Tree surgeon emergency!

themaidenmaniac

Hi guys.

Had a bit of a blinder this week, as i got a tree surgeon in but seems to be charging quite a lot for the amount of time.

Trees in pic 1 are after paying £650 to have them pruned back off the property (thought that was a bit pricey but ok).

Then pic 2 is where the problems started, as I thought he said he'd half height them for an extra £150 as i wasnt entirely happy. He's then messaged me asking for £1150 and called me 4 times already harassing for payment.

Bearing in mind they turned up at 9.30 today and finished at 11.30, for £1150 i think I should quit my job in IT and start chopping trees down!

Question is, is it a reasonable or un reasonable price? Lesson to self... always get a quote.

Aylesbury_Duck

I can't see the photos. Whether it's reasonable or not partly depends upon the man-hours. Was he working alone or were there, say, three of them? How much waste did he have to dispose of? I chopped down a few conifers when I moved in and the waste from that smallish job filled two skips which cost me £500.

themaidenmaniac

Have fixed the pic links. For some reason they wont embed. Yep that was also for 3 guys. Thanks for.. chipping in... Aylesbury

£1750 seems rather crazy to me.

newbie1980

themaidenmaniac wrote: »

Hi guys.

Had a bit of a blinder this week, as i got a tree surgeon in but seems to be charging quite a lot for the amount of time.

Trees in pic 1 are after paying £650 to have them pruned back off the property (thought that was a bit pricey but ok).

Then pic 2 is where the problems started, as I thought he said he'd half height them for an extra £150 as i wasnt entirely happy. He's then messaged me asking for £1150 and called me 4 times already harassing for payment.

Bearing in mind they turned up at 9.30 today and finished at 11.30, for £1150 i think I should quit my job in IT and start chopping trees down!

Question is, is it a reasonable or un reasonable price? Lesson to self... always get a quote.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!AtUVRLI9di3driSjgy1t1_YlsXED

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AtUVRLI9di3driPU7kNThyMFESZf

id be asking for the proof to what was agreed. Also be asking for his license to work on trees with i pressume he used a chainsaw/public liability/waste carriers license on trees as it costs a bomb.
more than likely they were just travellers trying it on. I would offer what was agreed and say you cant get blood out of a stone

gardner1

I take it those trees were on your property behind the fence

missbiggles1

Are the trees actually on your property?

Lorian

£650+£150 is not £1150?

newbie1980

Lorian wrote: »

£650+£150 is not £1150?

looks like he wants 650 + 1150 :mad::mad:

Aylesbury_Duck

newbie1980 wrote: »

id be asking for the proof to what was agreed. Also be asking for his license to work on trees with i pressume he used a chainsaw/public liability/waste carriers license on trees as it costs a bomb.
more than likely they were just travellers trying it on. I would offer what was agreed and say you cant get blood out of a stone

But nothing was agreed, it appears that the OP allowed them to work without giving an estimate or quote.

Asking for licences is a bit late now. The work has been done. Are you suggesting that the OP withhold payment or reduce the payment if he finds out they aren't licenced after the event?

If three people worked for two hours and removed what looks like a lot of tree and presumably have disposed of it, I don't think the price is unreasonable. As the OP said, their mistake was not to have got an idea of prices beforehand and to get a quote before work began. It's too late to begin disputing the price now the work is done.

themaidenmaniac

Nah not on my property, just overhanging and getting the council to do anything would be impossible too! Ambiguous tree ownership...

Aylesbury_Duck

Just looked at the photos again. Whose property are those trees on? If they're not on your property you possibly have a bigger problem coming your way than £1150.....