Everything went perfectly We will have 7 men up in our tree trimming & making it safe read more

I am a professional gardener and one of my clients has been using this tree service for their larger trees for years. The trees always look excellent afterwards but yesterday I had the opportunity to watch them in action as I was working next door. Before starting they tarped all the flower beds underneath the tree so as not to crush the smaller plants with falling branches. The crew was efficient, careful, and impressively quiet. They used pole pruners and had a spotter to help guide the ones in the tree. Their cuts were clean, even, and at the appropriate distance from the remaining branch. Afterward they picked up all the branches and debris that fell over the fence. They did use a blower at the end to clean up smaller debris, but it was amazingly quiet compared to the monstrosities most people use. The tree looks amazing now. The crew were very friendly and respectful, letting me know when they were coming over to clean up since I was working nearby. I have observed many other tree services at work previously and this one by far did the best job of actually caring for the tree, not just hacking it. read more

I wish I could give Big Chief Tree Service 10 stars! They saved a seriously compromised bay tree on my property and they did it expertly, from the initial planning, to the actual trimming and clean-up, all done effortlessly, with immaculate clean-up and very reasonable cost. If you're interested in saving a tree on your property, don't hesitate to call Big Chief Tree Service! Very highly recommended!! read more

Peter's crew did a fantastic job in trimming our 70+ year old magnolia tree which had grown out of sorts, blocking light and our views. Peter came to evaluate the tree and its proximity to the house and provided us with suggestions on how to care for it. His estimate was quite reasonable. His crew are true professionals and cleaned up every bit of debris in the yard once they were done. The tree now has a beautiful crown and they've trimmed it beautifully, opening up the ground to much needed filtered light. I'll have them back to care for our trees in the future! read more

Peter and his crew did excellent work on my trees. They carefully trimmed away branches from an old buckeye tree hanging over my deck and maple branches on the side of the house. They also dug away sediment around the roots of an old oak tree on a slope, probably saving the tree. The difference is so wonderful, and I feel prepared for the winter rains and wind. They were very careful in their work and cleaned up well. I just can't say enough good things. read more

It was a sycamore tree that led to an introduction to Peter Rudy and Big Chief Tree service. Back in the mid-90s my then-girlfriend-now-wife had taken a chainsaw to it to tidy it up and the results were, in a word, mangy. Professional assistance was required. Somehow I found Peter and the rest, as they say, was history. I've since said goodbye to that sycamore but their work in my current yard includes removing trees, grinding stumps, thinning the Berkeley-protected Live Oaks, trimming pittosporums and assessing the safety of neighboring trees. Nearly 20 years later from our first meeting Big Chief Tree Service is still the only tree service and Peter Rudy is still the only arborist I work with. There are numerous reasons for this: firstly, Peter loves trees. It's true. And quite endearing. He thinks about what's best for them. He recognizes that some are considered more valuable than others. He doesn't judge people's favorites. He understands human nature (the desire for views, the desire for foliage, the disagreements that these stately wonders can cause between neighbors) plays a role in tree care. Additionally, his crew is amazing. They are incredible to watch work, high in the boughs. They're efficient, their work is great, their clean-up is terrific. And they're friendly. The Big Chief Tree Service guys have been a team for a long time -- and this reflects well on them too. I like working with people who like their job and enjoy one another. Who doesn't? read more

I am beyond impressed with Peter and his team at Big Chief. On a free site visit he accessed the condition of several trees, including a large Redwood and a couple of fruit trees. Peter is very knowledgeable and provided honest, well-balanced recommendations so I could make the best decision for my yard. My Redwood tree was absolutely covered in ivy, climbing to almost three stories high. Peter's team turned up on time, magically climbed the tree, removed the ivy, and did a full trim. The tree looks absolutely beautiful now and is the pride of the garden. In fact, I was initially leaning toward having the tree removed but after Big Chief's makeover, I've completely changed my mind. I'm confident they can keep the tree looking great for man years to come. Best of all, there's no debris to remove. The team makes the trimmings, leaves, branches and anything else disappear. So much so, that even the neighbors commented on their efficiency. All done for a very reasonable price. I highly recommend Big Chief for whatever tree services you may need. read more

The owner of Big Chief Tree came out to do an estimate for me and my neighbor yesterday. Without asking us what work was needed on the large beautiful oak tree that's between our houses, he launched right in, telling us that it needed cabling. This is a very healthy oak tree with four separate trunks, one of which is leaning over my house somewhat, but hasn't moved from that position in the 25 years I've lived there. Cabling would apparently involve drilling right through the healthy tree trunks, attaching them to each other (and no doubt costing thousands of dollars.) Everything I've learned about trees says that holes through bark should be avoided, or you introduce diseases and parasites to the tree. When we explained to the owner that all we needed was some trimming above my neighbor's roof, he grew irate and said we had wasted his time coming out, and that he wasn't interested in a job so small. He offers free estimates, but apparently you're not supposed to bother him for a small job (i.e., $500-700). This was not made clear by his receptionist, of course, or he wouldn't have been there. A negative experience all around, and definitely a waste of OUR time, to be rudely treated by someone who only wants big-money jobs. He didn't even offer a reference to someone else who might like a smaller job, which no doubt his workmen would love to do on their days off. read more

I had a very negative experience with Peter Rudy (owner of Big Chief Tree service). I first emailed Peter on June 30, asking him to come over and examine a tree for possible removal. He wrote back on July 2, indicating that he had mornings the next week available from 10-12 . I wrote back the same day, suggesting Wednesday the 10th at 10 AM. He did not write back until Monday July 8 at 4:47 pm, apologizing for the delay in responding and suggesting Wednesday at 5pm instead. I wrote back five minutes later (time stamped 4:52) accepting Wednesday at 5pm. Wednesday came. I went home early to be on time for the appointment. No show. At 7:56 pm I get an email "Well, I am just getting into the office and answering e-mails and just finding this one from you. Apologies, looks like I blew it here." After further back and forth he suggested the following Tuesday at 6:30 AM. Wanting to be flexible and to get this moving, I agreed. Tuesday morning, I woke up early, made coffee for both of us, and waited. No show. At 7:00 (a half hour late) he emailed me, asking me to give him a call and indicating that, while he was running late, he could still get over to see me that morning. I declined. He was polite and professional throughout our interaction, but I will not accept two appointments and to no-shows from a business vendor -- especially when I have left work early and woken up early to accommodate his schedule. read more

Peter and his crew are amazing. We have a 100-year old incense cedar tree in our small yard. In planning a remodel, we wanted to build around the tree without affecting its health. Peter gave us a careful evaluation and a thorough pruning. He later came back and added a complex pair of spider wires to protect the tree in years to come. It was something of an engineering feat, but now that I've watched the tree move, I can see what genius it was. As far as I'm concerned, no one else will prune that tree. He's simply the best. read more

Peter Rudy (aka Pedro) and his crew are just... The best around They cleaned up a eucalyptus tree, And I could have not been more impressed, no power saws, no screaming, just a guy on the tree with his ropes and a few hand saws, guy on the ground cleaning up and organizing the branches No broken plants or angry neighbors Peter's knowledge of trees and plants is very impressive, and the way he described the proposed work to my self and neighbor was great also Will use them and pass their name to friends read more

Peter is awesome. Not only do he and his crew do a great job, they leave everything cleaner and better than it was before. He really went above and beyond for me, as I had some neighbors complaining about their view being blocked. He told me to give them his number so he could deal with them, went into their house to look at their view, etc. He really helped keep my relationship with my neighbors and was happy to help in whatever way he could. I don't know any other service that would do something like that! It certainly isn't cheap, but I think it's comparable to prices in the area and definitely of the highest quality of work and service. Peter is also just a really nice and likeable guy, and appears to be a very honest businessman. I will would recommend him to anyone. read more

Big Chief Tree Service did an excellent job trimming three big tree at my mom's. We are actually a repeat customer from a few years ago. Peter stopped by first to survey the trees and gave us a reasonable estimate. On the scheduled day they arrived on time and promptly got to work. I was watching them closely to see how his crew trimmed our trees. Three guys climbed to the top of our tall cedar tree and worked their way down. They had a 4th person on the ground to pick up the trimmed branches and help the crew on top to look. They took their time to trimmed each tree properly and not hurried like some other crews I have seen. I have pictures of the trees before and after. I saw how many branches came down and the extra growth within the tree cleared. If you didn't see them on the tree, you wouldn't know the tree had been trimmed. The trimmed tall cedar still looked natural without any stubbed branches showing it was trimmed. They took the same care with our Magnolia and Liquid Amber trees. The ground crew kept all of the trimming in control. Those trimmings were not spread all over our lawn or in the street. We had 5 or 6 big piles of trimmings, which the shredder promptly took care of all. Their clean up was again excellent. They left our yard cleaner than they found it. So very happy with Big Chief Tree Service at my mom's. I would recommend them to anyone looking to for tree service. 5 stars out of 5 from us on a job well done. read more

Peter and his crew helped us out with a last minute project (paving project and we have a tried tree that needed its roots to be protected), and he was very knowledgeable, responsive, flexible, and went above and beyond. I had to nag him to remember to bill us! Prior owners of our home used him, and I can see why. We have two huge trees that we would not want to entrust to amateurs; we're quite pleased. read more

Peter Rudy, owner of Big Chief Tree Service, has taken assiduous care of my Redwood, and occasionally other small trees, for more than a decade. He has a very well-trained crew, he obviously loves trees, and he knows trees very well. He's very reliable and personable and his rates are reasonable. Highly recommended. read more

I just called Big Chief for another visit, after not needing for a few years. Rudy always did a great job and was VERY honest as well as very expert. If you are concerned about the one bad review, look at other reviews the person did--all low scores except for cosmetics (1) and cannabis clinic (1). Hmmmmmm. read more

Big Chief did a great job removing my 2 trees that had outgrow my yard. Peter was very nice, well informed and obviously knows his business. His crew was great. Efficient, showed up on time, cleaned up everything and did everything so well I was seriously impressed. I would recommend them to everyone. Pleasant and extremely reasonable.they are the best! read more

I totally agree with the above reviews. Peterand his crew have been taking care of my huge Monterey Pine for over 12 years. However, he came to inspect it and give me an estimate for work about 2 months ago, but I haven't been able to contact him since. Does anyone know if he's having a problem? read more

Peter and his efficient, capable crew did an impressive job of trimming two huge redwood trees on our property. Peter made 3 trips to discuss and plan the work, then his crew carefully prepared and suspended tarps to protect neighbors' property on two sides. The experienced team secured by ropes in the tops of the tall trees was a sight to behold. They did a perfect clean-up job and were very nice to have around for the two days it took to complete the very big job. The estimate and final cost were consistent and reasonable for this kind of work. read more

Peter was super helpful to us, going above and beyond. We wanted some redwood stumps to create a natural playground setting for our toddler and his crew cut our stumps to order. He even helped us load up our car! He treats all projects as though they are important and is super knowledgeable and friendly. read more

We love dendrology. For 18 years we have lived in our canyon home, pruned our own trees and even helped our friends and neighbors with theirs. Yet when it came time to restore our beautiful bay view we found ourselves in a difficult situation. Potentially five properties would be affected with each owner having their own perspective of the term "view". Many live oaks were involved. After admiring Peter's work for years we knew to call Big Chief Tree Service. His crews are superbly trained, Zen, efficient artists and sculptors. We knew they would deliver beautiful canopies for all while prioritizing the health of the trees. What we didn't know was that Peter would be fantastically adept at handling everyone's concerns in an extremely fair manner. Peter and his crew turned a tumultuous day into a smooth day. Our view is gorgeous and the trees are beautiful. We are looking forward to a long standing relationship. read more

We had Peter Rudy of Big Chief Tree service prune two trees. His crew did a fine job but dealing with him was unpleasant. He was rude in email. He did not tell us he had a three hour minimum in advance, and so we were surprised when he charged us $190 an hour for a three man crew for 3 hours when the job took about an hour and a half. read more

I can't say enough good things about Peter Ruby and Big Chief Tree Service. He was recommended by my landscape architect as the only tree service he would use. After the landscaping project was complete, I waited awhile to call him to prune my Chinese Pistache and magnolia trees. Then came the big winds in November which damaged the heavy, over grown Pistache, breaking some branches and leaving others severely wounded. I called Peter and he came by that morning, took a look, got his saw from the truck and climbed up in the tree himself to free the injured branch which required cutting out the weight resting on it. He said his crew was nearby and he would have them come by to pick up the debris, which was definitely more than I could handle. When I came home, everything was cleaned up. A few days later, they returned, finished the pruning and wired up the weak branch, saving the tree from having a gaping hole in its lovely crown. The magnolia was trimmed and shaped this month, the nicest I have seen that tree look in the 15 years I have lived here. The cost for both trees was very reasonable considering the work involved and I am so grateful for the rescue of the old Pistache. I highly recommend Peter and his crew at Big Chief Tree Service! read more