We have hired Rodrigo and his crew several times in the past but will sadly not be continuing with their services in the future, thanks to them removing TONS of limbs today (and in the past) that we wanted to keep instead of the job they were hired to do and agreed upon during our consultation. After sending my quote request for our present needs (huge broken pecan branches and pecan branches on roof in our back yard) Rodrigo showed up at our house one day with no warning, when we weren't home. (I posted my cell phone number in the yelp communication but he claimed not to have it, even though my address was in the same message and he arrived to my house, so ... clearly should have had all info). We saw he was there on our Ring and raced home to meet. Discussed the pecan tree needs in our back yard, and pointed out a few trees with some small dead branches we wanted removed. For years Rodrigo's team has been asking to trim a large section of our front pecan tree, which I have adamantly said I do not want cut because I like that it gives our house some privacy, and said ONLY trim the dead branches, which seemed to be agreed upon.
The day they were supposed to come out they were a no-show, no contact (last Tuesday). Today (Monday) we notice him out front at 7:30am, again no notice they were coming. We discussed he'd have to wait to work because it was raining. He said he would contact us before he started working, and asked for my phone number (which I provided, again). I left for the gym, my husband stayed home to feed our dogs and start his workday. I get home at 9:10 to find MASSIVE piles of branches in my driveway, from the tree in our front yard that I did NOT want cut. I was devastated but asked if everything was ok (Rodrigo said yes) and went inside. Then I look in the backyard to find that large branches from our neighbors trees (over our fence/property) had also been cut without our consent, or our neighbor's consent. I went outside and admittedly went ballistic, because these branches can't exactly be duct taped back together and we had no conversation with our neighbor, which we've always done on both sides if any trimming of each others trees was anticipated. When Rodrigo had first come to our house in 2018 I believe, same thing - asked for bamboo removal and pecan pruning, which was done, but they also took the "liberty" to massively trim our mulberry tree, meaning I can no longer pick mulberries because the remaining fruit is 30' off the ground. He couldn't manage to eke out an apology until I asked, since he was so incredibly defensive and arrogant.
Apparently the fact that he "knows a lot about trees" means he can just come onto your property and cut whatever he wants without asking, and explicitly against what you discussed together. What was the point of the consultation?? I'm an engineer, and I don't think I can just break into your house and move your walls around without your permission. He kept saying "I don't know what I could have done" like the trees just HAD to be cut immediately, and he couldn't either call me, or knock on the door - my husband was right inside! Husband said it all happened so fast, he looked out and it was all over before he could intervene. The work we hired him for (fixing the broken pecan branch super high in our back yard, and removing pecan branches from the roof in our back yard) were not yet touched (due to weather) and the branches he cut were NOT part of the work order. He did not charge us, hence 3 stars and not 1.
I do believe he cares for the health of the trees and takes care in how the work is done. But the communication was absolutely lacking and unacceptable before, during, and after the trimming was over. Rodrigo could afford to look up what it means to apologize - absolutely appalling. I am sad because I know he cares about the trees, but he needs to check with homeowners before doing work that they explicitly do NOT want done, and that they specifically said they did not want done. We can no longer recommend this company, and have already requested quotes with other companies to get the necessary work completed properly to protect our pecan trees and roof.
I am so deeply upset and am going to feel awful every single day when I come back to my house, seeing the absence from our gorgeous tree that Rodrigo took from us. There is no way this will ever be the same, and I have no forgiveness for someone who can be so defensive about their destruction of someone else's property. read more