Just posted the same on Google Reviews however want to ensure that any Yelpers use him too.
Lets just start off by stating that this is going to sound like a paid testimonial. I assure you that it is not. Nor is Chris a friend or family member of mine. I simply believe in commending those that deserve to be commended for their great work.
I have been debating getting my trees pruned since we moved into our home 10 years ago. We have over 50 large and medium sized oaks and I not only had concerns about them being improperly pruned (lots of value and beauty in those trees), but didn't want to incur what I knew was going to be a big expense as I had gotten estimates ranging from $3,500 to nearly $6K for the job.
As I recently decided to get this done not only for the sake of appearance, but for the health of the trees, I researched how to best choose a tree trimmer. In short, I came to the conclusion that I should look for a certified arborist, strong reviews - and/or a trusted referral, as well as ensure that the company had not only General Liability insurance (covers damage they may cause) but also Workers Comp (covers any injury that may occur to their staff while on your property). After all, this is a dangerous job where one fall could cause severe injury. Someone local - who has a reputation invested in Georgetown would be nice too.
This site was helpful:
http://www.stihlusa.com/information/articles/hiring-tree-care-service/
Pricing for the job varied wildly from $3500-$6500. While most had generally good reviews online, on our community Facebook and Nextdoor page, slick marketing (and many salespeople working for them) and General Liability, many did not carry Workers Comp. This narrowed the field considerably down to 2 companies.
As Chris quote was a bit less than the other, I chose to focus on his services. In communications with him he was not only courteous and prompt in his follow up to questions, but was a great listener and very thorough in his explanation of the job to be done. He also was able to provide a professionally drafted proposal, as well as had copies of the General Liability and Workers Comp emailed to me directly from the agency that issues the policy, and with my name listed as "additional insured" no less.
When Chris's crew arrived to complete the job, they were not only courteous, but looked professional and wore matching attire as well. Their equipment seemed well maintained and clean too. Chris was there in the AM to meet with me and walk the foreman through the job as well as came 2 more times during the day to check on progress.
In addition to the pruning, Chris's crew removed a very large Hackberry that was too close to the house, 2 Cedars as well as a Cedar Elm. All of the wood from the Oak pruning that was large enough to be used for firewood (or my chimenea) was stacked in 12-18 inch pieces as we had discussed.
As it was a 95 plus degree weekend, Chris's crew left before finishing this big job however he let me know that this would happen and yes, they returned the next morning to complete it. A few days later he returned with a crew member to complete the Deep Root fertilization, as well as to complete the stump grinding. All as detailed on the proposal and with his oversight. All completed within a week or so, and all without incident, or any "added charges".
In short, Chris pricing was very competitive, he "checked all the boxes" and he and his crew ultimately exceeded my expectations in all regards. I will certainly use his services again in the future - promote to others. read more
