished.

I am now left with the job of having to get someone else in to finish the job.

What I have agreed to do is pay this guy any difference between what he quoted me and how much it costs to get the job done properly. The problem might be that it costs more to put right (it's been really bodged) and so there won't be any funds left.

I do feel sorry for the lad, I know he worked very hard and he said he had to pay to remove the rubbish, but if it's going to cost me even more to get the job completed, should I still pay him?

DevCoder

You have to give him a chance to put it right (three times I think), you can't just go and get someone else in and withhold his payment or offset it.

Unless he doesn't want to do the job of course and agrees to the arrangement.

victor2

He's failed to do the job as agreed, so in one respect you shouldn't pay him.
However, you do feel sorry for him, so maybe you can pay him enough to cover his cost of disposal, but certainly a lot less than his quote. He took on a job he couldn't handle - and should see it as one of life's lessons.

rca779

krisdorey wrote: »

You have to give him a chance to put it right (three times I think), you can't just go and get someone else in and withhold his payment or offset it.

Unless he doesn't want to do the job of course and agrees to the arrangement.

I have offered him the chance to finish the job but it would seem that the job is just too much for him. My neighbour said that he only had DIY tools rather than professional ones and the trees trunks left are BIG. It's a shame as I really wanted to give him the opportunity, I was very impressed that he had set-up on hisself so young, but I guess it'll be a hard lesson learnt for him

rca779

victor2 wrote: »

He's failed to do the job as agreed, so in one respect you shouldn't pay him.
However, you do feel sorry for him, so maybe you can pay him enough to cover his cost of disposal, but certainly a lot less than his quote. He took on a job he couldn't handle - and should see it as one of life's lessons.

Thanks Victor, that was my thoughts exactly. I don't want to see him out of pocket for the waste disposal.

ed110220

He may actually be right about the dead, or at least leafless wood. Conifers, with a few exceptions like yew, will not sprout from the bare leafless wood like most broadleaf trees. Therefore if you cut back into the larger branches they will die rather than resprout.

It all really depends how much greenery there is going to be left from cutting 20' trees to 7' as any further growth will only come from that greenery, not the bare wood.

macman

What tree surgery qualifications has he got if he's bought equipment that is not up to what sounds like a relatively straightforward job?

rca779

I don't think he has any qualifications, I have to be honest I didn't ask. I think he really concentrates on gardening although his business card does mention tree surgery.

macman

Then perhaps not a good idea to employ someone entirely unqualified and then not hang around to supervise him massacring your trees?

McKneff

ed110220 wrote: »

He may actually be right about the dead, or at least leafless wood. Conifers, with a few exceptions like yew, will not sprout from the bare leafless wood like most broadleaf trees. Therefore if you cut back into the larger branches they will die rather than resprout.

It all really depends how much greenery there is going to be left from cutting 20' trees to 7' as any further growth will only come from that greenery, not the bare wood.

:T
Excellent post.
Our neighbours out the back have these and cut theirs down last year and all we have on our side now is bare 9ft sticks of trees with no leaves no nothing popping over our garden fence. Please bear it in mind.

I think maybe your a bit to blame too to be honest.

While Im thinking, did you ask if he had public liability insurance, its amazing how easy a small tree top can reduce a shed to matchwood.

rca779

Don't worry there is still PLENTY of greenery if the hedge is cut down to 7'. There is leafless word, but it most certainly isn't dead.