Beware of cut-rate prices for tree trims
If you hire a tree trimmer who offers you a great deal, beware: Improper work can kill your tree, and uninsured workers can become a nightmare.
By YVONNE SWANSON
Published September 23, 2006
A big Hummer pulled up to my house. A big fella knocked on the front door. He was ready to cut me a big deal on the big oak tree in the front yard.
He reminded me that it was hurricane season and my big tree could be in for big trouble. He said he'd cut here and there, pointing from one limb to another. It was too much information, too fast and too early in the morning. All I could tell was that this tree man had big plans for my tree.
He said normally he'd do the job for $800, but since he was already working in the neighborhood, he'd give me a break and only charge $400. I said I'd think about it.
A few hours passed and he rolled up again. This time he said it was my lucky day. He'd do the job for just $250. The really big job, way up there in my really big tree. I wondered: Was I getting a big break, or was it just another big rip-off? I decided to find out.
I contacted national and local tree experts and the Better Business Bureau. How much should you expect to pay for tree work and what's the smartest way to hire someone? I figured that if the big fella is randomly knocking on doors - the tree experts call them "door knockers" -- there are plenty more out there doing the same thing in neighborhoods across the Tampa Bay area. It's probably happening all over Florida right now at the height of hurricane season.
I learned that anyone in Florida can call himself a tree professional. All he needs is a $100 chainsaw from a pawn shop, an inexpensive business license and a customer looking for a cheap deal. There are no state regulations requiring knowledge and proficiency in tree service, liability insurance or worker's compensation insurance - although the arboriculture industry in Florida is lobbying for such consumer protections, says certified arborist Loren Westenberger, owner of Westenberger Tree Service in Clearwater.
Taking a gamble on a company or individual who comes knocking on your door - and even some you'll find in the phone directory - is downright dangerous, experts say. Improper tree work can kill your tree (and potentially any passerby if it comes tumbling down). Uninsured workers hurt or killed on your property can result in a lawsuit against you and your homeowner insurance.
According to the Florida chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture, the tree service industry is one of the most dangerous professions. In 2003, there were 39 tree-related occupational deaths per 100,000 U.S. workers - three times the fatality rate for police and firefighters nationally, the group reports.
Considering that a healthy, mature tree's value easily exceeds thousands of dollars, and a very large one is priceless, why then would homeowners allow just anyone to climb up in it and start hacking away?
The answer is price. "People want good deals. They don't want to call professional services because they are going to be charged a premium," says Daniel Alloncius, owner of A Treedom Tree Service in St. Petersburg. "But tree service should not be cheap. It's an investment."
According to Norm Easey, executive director of Florida's ISA, an ISA-certified arborist is the best choice for a tree-pruning job, although an experienced, non-certified professional with the proper insurance coverage can handle some tasks, including tree removal.
Local contractors quote a wide range of rates for tree trimming, from $150 to $400 per hour. For tree removal, some contractors price jobs based on the estimated dumping fee of the tree, which will typically be 10 to 15 percent of the total bill, says one contractor. For example, a $150 dump fee would mean the total cost for tree removal is $1,500. Florida's ISA suggests a reasonable fee ranges from $75 to $125 per worker per hour, which includes liability and workman's compensation insurance, as well as bucket trucks and equipment. It does not include heavier specialty equipment that may be needed such as cranes or hardware that may be installed in the tree.
You can protect yourself by insisting on a written estimate of the work. It should include all details of the work to be performed, including debris disposal, stump grinding, cleaning the work area and removal of cut wood. If you want the wood cut and stacked for firewood, get it in writing. Before work begins, get a signed contract with the total dollar amount and the date work will be completed.
Clearly, "buyer beware" applies to tree services, especially when you're offered a discount deal after a knock on the door. Heed the advice of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which warns against hiring unqualified contractors who "breeze into town promising a variety of services at cut-rate prices." They may show up at your door, advertise in local papers or deliver fliers to your home. Often they'll use high-pressure sales tactics and claim to be working at a house down the street.
"This is a common ploy of fly-by-night contractors who are based out-of-state and use their pickup trucks as their place of business," warns Steve Cole, president and chief executive of the BBB. "It's not your lucky day when a contractor shows up on your doorstep offering a too-good-to-be-true deal."
Yvonne Swanson is a freelance writer in St. Petersburg and a master gardener for Pinellas County.
Tips for hiring
Whom to hire: The most qualified is a certified arborist. This professional is certified by the International Society of Arboriculture after successfully completing an exam on tree trimming, care and removal. There are about 1,200 certified arborists in Florida. You can find one at www.floridaisa.org or by calling your local county extension service. A tree surgeon is a title that requires no special training. ISA says experienced, insured tree surgeons should be qualified for some jobs, including tree removal.
Whom to avoid: Contractors who promise low prices. Typically they lack experience, the right equipment and insurance. Don't hire a service that offers "topping" of trees in which large branches are cut down to stubs to reduce the size of the tree. Topping usually ends up killing the tree. Don't hire a company that advertises "hurricane cuts." You can check for customer complaints to the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org.
Before you decide: Get written bids from several contractors. Ask for and check local references. Ask for certification of personal and property liability insurance and worker's com-pensation. Call the insurance companies to con-firm coverage. Are permits required for the work being proposed? You could be fined if the tree work is not in compliance with local restrictions.
Payment terms: Never pay for the entire job upfront. If it's a large job, arrange for partial payments as parts of the job are completed. Final payment shouldn't be due until the job is completed to your satisfaction. Always pay by check or credit card.
- YVONNE SWANSON